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+ servings
plate of red velvet macarons stacked up

Red Velvet Macarons

Red Velvet Macarons are classic French macarons with the flavors of red velvet cake.  They're crisp, chewy and filled with a tangy cream cheese filling!
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Ingredients

For the macarons:

  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1 cup 100 g powdered sugar
  • 3/4 cup 72 g almond flour
  • 1 tablespoon 7.5 g cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon 2.5 mL cream of tartar
  • 1/4 cup 50 g superfine sugar
  • 2 teaspoons 8g - 24g red food coloring gel see Notes
  • 1 teaspoon 5 mL Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract

For the filling:

  • 4 ounces 115 g cream cheese, softened
  • 4 tablespoons 60 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup 100 g powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons 10 mL Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
  • pinch salt

Instructions 

Prepare the macarons:

  • Place the egg whites in a bowl at room temperature first as they beat up much more quickly for the meringue when they're not cold.
  • Line (2) baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Use a macaron stencil and trace 1 1/5" circles onto the parchment as a guide if desired. Turn the parchment pencil side down on the baking sheet.
  • Place the 1 cup powdered sugar, almond flour and cocoa powder into the bowl of a food processor and process 10-15 times or until fine.
  • Sift the almond flour mixture into a medium bowl and discard any large pieces.
  • Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed in a large bowl until frothy. Increase the speed to high and add the superfine sugar about a half tablespoon at a time while beating until stiff peaks form. When the meringue is done, it will stand straight up on the top of the wire whisk, or you can turn the entire bowl upside down and the meringue won't budge.
  • Add the vanilla and red food coloring to the meringue and beat on low just until incorporated.
  • Fold the almond flour mixture into the meringue by gently scraping the bottom of the bowl and folding the batter over the top. Turn the bowl 1/4 turn with each fold. The batter will become runnier as you fold. Continue to fold until the batter flows from the spoon in an even stream and you can make a figure 8 out of the batter without it breaking.
  • Place the macaron batter in a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2" baking tip and fill the bag. Pipe the macarons by placing the tip directly over the center of each circle and squeezing the bag to dispense the batter.
  • Rap the baking sheets on the counter 5 times each to pop any air bubbles that have formed.
  • Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Let the macarons stand 30 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature before baking to allow them to dry out. A skin will form over the top of the macarons, which prevents air from escaping.  The air is pushed out the bottom of the cookie, creating their signature feet.
  • When the macarons are smooth and dry to the touch, bake for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and place on a wire rack. The cookies will release from the pan easily when they're done. If they don't, bake them for 2-3 minutes longer. Cool completely.

Prepare the frosting:

  • Beat the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and pinch of salt, and beat until smooth and fluffy.
  • Place the filling into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4" round tip and pipe the frosting onto the half of the macarons. Top with the additional macarons and press down gently.
  • Enjoy macarons immediately, or chill in an air tight container and enjoy within 5 days.

Video

Notes

  • I purchased one macaron silicone baking mat and use it as a stencil for parchment paper for my other baking pan.  I honestly like the results when I bake macarons on parchment more than silicone, and there are many free macaron stencil sheets online!
  • Store macarons in an air tight container for up to one week.  They become even better as they're chilled!
  • This recipe makes 12 macarons, but the recipe can easily be doubled.
  • Be sure to use gel paste food color as the liquid will result in an overly wet batter.  All gel food colors are not created equal, so I suggest adding 1 teaspoon and adding 1-2 more teaspoons until you reach the desired hue.
  • Super fine almond flour isn't completely necessary as you'll process it in the food processor anyway, but I recommend using super fine sugar for the meringue for best results. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1macaron, Calories: 206kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 20mg, Sodium: 41mg, Potassium: 49mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 24g, Vitamin A: 244IU, Calcium: 25mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Did you try this recipe?Be sure to tag @flavorthemoments with the hashtag #flavorthemoments on Instagram so I can see what you made!