Bake something elegant and delicate this winter! These eggnog macarons contain cozy cinnamon and nutmeg and are filled with a fluffy eggnog buttercream frosting.
Wintertime Cinnamon Eggnog Macarons
My baking agenda this time of year typically revolves around three things: gingerbread, peppermint, and eggnog. Use these three flavors in everything, which in this case means eggnog macarons!
If you are looking for fun holiday baking ideas or holiday desserts, then these are for you!
Eggnog macarons are delicate, sweet, and chewy. These have a nutty shell and and a dollop of buttercream eggnog frosting. They’re an elegant dessert to serve over the holidays and fun to make when you’re looking for something to do during your days off.
Ingredients Needed
Here is what you will need to make eggnog macarons:
- Almond Flour/Almond Meal: Try to use extra fine almond flour if you can find it. If not, this recipe does call for you to pulse the flour in a food processor to get it to that fine grain. Bob’s Red Mill is a great option here, or buy in bulk at Costco (this one will require you to pulse it in the food processor)
- Confectioners (powdered) sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Egg whites, at room temperature
- Cinnamon & Nutmeg: for those cozy eggnog flavors
- For the buttercream, you will need unsalted butter, confectioners sugar, vanilla, salt, eggnog, and ground nutmeg.
How to Make Eggnog Macarons
Here are the steps to take to make these eggnog macarons:
- Pulse the almond flour and sugar: it’s crucial to use extra fine almond flour to prevent the macarons from being lumpy. I start by pulsing my flour in a food processor on low with powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and some salt to get it to where we need. Then, sift out any remaining lumps.
- Whip the meringue: this is the basis on the macaron. For the best results, make sure that your bowl and whisk and sparkling clean and dry. No great, no water, nothing. Beat the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer until stiff peaks form. As you whip them, add granulated sugar, one tablespoon at a time (do not add it all at once). You’ll know that you’re ready to move on to the next step when you can turn the bowl upside down without fear that anything will fall out.
- Fold in the flour: After whipping the meringue, use a soft rubber spatula to fold in the almond flour mixture one-third at a time. Here, make sure to gently fold it. Don’t try to beat it or whisk it.
- Pipe the macarons: Transfer the batter into a piping bag fitted with a round attachment. Pipe 1-½ inch circles spread 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Then, bang the baking sheet on a flat surface a few times (think 4-5) to release any air bubbles. Set the macarons out at room temperature to dry for 45 minutes – 1 hour.
- Bake: bake the macarons for around 14 minutes, making sure to rotate the baking sheets halfway through to ensure an even bake. They will be done when they’re fully risen, set, and you can see the little feet. Let the macarons cool completely before filling.
- Fill: make the buttercream by beating the ingredients together until light and fluffy. Use a piping bag to add a circle and dollop of cream to one side of a shell, and then place another one on top. Be gentle so that you don’t break or crack the macarons during this process.
And lastly, enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
Use a mat
Use to macaron baking mat to get perfect circles each time. These mats have a template printed on them to help guide your piping. This one from Amazon is a classic no frills mat, but if you’re feeling fancy try this one from Willams Sonoma.
Did your eggnog macarons crack in the oven or are they wrinkly?
There are few things you can do to avoid this.
- Make sure that there are no air bubbles in the shells.
- Do not over-whip the meringue or over-mix the batter. Whip the meringue until you just get stiff peaks and fold the flour in until it is just combined each addition. This will require some careful attention, but macarons can be quite finicky!
Did you not get any little feet?
Make sure that the shells are dry before you put them in the oven! That’s why it’s so important that they rest at room temperature long enough to form a ‘skin’ before baking. You should be able to gently touch the top of the unbaked shells without them sinking in or breaking.
Having a hard time with the meringue?
Make sure that your bowl and whisk are clean, oil free, and water free. It also is important to use room temperature egg whites as you’ll have a harder time with cold eggs.
If you need any other help, just leave a note in the comments and I’ll get right to it!
Did You Make This Recipe?
If so, I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to leave a comment, rating, or take a picture and share it with me on Instagram @toppedwithhoney. Looking forward to seeing your macarons!
Find more holiday baking ideas here!
Homemade Eggnog Macarons
Equipment
- Piping bag with round tip
- Food processor
- Optional: Silicone macaron baking mat
Ingredients
Macarons
- 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 5 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ cup + 3 tbsp almond flour
- 1 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
Eggnog Buttercream
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 tbsp eggnog
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of nutmeg
Instructions
- Add the almond flour, powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt into a food processor and pulse it until it is ultra fine.
- Then, add the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Avoid getting any yolk or water into the bowl. Begin beating the egg whites on medium-high speed. Once they start to froth, add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time and continue beating the egg whites until you get stiff peaks.
- Turn off and remove your bowl from the stand mixer. Add ⅓ of the almond flour mixture and use a flexible rubber spatula to gently fold it into the egg whites. Then, add another ⅓ of the almond flour, followed by the remaining third, folding until fully combined each time.
- Transfer the batter into a piping bag fitted with a round piping tip. No piping bag? Use a zip-loc with a hole cut in the corner. Pipe 1½" circles onto the baking sheets (or follow a macaron baking mat), spacing them one inch apart. Tap the baking sheet on a flat surface a few times to release any air bubbles. Sprinkle the top with some ground cinnamon if desired.
- Let the macarons sit at room temperature for 45 minutes-1 hour, or until the tops are dry. This will help form the "feet". While they rest, preheat the oven to 325°F. Bake the macarons for 14-15 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through. Let the macarons cool completely before frosting
- To make the buttercream filling, start by beating the butter and salt together on medium speed until fluffy. Then, turn off the mixer and add the remaining ingredients. Start mixing on low speed and gradually increase to medium-high speed and beat until light and fluffy.
- Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with the tip of your choosing. Assemble the macarons by piping a circle of buttercream onto the bottom of one shell, and then sandwiching with another.
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