Grinch Macarons are the perfect Christmas Cookie to serve up at your next Christmas party. With a crispy shell, chewy center and a nutty taste, you can’t go wrong! These will surely have your heart growing three sizes with every bite.
Grinch Macarons
Ingredients:
- Almond flour – If you want a nut-free recipe, check out our Nut-Free Lavender Macaron Recipe. You can use the same base recipe and turn them into Grinch Macarons.
- Powdered sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Egg whites, room temperature
- Green food color – You can use either gel or regular food coloring. Gel food coloring and liquid food coloring present almost identical colors. The only small difference is after baking, the macarons with gel coloring seemed to hold the vibrancy.
- Red Buttercream Frosting – You can make it homemade but I went the easy route and used store bought.
- Red Heart Sprinkles
Tools Needed:
- Stand Mixer (or hand mixer)
- Mixing Bowls
- Rubber Spatula
- Baking/Cookie Sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Pastry Bag with Round Piping Tip
How to Make Grinch Macaron Cookies:
In a medium bowl, whisk the almond flour and the powdered sugar together, until they are combined, and then set the bowl aside.
Using a large bowl and hand mixer, or a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites until they are thick and white. Continue whisking them until they are no longer translucent egg whites, and are completely white and foamy.
SLOWLY and in increments, add in the sugar as you continue to whisk.
Once you have a thick consistency that can hold a peak, similar to shaving cream or cool whip, add in food coloring and mix until the color is evenly blended. (For traditional food coloring, I used 10-12 drops of the green, and using gel, I used 2-3 squirts) Your mixture should be able to hold a peak before and after you add the coloring, and will have a shine to the peaks.
Once you have your coloring added, using a rubber spatula, add in the flour mixture and gently fold it into the egg mixture. You will use the spatula to push the batter against the sides of the bowl to remove some of the air. Be sure to keep folding the flour mixture until it is completely combined into the egg mixture. The batter should now look like cream of wheat or smooth oatmeal.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees at this time.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then fill a piping bag. Using a round tip, place a small dot of batter under the parchment paper in each corner, to anchor the paper for baking.
Holding the piping bag straight up, make small to medium circles onto the parchment paper, trying to get each circle in the same size. Leave the piping tip in the middle of the circle and allow it to fill around the tip, without lifting. (Piping in a circular motion can create unwanted bubbles.)
Once you have the circles piped, drop the baking sheet on the counter from about 2 or 3 inches height, to help remove any remaining air bubbles. Let them sit on the counter for about 15 minutes before placing in the oven.
Bake for 10-13 minutes, until the tops of the cookies are set.
Once the cookies are done baking, allow them to cool before trying to remove them from the parchment paper.
Once cooled, match cookies to similar shape and size twin and flip one side over.
Place frosting on the flipped cookie and then gently attach the matched cookie.
To attach the heart, place a small drop of red frosting and place the candy heart over the frosting.
You then serve and enjoy!
Things To Note:
- Gel food coloring and liquid food coloring present almost identical colors. The only small difference is after baking, the macarons with gel coloring seemed to hold the vibrancy.
- To have a very smooth macaron, you can sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together. If you have an almond flour that may have settled in the bag over time, you may want to do this. I have skipped this step, with fairly new ingredients, and have still had smooth cookies.
- Shells can be prepared in advance and even frozen for a few weeks, if they are unfilled.
- Keep them in an airtight container so they stay dry and store on their sides. The cookies are fragile and if you stack them, they may crush each other.
- If you don’t prefer buttercream, macarons can be filled with anything! Jams, custards, etc.
- You can also add flavoring to the cookies, or to the fillings. Many flavors pair nicely with the nutty flavor of the macaron.
- Macarons should be light with a crisp on the outside, and chewy on the inside, with a small platform on the bottom of each cookie, called “feet.”
- I have tried to make these cookies in a rush, and my egg whites were cold. They don’t whisk to hold a peak, so don’t skip this step! Leave the eggs out for at least 30 minutes.
- Be sure to tap/drop the pan a few times. This helps remove the last bits of air, and will help prevent cracking.
- This recipe makes enough shells to complete 24-30 small and 16-20 medium macarons.
Want More Grinch Recipes? Check out:
- Grinch Hot Cocoa Bombs
- Grinch Fudge
- Grinch Cocktail (for adults)
- Grinch Pancakes
Plus, we have a ton more Grinch Ideas here.
Grinch Macarons
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups of almond flour
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large or extra large egg whites room temperature
- Green food color
- Red Buttercream Frosting
- Red Heart Sprinkles
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk the almond flour and the powdered sugar together, until they are combined, and then set the bowl aside.
- Using a large bowl and hand mixer, or a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites until they are thick and white. Continue whisking them until they are no longer translucent egg whites, and are completely white and foamy. SLOWLY and in increments, add in the sugar as you continue to whisk. Once you have a thick consistency that can hold a peak, similar to shaving cream or cool whip, add in food coloring and mix until the color is evenly blended. (For traditional food coloring, I used 10-12 drops of the green, and using gel, I used 2-3 squirts) Your mixture should be able to hold a peak before and after you add the coloring, and will have a shine to the peaks.
- Once you have your coloring added, using a rubber spatula, add in the flour mixture and gently fold it into the egg mixture. You will use the spatula to push the batter against the sides of the bowl to remove some of the air. Be sure to keep folding the flour mixture until it is completely combined into the egg mixture. The batter should now look like cream of wheat or smooth oatmeal.
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees at this time.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then fill a piping bag. Using a round tip, place a small dot of batter under the parchment paper in each corner, to anchor the paper for baking. Holding the piping bag straight up, make small to medium circles onto the parchment paper, trying to get each circle in the same size. Leave the piping tip in the middle of the circle and allow it to fill around the tip, without lifting. (Piping in a circular motion can create unwanted bubbles.)
- Once you have the circles piped, drop the baking sheet on the counter from about 2 or 3 inches height, to help remove any remaining air bubbles. Let them sit on the counter for about 15 minutes before placing in the oven.
- Bake for 10-13 minutes, until the tops of the cookies are set. Once the cookies are done baking, allow them to cool before trying to remove them from the parchment paper.
- Once cooled, match cookies to similar shape and size twin and flip one side over. Place frosting on the flipped cookie and then gently attach the matched cookie.
- To attach the heart, place a small drop of red frosting and place the candy heart over the frosting.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition information is a rough estimate only; actual values will vary based on the exact ingredients used and amount of recipe prepared.
Vicky
Thursday 7th of December 2023
Do you have to use almond flour, or can I use all purpose instead?
Brittanie Pyper
Thursday 7th of December 2023
Almond flour really is the best way to make macarons. All-purpose flour is not the same. I have heard people use coconut flour but I think it still results in a different, more gritty texture.