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Deliciously festive Santa Claus Macarons for holiday treats

Santa Claus Macarons

These festive Santa Claus Macarons feature delicate almond meringue shells, vibrant red and white colors, and a smooth vanilla buttercream filling, perfect for a whimsical holiday treat.
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Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 27 minutes
Servings: 12 macarons
Course: Dessert, Treat
Cuisine: French, Holiday
Calories: 180
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Macaron Shells
  • 90 g Almond flour
  • 90 g Powdered sugar
  • 70 g Egg whites (aged, room temperature)
  • 65 g Granulated sugar
  • few drops Red gel food coloring
  • few drops White gel food coloring (optional, for Santa's beard base)
Vanilla Buttercream
  • 1/2 cup Unsalted butter (113g, softened)
  • 2 cups Powdered sugar (240g)
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1-2 tbsp Milk or heavy cream (as needed for consistency)
Decoration
  • Black edible food marker (for eyes)
  • 12 Small red candy or sprinkle (for nose)
  • White nonpareils or sprinkles (for beard trim)

Equipment

  • Baking sheets
  • Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
  • Stand mixer with whisk attachment
  • Fine-mesh sieve
  • Large mixing bowls
  • Rubber spatula
  • Piping bags
  • Round piping tip (e.g., Wilton 1A or 12)
  • Small offset spatula (for filling)

Method
 

Prepare Macaron Shells
  1. Sift almond flour and powdered sugar together twice into a bowl, ensuring no lumps remain.
  2. In a clean stand mixer bowl, whisk egg whites on medium speed until foamy, then gradually add granulated sugar while increasing speed to high.
  3. Continue whisking until stiff, glossy peaks form, then gently fold in red gel food coloring until evenly distributed.
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the meringue in three additions, folding with a rubber spatula until the batter flows like lava from the spatula (macaronage).
  5. Transfer about 1/4 of the red batter to a separate bowl and mix with white food coloring if desired, or leave plain for the white parts.
  6. Fill piping bags with the red and white batter.
  7. Pipe red circles (about 1.5 inches) onto parchment-lined baking sheets for Santa's face, leaving space between them.
  8. Using the white batter, pipe a small beard shape at the bottom of each red circle and a small dot on top for the hat's pom-pom.
  9. Firmly tap the baking sheets on the counter a few times to release air bubbles, then use a toothpick to pop any remaining bubbles.
  10. Let the piped macarons rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes, or until a skin forms and they are dry to the touch.
  11. Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C) and bake one sheet at a time for 10-14 minutes, or until feet have formed and shells are firm.
  12. Let the shells cool completely on the baking sheet before removing.
Make Vanilla Buttercream
  1. Cream softened butter in a stand mixer until light and fluffy.
  2. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing until combined, then beat in vanilla extract.
  3. Add milk or cream one tablespoon at a time until the desired smooth and pipeable consistency is reached.
Assemble and Decorate Macarons
  1. Match cooled macaron shells by size.
  2. Pipe or spread a dollop of vanilla buttercream onto the flat side of one macaron shell and top with another shell to form a sandwich.
  3. Use a black edible marker to draw two small eyes on the red face portion of each macaron.
  4. Attach a small red candy or sprinkle for Santa's nose below the eyes.
  5. Gently press white nonpareils or sprinkles along the edge of the white beard and pom-pom to add texture and detail.

Notes

Ensure all your equipment is grease-free for best meringue results. Macarons are notoriously tricky; humidity can affect them significantly, so choose a dry day for baking. Don't overmix the batter (macaronage) as it will result in flat shells.