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4.97 from 63 ratings

Gingerbread Macarons

Learn how to make these adorable gingerbread macarons! They're filled with homemade spiced buttercream and are absolutely delicious!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time18 minutes
Additional Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 8 minutes
Course: Macarons
Cuisine: French
Servings: 18 macarons
Calories: 187kcal
Author: Chelsey White

Ingredients

French Macaron Recipe

Gingerbread Buttercream Frosting

  • 113 g unsalted butter, room temperature 1/2 cup
  • 14 g molasses 2 tsp
  • 4 g ground cinnamon 2 tsp
  • 2 g vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 1/2 tsp
  • 2 g fine salt 1/4 tsp
  • 1 g ground ginger 1/2 tsp
  • 1 g ground nutmeg 1/2 tsp
  • 1 g fine salt 1/8 tsp
  • 200 g powdered sugar 1 2/3 cups
  • 30 g heavy whipping cream, room temperature 2 Tbsp

Equipment

Instructions

French Macaron Recipe

  • Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon mats. Set aside.
  • Pour 110g of aged egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk and mix on medium speed until the surface of the egg whites is covered in small bubbles. Add 1/4 tsp cream of tartar and continue to mix until it reaches the soft peak stage and leaves visible tracks.
  • Gradually mix 110g of granulated sugar into the egg whites over a few minutes while mixing on a medium-low speed. Increase the mixing speed to a medium-high speed (6 on a KitchenAid). Keep mixing until stiff, glossy peaks form.
  • Sift 140g of superfine almond flour and 125g of powdered sugar into the meringue. Use a rubber spatula to break up any big clumps and press them through the sieve.
  • Add in a generous squirt of brown gel food coloring to give the shells a gingerbread color.
  • Fold the ingredients together with a rubber spatula. Use a circular motion that sweeps around the edge of the bowl and then pulls through the bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is getting mixed together. Don't forget to scrape off the inside of the spatula intermittently. Sometimes meringue can get stuck there and not get mixed in properly.
  • Fold the batter until a thick ribbon of batter runs off the spatula when it's lifted. You should be able to draw a couple of figure 8s with the batter running off your spatula in a continuous stream when it's the right consistency. If the stream of batter breaks before you're able to do this, you may need to stir it a bit more.
  • Pour the batter into a large piping bag fit with a medium-sized round piping tip and pipe 1 3/4-inch rounds on the prepared baking sheets. Space them about 1 inch apart.
  • Bang the pans firmly on the counter a few times to release air bubbles, then pop any remaining air bubbles that come to the surface with a toothpick.
  • Let the macarons rest for 30 minutes, or until they develop a skin. The macarons should look matte once the skin has formed. While the macarons rest, preheat the oven to 320 F / 160 C.
  • Bake one tray of macarons at a time on the middle rack of your oven for 18-21 minutes and rotate the pan halfway through to help the macarons bake evenly. Bake time can vary based on the size of your shells, so if you pipe them smaller than 1 3/4-inch, they may be done a few minutes earlier.
  • Remove the macaron shells from the oven and let them cool fully on the pan (about 30 minutes), then gently peel them off the silpat mat. If they're properly baked, they should peel off the mat cleanly and have a shiny bottom.

Gingerbread Buttercream Frosting

  • Beat 113g of room-temperature butter on a medium speed for a minute with a whisk attachment until it becomes lighter in color and smooth.
  • Mix in 14g molasses (2 tsp), 4g cinnamon (2 tsp), 2g vanilla (1/2 tsp), 1g salt (1/2 tsp), 1g ginger (1/2 tsp), and 1g nutmeg (1/2 tsp).
  • Slowly mix in 200g of powdered sugar and 30g of heavy cream on a low speed.
  • Continue to mix on low for a couple of minutes until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached. 
  • If the frosting seems too thick, add in additional heavy cream or milk (1 tsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (1 Tbsp at a time).
  • Place in a piping bag fit with a round tip (or snip the end to have an opening that's about 1 cm wide) and set aside.

Assembling These Gingerbread Macarons

  • Pair up the macaron shells, then pipe a dollop of gingerbread buttercream onto the bottom of one macaron shell. Gently press a second shell on top of the frosting to create a sandwich.
  • If desired, decorate the macarons with an edible marker and leftover frosting or royal icing.
  • Place the finished macarons in an airtight container and chill in the fridge overnight, then let them warm to room temperature and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Recipe Yield

This recipe makes about 36 macaron shells which can be used to make 18 macarons. You can double or triple this recipe to make more macarons if needed.
The yield and bake time can vary based on how large you pipe your shells. I piped these shells with a diameter of about 1 and 3/4 inches, so about the size of a standard macaron.

Tips for Making the Best Gingerbread Macarons

  • Measure your ingredients in grams with a kitchen scale! You really need to be precise with this recipe. Your macarons will turn out best if the ingredients are weighed.
  • Separate your own eggs and age them if possible! Do not use egg whites from a carton.
  • Carefully read through the directions before making these macarons. There are quite a few steps and it's good to know your game plan before you start!
  • Use a macaron mat or print out a template to help you pipe consistently sized macarons.
  • FIRMLY bang your pans on your counter after piping your macarons. This helps release any air bubbles that may be trapped and prevent cracked or hollow shells.
  • Rest the macarons for 30 minutes before they're baked to allow them to develop a skin.
  • Pipe a small number of macarons on a mat to test your oven for hot spots and see if it bakes accurately. This way you won't waste a whole tray of macs if your oven runs hot or cold.
  • Let your macarons mature in the fridge overnight! Letting them rest overnight while they are filled softens them (in a good way) and allows the flavors to develop.

Making These Gingerbread Macarons in Advance & Storage Tips

  • French macarons need to mature overnight (or ideally 24 hours) in the fridge before being eaten! They taste best 24 hours after being made.
  • Macarons can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days in an airtight container.
  • Macarons can be refrigerated for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
  • Filled macarons can be frozen for up to a month, but the length can vary based on the filling.
  • Unfilled macaron shells can be frozen for up to a month in an airtight container.
  • Your filling can be made ahead of time too or save any leftover filling! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 77mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g