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Reindeer Macarons

Reindeer macarons are filled with smooth chocolate ganache and decorated with candy eyes, antlers, and red noses. Their crisp shells, chewy centers, and festive details make them a charming holiday dessert.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
standing, chilling, and resting 19 hours 43 minutes
Total Time 20 hours 43 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 140
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the shells
  • 3.5 oz superfine blanched almond flour
  • 3.5 oz powdered sugar
  • 3 egg whites large, room temperature
  • 0.25 tsp cream of tartar
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.125 tsp brown gel food coloring
For the filling
  • 4 oz semisweet chocolate finely chopped
  • 0.33 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
For the decoration
  • 1 tube (4.25 oz) brown decorating icing
  • 48 candy eyes
  • 24 red mini candy-coated chocolates

Equipment

  • 2 baking sheets

Method
 

Make the shells
  1. Preheat the oven to 300°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together into a bowl, discarding any coarse bits left in the sieve.
  3. In a clean, grease-free bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy.
  4. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar until stiff, glossy peaks form.
  5. Beat in the brown gel food coloring until evenly colored.
  6. Fold in the almond flour mixture in three additions until the batter falls from a spatula in a thick ribbon and sinks back in about 10–15 seconds.
  7. Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip and pipe 1 1/2-inch rounds onto the prepared sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
  8. Tap each sheet firmly on the counter and pop visible air bubbles with a toothpick.
  9. Let the shells stand at room temperature for 30–60 minutes, until the tops feel dry and do not stick to a fingertip.
  10. Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack for 14–16 minutes, until the shells have formed feet and the tops are set.
  11. Cool the shells completely on the sheet before carefully peeling them off the parchment.
Make the filling
  1. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
  2. Warm the heavy cream in a small saucepan until steaming but not boiling.
  3. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let stand for 2 minutes.
  4. Stir until smooth and stir in the butter.
  5. Refrigerate the ganache for 30–45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until thick enough to pipe.
Assemble and decorate
  1. Pipe about 1 teaspoon of ganache onto the flat side of half the shells.
  2. Top with the remaining shells and gently press to spread the filling.
  3. Pipe two small antlers with the brown decorating icing onto each macaron.
  4. Use small dabs of icing to attach two candy eyes and one red candy nose to each macaron.
  5. Refrigerate the macarons in an airtight container for 12–24 hours.
  6. Bring the macarons to room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving.

Notes

For smooth shells, let them stand until their tops feel dry and do not stick to a fingertip. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; they can be frozen. For a dairy-free variation, use dairy-free semisweet chocolate and a dairy-free cream alternative.