Snowman Macarons
Why make regular macarons this holiday when you could make these stunning Snowman Macarons?! These crispy and sweet snowman-shaped macarons are filled with whipped white chocolate ganache, then decorated with sugar pearls and melted chocolate for the ultimate Christmas treats!
If you love these Snowman Macarons, try these Lavender Macarons or Earl Grey Macarons!
The inspiration for these Snowman Macarons came to me when making these adorable Santa Claus Meringues. After all, any good macaron recipe starts with a glossy and stiff meringue mixture!
Every bite of these crispy snowman macarons with decadent white chocolate ganache filling is a melt-in-your-mouth experience. They’ll instantly give your Christmas table a boost of holiday cheer, served as individual treats or paired with a scoop of ice cream.
WHY OUR RECIPE
- These snowman macarons are both playful and sophisticated holiday treats! A sure way to impress friends and family!
- The cooking method used in this recipe creates sturdy macarons that are less likely to crack while also being easy enough to master by complete beginners.
- Perfect as sweet treats, Christmas dessert, or stunning gifts for your loved ones.
These Snowman Macarons combine sophistication with simplicity. You only need 6 ingredients and edible decoration to transform ordinary macarons into a show-stopping holiday dessert.
Make the macaron shells a few days in advance to assemble and decorate in minutes for your holiday parties.
INGREDIENT NOTES
- Egg Whites – You’ll need about 2 1/2 eggs or approximately 5 tablespoons of egg whites to make the macarons.
- White Sugar – You must use a white sugar that will dissolve easily in the egg whites. Granulated sugar or castor sugar are both good options. The sugar helps to create the stiff peaks in the meringue mixture.
- Almond Flour – Almond flour is typically used to make macarons. The fine texture of this flour helps to create a smooth and delicate macaron shell. The added benefit is that you get gluten-free treats!
- Powdered sugar – To sweeten the macarons and thicken the mixture.
- Decoration – I’ve used edible sugar pearls, melted white chocolate, and oil-based green food coloring to decorate these cute snowman macarons.
- Ganache – The white chocolate ganache, used to stick the macaron shells together, is made by combining melted white chocolate chips and heavy cream. You could add vanilla extract for added flavor, if you wish.
WHAT’S THE BEST METHOD TO MAKE MACARONS?
Similar to making meringues, there are three methods you can choose from to make macarons: French, Italian, and Swiss.
The French method is the simplest as it doesn’t require any heating of ingredients, merely a mixture of the egg whites and sugar, followed by the gentle folding of the sifted flour and powdered sugar. It’s the ideal method for beginners although it produces the least sturdy macarons of all three methods.
The Italian method is the most demanding of all three methods, requiring quite a bit of technique and something I would only advise you do if you are already very comfortable with making macarons. This method creates the most sturdy macarons of all three methods.
And lastly, the Swiss method, which is my favorite! It sits between the easy French method and the high-maintenance Italian method, creating a sturdier macaron than a French macaron but without the added fuss and complexity of Italian macarons.
I’ve used the Swiss method for making these adorable snowman macarons which involves dissolving the sugar in the egg whites over a double boiler and then transferring the mixture to a mixing bowl to be whipped. Once stiff peaks have formed, you gently fold in the sifted flour and powdered sugar into the stiff meringue.
DO I NEED ANY FANCY TOOLS FOR SNOWMAN MACARONS?
While I don’t think these are “fancy” tools, here are some basics that you’ll need to make the perfect snowman macarons for the holidays:
- You’re going to need a double boiler and I recommend a candy thermometer to ensure that the sugary egg white mixture registers the required 120 degrees F.
- I always line my baking tray with a silicone mat when making macarons and use a large piping pastry bag with a large round tip, such as a Wilton 10.
- To recreate uniform-sized snowman figures, I pipe the macaron mixture directly onto a snowman template which you can easily print off Google images.
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS
- Room Temperature: Store these snowman macarons in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours. After that, they should be refrigerated.
- Refrigeration: These holiday macarons will remain crisp for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Remove the macarons from the fridge about 15-30 minutes before serving them so that they can come to room temperature.
- Freezer: Store these snowman macarons for longer in the freezer! They will last for 3-4 weeks when stored in an airtight container. Thaw the frozen macarons in the fridge a few days before you intend to serve them. This will give them time to adjust in temperature gradually without condensation taking place.
MORE FESTIVE HOLIDAY RECIPES
Snowman Macarons
These beautiful Snowman Macarons combine crispy macaron shells with decadent white chocolate ganache and pretty edible decoration for the ultimate Christmas treat!
Ingredients
Macaron Shells
- 75g (21⁄2 eggs/ 5 tbsps approx) egg white
- 70g (1/3 cup) white sugar
- 90g (1 cup) almond flour
- 80g (2/3 cup) powdered sugar
Whipped White Chocolate Ganache
- 1 + ½ cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup heavy cream
Decoration
- Edible sugar pearls
- Melted white chocolate
- Oil based green food coloring for ‘scarf’
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 140°C(280°F). Before you start, get all of the ingredients ready. Prepare a large piping pastry bag, fitted with a large round tip, I use a Wilton 10. Set aside.
- Line a baking tray with silicone mat, you could use a snowman template under while piping. Wipe a medium bowl with vinegar to make sure it’s clean enough.
- Sift the powdered sugar and almond flour together. This is a crucial step for even macarons.
- Place a bowl over a pan with barely simmering water. Add the granulated sugar and egg whites to the bowl.
- Stir sugar and egg whites with spatula until it reaches 50C (120F) and sugar melts. Take it off the heat.
- Using a hand blender or stand mixer with whisk attachment start whisking mixture on low for about 3 minutes, then gradually start increasing speed to medium-high. Whisk until stiff peaks are formed for like 4-5 minutes. Meringue should look glossy.
- Pour the sifted powdered sugar and almond flour into the stiff meringue.
- Start folding gently forming a letter J with a spatula.
- Stop folding when the batter is glossy and has a thick and flowing consistency. You don’t want your batter to be too runny. So be careful not to over mix it.
- Transfer the batter to the piping bag. Piping tip is Wilton 10.
- Pipe snowman shaped macarons using the template.
- Let macarons dry for up to 1 hour until they are completely dry on top. Drying time will depend on the environment.
- Bake macarons for 15 minutes at 140C (280F).
- After baking, open the oven door and let them stay inside for 30 minutes before taking them out.
- Let it cool on the baking mat. When shells are cooled completely remove them from the baking mat and pair them with similar sizes.
- Prepare the ganache; In a small pot, heat the cream but do not boil. Take it from the heat and add chocolate chips. Whisk it until everything is completely melted and blended. Let it stay in fridge until it’s set.
- Using hand mixer, whisk the white chocolate ganache until it reaches stiff peak stage.
- Pipe ganache between each macarons shells using a star piping tip and press lightly.
- Decorate with edible pearls, use melted white chocolate to attach snowman’s buttons and nose.
- Using melted chocolate makes eyes and mouth.
- Using green colored melted white chocolate, make scarfs.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
This snowman macaron recipe doesn’t call for cream of tartar and it still creates stable macarons. While cream of tartar helps to stabilize egg whites so that the macaron shells aren’t runny, I find that if you stop folding when the batter is glossy, it also prevents a runny texture without the need for cream of tartar.
Sifting the almond flour and powdered sugar is a very important step to ensuring smooth and even macaron shells. Use a fine mesh sieve and prepare these dry ingredients during the preparation of making these snowman macarons.
Tap your baking sheet gently against the counter to help release any air bubbles that may be in the macaron batter. You can also use a toothpick to pop any stubborn bubbles that rise to the top.
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