Tis the season to be Merry! I love me the most yummy chocolate macarons. They are piped with a delicious peppermint buttercream frosting. I added Brach's crushed peppermint candy canes to give the already amazingly sweet frosting a little kick. This combination is to be desired and should be added to your Christmas baking list!
If you love chocolate, then you should also take a look at my ultimate chocolate chip cookies They will definitely give you the chocolate fix you have been craving!
Ingredients and substitutions
I have been on a macaron baking marathon. These little evil cookies are very difficult to perfect.
- Almond flour: This can be pricy, but I recommend this brand from Aldi's. Cheaper in price, but works great.
- Granulated sugar
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: dutch processed can be used as well.
- Pepper mint candy canes: If you don't want to put in the work crushing the candy canes up and then folding them into the buttercream frosting, use peppermint extract. It will taste the same but without the slight crunch!
Making the chocolate macarons
After many failed batches of macarons, I was super happy when this one went right. I have learned that the most important part is the macronage phase.
Start by taking all dry ingredients and add them to a food processor. Turn on for 2 minutes. When it is done, sift the ingredients again into a large mixing bowl and then set aside. I have learned that extra sifting gets any unnecessary large clumps out.
With your stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, mix your room temperature eggs (you can age overnight) and granulated sugar on setting 4 for 3 minutes. The eggs will not seem overly foamy at this point. Next, turn up to setting 6 and mix for 3 minutes (soft peak stage). Then turn up to level 8 and mix for 3 minutes. Stiff peaks will be formed at this point. You will have to shake the meringue off the whisk.
Slowly add the dry ingredients in the meringue and start folding (macronage) until all the dry ingredients are combined. Your batter will be ready when you can drip a ribbon down into the bowl off the spatula and it mixes into itself within about 10-15 seconds.
Pipe batter on to the silicon macaron mats and fill only about ⅔ full. Bake at 300 degrees for 18 minutes. If the tops of the macarons lift off, then they are not ready. Bake for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Peppermint buttercream frosting
With an electric mixer, mix butter until the color is almost white. Add in you peppermint extract and confectioner's sugar until well combined. Add in your milk to get your desired consistency. Lastly, fold in your crushed candy canes. Pipe on the macarons and serve!
Variations
- Many types of different buttercream frosting can be used such as vanilla, chocolate, caramel, or even coffee flavored.
- Add on crushed nuts on top or any drizzle
FAQ's
Although, they are not "healthy" for you, they are lighter in calories versus eating a cupcake.
Chocolate macaron with peppermint buttercream frosting
Equipment
- Kitchenaid stand mixer with whisk attachment
- Electric mixer with beaters
- Food scale
- Measuring cups and spoons
- spatula
- Home Decor
- Two baking sheets
- Silicon macaron mat
- Sifter
- Food processor
- wilton 16 in piping bag with 1 in round tip
Ingredients
Chocolate macaron
- 71 g almond flour
- 117 g confectioner's sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 large egg whites, room temperature
- 53 g granulated sugar
Peppermint buttercream
- 2 sticks salted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 5 cups confectioner's sugar
- 1-2 tablespoon milk
- ¼ cup candy canes crushed
Instructions
Chocolate macarons
- Preheat oven to 300°. Line baking sheets with silicon macaron mats.
- In a large mixer bowl, combine measured almond flour, cocoa powder and confectioner's sugar. Put in food processor and grind for about 2 minutes. After it is done mixing, sift ingredients again into large mixing bowl to get rid of any large clumps. Set aside.
- With the kitchen aide mixer, start mixing on level 4 the egg whites and sugar. Do it for 3 minutes. Mixture will not seem overly foamy at this point. Turn up to level 6 and mix for another 3 minutes. Soft peaks will be forming at this point. Lastly, turn up to level 8 and mix for another 3 minutes. Stiff peaks will be formed and the merigue should stick to the whisk at this point.
- Pour dry ingredient mixture into the meringue. This is the process of macronage and super important. Fold mixture by using spatula and blend all ingredients until they are combined. Your batter will be ready when you can create a fine ribbon of batter from your spatula back into the bowl and it should disappear within itself after about 10-20 seconds or so. You don't want to over mix and your batter should not be like pancake batter.
- Pipe macaron batter onto macaron circles and fill only ⅔ full as some spreading will occur naturally in the oven when baking. Bake for 18 minutes. Baking times will vary based on everyone's oven settings, but that is what works for mine. If the tops of cookies separate from each other they are not ready. Bake for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Let cool for about 10 minutes. They should pull right up off mat when done.
Peppermint buttercream frosting
- In a large mixing bowl blend the butter until almost white in color. Add in you peppermint extract and blend well. Add in you confectioner's sugar and milk until you get your desired consistency. Fold in your crushed peppermints.
- Then pipe on one macaron and put together like a sandwich.
Notes
- Store in airtight container in fridge for only 3 days.
- Freezer for up to 3-6 months.
Nutrition
These macarons are my favorite!
Fun fact of the day!
Even though Thanksgiving has passed, I thought this was cute!
Apparently, turkey's can blush.
Recommended Products
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