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Red Velvet Macarons Close

Red Velvet Macarons

These red velvet macarons are the perfect Valentine's day treat! The striking red color of the macaron shells contrasted by the bright cream cheese frosting makes them stand out in such a beautiful way!
5 from 6 votes
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Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Resting time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Servings: 30 cookies (about 60 shells)

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 100 grams almond flour
  • 130 grams powdered sugar
  • 5 grams cocoa powder
  • teaspoon salt
  • 100 grams egg whites
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 85 grams granulated sugar, or caster sugar, sifted
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 5 drops red gel food coloring

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 and ¼ cups powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cream, or milk

Instructions

  • Clean and dry several large bowls and any equipment you'll be using to make the macarons.
  • Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats with macaron templates. You can make a homemade macaron template by tracing 1.5" circles onto parchment paper. Cover the homemade template with a sheet of parchment paper so it stays clean.
  • Separate the eggs while they're cold and then set them aside to come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Make sure you don't get any yolks in the bowl with the whites or you won't be able to whip them to stiff peaks. Sift the granulated sugar into a small bowl and set aside until needed.
  • Sift the almond flour back and forth a couple of times between two bowls. Discard any larger chunks left at the bottom of the sifter each time. From the sifted almond flour, measure 100 grams into a large bowl and sift in 130 grams of powdered sugar, 5 grams of cocoa powder, and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Then sift everything together into a large bowl and set aside while you make the meringue.

Make the Meringue:

  • Add the egg whites to a completely clean and dry bowl or bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Begin whipping the egg whites on medium speed for about 30 seconds or until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and whip for another 30 seconds-1 minute until starting to thicken and turn white.
  • With the mixer running on medium speed, begin adding the sifted granulated sugar, about 2 teaspoons at a time, and mix for 20 seconds after each addition. Wipe the sides of the bowl if needed and keep mixing until the meringue is at medium-soft peaks. It should be thick and glossy with peaks that droop down.
  • Add the vanilla extract and red gel coloring and keep mixing on medium speed until the meringue reaches medium-stiff peaks. If you lift the mixer up out of the bowl and flip it upside down there should be a peak that sticks up with a very slight droop at the tip.

Macaronage:

  • In 3-4 additions, use a rubber spatula to gently fold the meringue into the dry ingredients. It will be thick and pasty at first. Keep folding by wiping the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
  • After all of the meringue is added, fold until the batter flows in thick ribbons from your spatula without breaking. If you lift the batter up and draw a figure 8, it should disappear into the batter after about 10 seconds. If it doesn't disappear or if the batter breaks off of the spatula, keep folding and check again after every few turns.
  • Pipe the shells: Add the macaron batter to a large piping bag with a ¼-½" round piping tip. Hold the piping bag straight up and down with the tip right in the center of the circle on your template. Gently squeeze the bag until the batter spreads and almost fills the circle. Stop squeezing and lift up with a quick twisting motion.
  • Once you have all the shells piped, lift the pan up about 5" and drop or bang it firmly on your counter several times. You should see little air bubbles come up to the surface and pop.
  • Let the shells dry out on the pan for at least 30 minutes, or until they form a skin on the surface. You should be able to gently touch the tops without wet batter sticking to your finger. 
  • Arrange your oven rack to the middle position and preheat your oven to 300°F/150°C. Bake the macarons, one baking sheet at a time, for 15 minutes each. Take them out of the oven and let cool completely before touching them or trying to remove them from the pan.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • Use an electric mixer to beat the softened cream cheese and softened butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and cream (or milk), and mix until smooth.
  • Once the macaron shells have cooled, use a piping bag to pipe a dollop of frosting onto the bottom of one shell, then gently top with a second shell.

Notes

Macarons can be enjoyed right away and taste best 24 hours after they're filled. Store them in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for 1 week. You can also freeze the shells for up to 2 months.
When it comes to almond flour, some brands are more oily or chunky than others. Blue Diamond almond flour is by far the best brand I've used and always gives me the best results!

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie (2 shells with frosting) | Calories: 83kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 29mg | Potassium: 19mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 55IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg