The Ultimate Christmas Macaron Box - filled with all your favourite Christmas flavours. This macaron box utilises one base recipe, and then has a multitude of fillings for a choose your own adventure style holiday box.
Table of contents
The Ultimate Christmas Macaron Box
We had to sneak in just one more cookie box before Christmas. And it just had to be a macaron box. We made this one over the course of two days, and I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out.
We wanted to capture as many flavours of Christmas as we could, and I think we managed to encompass almost all of them. I found this a little easier to make than a standard cookie box, maybe because we were just repeating the same process over and over to create the shells, varying the colouring and finishes, and then just had to worry about making the fillings, rather than thinking about all kinds of different batches of cookies as with the cookie boxes. Macaron boxes like this would make the most amazing gift, particularly if you are baking for someone who is gluten free - and if you’re like me and have still done next to no Christmas shopping, a homemade gift such as a cookie box would be so perfect! Each batch of macarons makes about 24-30, so you could make 5-6 cookie boxes if you made all the flavours. You can also mix it up and add them to a treat box - there are two I have made here and here.
Christmas Macaron Flavours
- Candy Cane Macarons - Vanilla bean shell with peppermint Swiss meringue buttercream
- Eggnog Macaron - Nutmeg dusted shell with an Eggnog German buttercream
- Christmasfetti - Vanilla bean shell with Vanilla bean American buttercream and sprinkles
- Gingerbread - Vanilla bean shell with Gingerbread German buttercream
- Sugared Cranberry - Vanilla bean shell with Mascarpone frosting and Cranberry Jam
The best box to use for a cookie box
I used this box to make this cookie box - Rich cut me little dividers on the laser cutter, but the craft wood is soft enough that you can use a craft knife and a ruler. I then just taped the dividers in. Packaging stores often sell boxes that are used for things like gifting champagne which would work great too.
You could also use a cardboard box and do little cardboard dividers, or keep it open and put things into little boxes, wrapped up, or just arranged nicely. I have seen things put into cupcake liners which looks really cute!
A few wee tips:
- I have added the base recipe we use for the shells down below, then at the end I have put the variations in food colouring or finishing that we did to make each shell ‘flavour’ (they are all vanilla bean flavour). The filling recipes and assembly instructions will be underneath the shell recipe.
- Everything I have learnt along the way about making macarons is in the notes of this post - I update it whenever I have something to add. I suggest giving it a good read through before you start if you are new to macs!
- We made all the shells on one day, and the pastry cream for the German buttercreams (eggnog and gingerbread), and then the following day made the remainder of the fillings, filled the macarons, and filled and shot the box. If you break up your workload, and prep your ingredients before you start (having enough sheet pans is important), it isn’t too much work!
- In terms of work flow, we were able to start the next batch of shells soon after piping out the previous ones. Like I mentioned before, this only works if you have lots of sheet pans!
- If you are making something like this and you don’t want to make loads of batches of shells, you can split the batter is mixed - for example we split a batch and piped some plain and dusted with nutmeg for the eggnog flavour, then piped some through a piping bag painted with food colouring for the peppermint. We kept the shells all the same flavour for convenience.
- If you are colouring one batch of batter two different colours, mix it part of the way, then split the batter into separate bowls (half a batch of batter weighs 420g), then add the gel food colouring and finish the mixing process.
- Store the macaron shells in an airtight container until you are ready to use.
- Enjoy! If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to pop them here and I will answer any I can! Merry Christmas x
Flavour / Colour filling Variations for Christmas Macarons
- For Candy Cane shells, paint the inside of the piping bag with four stripes of red gel food colouring. I found you need quite a long brush to avoid making a mess, so taped mine onto a chopstick first. Fill with Peppermint Swiss Meringue Buttercream (recipe follows).
- For Eggnog shells - Dust with nutmeg after piping. Fill with Eggnog German Buttercream (recipe follows).
- For Christmasfetti shells - Colour the batter green (we used forest green by americolor), and sprinkle with Christmas Sprinkles. Fill with American Buttercream (recipe follows).
- For Gingerbread Shells - colour the batter brown (we use chocolate brown by americolour). Fill with Gingerbread German Buttercream (recipe follows).
- For Sugared Cranberry Shells - Colour the batter red (we used Super red by americolor), then dust the shells with edible glitter and white sanding sugar after piping. Fill with Cranberry jam and Mascarpone frosting (recipe follows).
For more Macaron Recipes:
- Vanilla Bean French Macarons with Strawberry Buttercream
- Cranberry and White Chocolate Macarons
- Spiced Pumpkin and Walnut Praline Macarons
- Hundreds and Thousands Macarons
Made this recipe and love it?
If you made this recipe then I would LOVE for you to leave me a review below to let me know how you liked it! Also, please make sure to tag me on Instagram if you make it!
A note on salt and oven temperature
It is important to note the type of salt that is called for in a recipe. I use Diamond Crystal salt throughout my recipes - if you use a different sort of kosher salt or regular table salt you will need to adjust accordingly as some salt is 'saltier' than others. Morton's salt is twice as salty, so you will need half the quantity. Same goes for a regular table salt. I am working to get gram measurements throughout my recipes for salt but still getting there.
All oven temperatures are conventional unless otherwise stated. If you are baking on fan / convection, you will need to adjust the temperature. An oven thermometer is a great investment to ensure that your oven is the correct temperature.
Using the double / triple function in the recipe card
You will notice that there is a '1X' '2X' '3X' button in my recipe card. This can be used for doubling or tripling a recipe. However, please note that this only doubles the ingredient quantities in the ingredients list and NOT in the method. If there are quantities or pan sizes in the method of the recipe (for example weigh out 150g brown butter), you will need to scale this number manually. It will also not change the baking time in the recipe so you will need to adjust this yourself too. It is always a good idea to read through a recipe fully before doubling it just to check this. If you would like to scale this recipe or convert for another pan size, use my calculator!
Tools and equipment
For a list of my go-to tools and equipment, I have a post you can refer to here.
Why is this recipe in grams?
I post my recipes in grams as it is the most accurate way to bake. Cups are not only inaccurate but they vary in volume worldwide. There is no way for me to provide one cup measure that works for everyone. However, posting in weight fixes this issue. If you would like the recipe in cups you are welcome to convert it yourself via google, but please do not ask me to do it for you as I am not comfortable providing a recipe using a method that I have not tested. Baking with a scale is easy, accurate, and also makes cleanup super simple. Here is the scale that I use if you would like a recommendation! Here's to accurate baking!
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Vanilla Bean Macarons
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes plus chilling time
- Yield: 30 macarons 1x
- Category: Macarons
- Cuisine: French
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Vanilla Bean French Macarons. These are my base recipe for making French Macarons and will be the foundation of any flavour.
Ingredients
- 170g ground almonds
- 300g powdered sugar
- 180g egg whites, at room temperature
- 160g sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300˚f / 150˚c, and position the oven rack in the centre of the oven. Using a round cookie cutter or the base of a large piping tip (something about 1.5 inches in diameter), draw a "template" for your macarons on a piece of parchment paper, leaving about ¾" between each circle.
- Combine the almond meal and powdered sugar together in a large bowl. Sift the mixture twice, to ensure there are no large lumps and that the mixture is properly aerated. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add the sugar, increase the mixer speed, and whip on high until the meringue starts to firm up. Add gel food colouring, if using, a few drops at a time, until the desired colour is reached. Add vanilla and mix until incorporated. Continue to whip until the meringue forms stiff peaks (there is a good example here).
- Remove the bowl from the mixer. Add half of the ground almond and powdered sugar mixture, and fold into the meringue. You want to deflate the meringue just a little at this stage, to combine the meringue and ground almond mixture.
- Add the remaining ground almond mixture, and stir lightly to combine. Now comes the important part - mixing the batter to the correct consistency. Again, this video does a good job of explaining it. Fold the mixture in a series of 'turns', deflating the batter by spreading it against the side of the bowl. Turn the bowl slightly and repeat the movement - scooping the batter from the bottom of the bowl, and spreading it against the side.
- Continuously check the consistency of the batter - you want it to flow like lava when you lift the spatula from the bowl, and you should be able to 'draw' a figure 8 with it, without the batter breaking (again, watch lots of videos to get an idea! They help so much). This step can take some practice until you know what it should feel and look like. If in doubt you are better to under mix them than over mix them - the process of putting the batter into the bag and piping out will help mix a little too.
- Fit a large pastry bag with a medium sized round tip, such as an ateco #805. Place the macaron template on a sheet pan, and place a second piece of parchment over it. Holding the piping bag at a 90˚ angle to the surface, pipe out the batter into blobs the size of the circles drawn on the template. Finish off each piped circle with a little "flick" of your wrist to minimise the batter forming a point (it will still form a small one, but we can get rid of this with banging). Remove the template from under the macarons.
- Hold the baking sheet in two hands, and carefully but firmly, evenly bang it against the bench. Repeat this a few more times - this will get rid of any air bubbles, remove points on the top, and help them to spread out slightly.
- Repeat the piping and banging process until you have used up all of the batter - I usually make three sheet pans worth.
- Allow the macarons to dry at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes, or until they form a skin that you can touch without your finger sticking to them. This time will drastically vary depending on the humidity.
- About fifteen minutes before you are going to bake the macarons, place a spare sheet pan in the oven to preheat - this is going to be used to place under the pan with the macarons on it, to double up, which should help with even baking. Bake the macarons one sheet at a time - place the sheet with the macarons on the preheated sheet, and place in the oven.
- Bake for approximately 18 minutes, rotating the pan once during the cooking process, and checking for doneness after 15 minutes. The macarons should develop a foot (the ruffled part on the bottom of the macaron), and bake without browning. To see if they are done - press down lightly on a shell. If the foot gives way, it needs a little longer, if it is stable, then it is close to being done.
- Test a macaron shell - if you can peel it away cleanly from the paper, they are done. If they are stable but cannot yet peel away cleanly, give them another minute or so. Again, this part takes a little trial and error depending on your oven. If they seem done but do not peel away cleanly, do not worry - there is a little trick for that!
- Remove from the oven, and allow to cool on the sheet pan for 10 minutes before peeling off the parchment paper and allowing to cool completely on a wire rack. Repeat the baking with the remaining trays, using the same spare sheet pan to double up.
- If your macs do not peel away cleanly, place them, on the parchment paper, into the freezer for 5-10 minutes, then peel away from the paper.
- Store cooled macarons in an airtight container until ready to use.
Notes
Macaron Shell Recipe from I love Macarons,
Keywords: French Macarons, Macarons, gluten free, vanilla macarons, easy macarons
Peppermint Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 30 Macarons Worth 1x
- Category: Buttercream
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Peppermint Swiss Meringue Buttercream - this buttercream is smooth and silky, and is lightly peppermint flavoured, making it the perfect holiday macaron filling!
Ingredients
- 60g egg whites
- 100g granulated sugar
- 225g (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
- ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
- ½ tsp peppermint extract
- Red gel food colouring to Paint bag.
Instructions
- Place the egg whites, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer or a heat proof bowl. Place over a pot of simmering water, ensuring that the water does not touch the bowl. Heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture registers 160˚f / 70˚c on a thermometer and the sugar has dissolved. Carefully transfer the bowl to the mixer, and fit with the whisk attachment. Whip the egg whites on high until they are snowy white and fluffy, 8-10 minutes. Add the butter one chunk at a time. The mixture may look curdled - but just keep mixing! Once all the butter is incorporated, mix on high for a further 10 minutes. Add the vanilla and peppermint extract, and mix until incorporated.
- Once the buttercream has finished mixing, and is smooth and silky, add in the vanilla bean paste. Mix for a further 2-3 minutes, then switch to the paddle attachment and mix on low for one minute to remove any air. Fit a piping bag with a closed star tip, and paint four stripes of red food colouring on the inside of the bag. Fill with the buttercream.
- Pair up the macaron shells, and pipe a round of buttercream on one half of each pair. Top with the second shell. Macarons taste best if you 'mature' them in the fridge overnight to let the flavours meld, but they are perfect eaten immediately too! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Keywords: Swiss Meringue Buttercream, Macarons, Gluten Free
Eggnog German Buttercream
- Prep Time: 25 mintues
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 30 Macarons Worth 1x
- Category: Buttercream
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
German Buttercream is made with a pastry cream base. In this case, the milk is subbed with Eggnog for a Christmas twist on a classic.
Ingredients
- 110g sugar
- 12g (1 ½ Tbsp) cornstarch
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ tsp salt
- 190g eggnog
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 340g (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the sugar and corn starch, then whisk in the egg, egg yolk and salt. In a medium saucepan, heat the eggnog and vanilla to just shy of a simmer. Remove from the heat.
- Using one hand to whisk constantly, pour half of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture. This helps to temper the eggs and stop them from scrambling. Whisk until incorporated, and then pour the whole lot back into the saucepan.
- Heat the milk and egg mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it begins to bubble. It will thicken quickly. Once it has thickened, cook for one minute, then remove from the heat. Pour into a shallow container or bowl of a stand mixer and press some plastic wrap over the surface to avoid a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold - at least four hours, preferably overnight. If you need to speed this process up, you can place the pastry cream in a bowl, then place the bowl in an ice bath. Stir frequently.
- Fit your mixer with the whisk attachment, and place the pastry cream in the bowl. Whip the mixture on medium until creamy and lump-free. Begin adding the butter, a few cubes at a time, until fully incorporated. It may look curdled at some point but just keep whipping - it will come together! Store in an airtight container until ready to use, or if using immediately, transfer to a piping bag fitted with a round tip.
- Pair up the macaron shells, and pipe a round of buttercream on one half of each pair. Top with the second shell. Macarons taste best if you 'mature' them in the fridge overnight to let the flavours meld, but they are perfect eaten immediately too! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Keywords: German Buttercream, Buttercream, pastry cream, custard, gluten free
Vanilla Bean American Buttercream
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 30 macarons worth 1x
- Category: Buttercream
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Classic American Buttercream - powdered sugar, butter, heavy cream, and vanilla are whipped up into a fluffy, thick American buttercream with that perfect nostalgic taste.
Ingredients
- 225g (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- pinch of salt
- 500g (4 cups) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2-3 Tbsp whole milk, as needed
- Green gel food colouring (we used Forest green by Americolor)
- Additional Sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter, vanilla bean paste and salt until pale and creamy. Sift in the powdered sugar, and mix on medium speed until well combined. If needed, add milk a tablespoon at a time, until the frosting is light and fluffy, and a pipeable consistency. Add gel food colouring until the desired colour is reached. Transfer to a bag fitted with a large french star tip (I used an ateco #866).
- Pair up the macaron shells, and pipe a round of buttercream on one half of each pair. Sprinkle with additional Sprinkles. Top with the second shell. Macarons taste best if you 'mature' them in the fridge overnight to let the flavours meld, but they are perfect eaten immediately too! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Keywords: American Buttercream, American Frosting, Powdered Sugar Frosting, Classic frosting, vanilla frosting
Gingerbread German Buttercream
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 30 macarons worth 1x
- Category: Buttercream
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Pastry cream based buttercream, flavoured with molasses and spices for a gingerbread flavour.
Ingredients
- 110g dark brown sugar
- 12g (1 ½ Tbsp) cornstarch
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ tsp salt
- 190g whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 15g unsulphured Molasses (treacle if you are in NZ)
- 2 ½ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp allspice
- 340g (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the sugar and corn starch, then whisk in the egg, egg yolk and salt. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, vanilla, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice. Heat to to just shy of a simmer. Remove from the heat.
- Using one hand to whisk constantly, pour half of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture. This helps to temper the eggs and stop them from scrambling. Whisk until incorporated, and then pour the whole lot back into the saucepan.
- Heat the milk and egg mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it begins to bubble. It will thicken quickly. Once it has thickened, cook for one minute, then remove from the heat. Pour into a shallow container or bowl of a stand mixer and press some plastic wrap over the surface to avoid a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold - at least four hours, preferably overnight. If you need to speed this process up, you can place the pastry cream in a bowl, then place the bowl in an ice bath. Stir frequently.
- Fit your mixer with the whisk attachment, and place the pastry cream in the bowl. Whip the mixture on medium until creamy and lump-free. Begin adding the butter, a few cubes at a time, until fully incorporated. It may look curdled at some point but just keep whipping - it will come together! Store in an airtight container until ready to use, or if using immediately, transfer to a piping bag fitted with small french star tip.
- Pair up the macaron shells, and pipe small buttercream blobs on one half. Top with the second shell. Macarons taste best if you 'mature' them in the fridge overnight to let the flavours meld, but they are perfect eaten immediately too! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Keywords: German Buttercream, gingerbread buttercream, pastry cream, molasses
Cranberry Jam and Mascarpone Filling
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 30 macarons worth 1x
- Category: Buttercream
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Cranberry Jam for a quick and easy Macaron filling is paired with a smooth and fluffy mascarpone frosting.
Ingredients
Cranberry Jam
- 230g fresh cranberries
- 170g apple cider or water (If you are in NZ, apple cider is reduced apple juice, NOT the vinegar)
- 100g white sugar
- 1 medium lemon, juice + zest
Mascarpone Frosting
- 225g Mascarpone, at room temperature
- 55g cream cheese, at room temperature
- Pinch salt
- ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
- 25g powdered sugar
Instructions
CRANBERRY JAM
- Place the cranberries, apple cider, and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is boiling. Boil for 13-18 minutes, stirring often, until the cranberries have burst.
- Transfer the mixture to a high speed blender, or blend with a stick blender, until smooth, approximately one minute.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan, add the lemon juice zest, and cook over medium heat for approximately 15 minutes or until the mixture has thickened slightly. Remove from the heat and cool in the saucepan for 20 minutes, before transferring to an airtight container and refrigerating until completely chilled. The mixture will thicken as it cools. When you are ready to assemble, transfer to a piping bag and snip a small piece of the end off.
MASCARPONE FROSTING
- Place the mascarpone, cream cheese, salt and vanilla bean paste in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until well combined and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and mix well to incorporate. Add about 2 tsp of the cranberry jam, and mix to combine. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a round tip.
- Pair up the macaron shells, and pipe a circle of buttercream on one half of each pair. Pipe a small blob of cranberry jam in the centre. Top with the second shell. Macarons taste best if you 'mature' them in the fridge overnight to let the flavours meld, but they are perfect eaten immediately too! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Comments
Hi! I love the presentation of this box and absolutely love the idea. If I was to give this as gift, do you suggest that they keep the macarons in this box or would they have to transfer them in an airtight container?
Hi! They would need to be kept airtight 🙂
Hi, I want to make pistachio shells instead, can you tell me how to substitute in the ground and sifted pistachio?
Hi! I don't know sorry! I haven't made pistachio shells before! I would look up a specific pistachio macaron recipe 🙂
I love these holiday flavor ideas! For the swiss meringue buttercream, the first step says to add salt, but there's no measurement for the salt in the ingredients list. How much salt would you add for this recipe? Thank you!
Hi! Whoops sorry! It's just a big pinch, or about 1/4 tsp!
First things first, your macaron shell recipe is the best I’ve made yet! They are perfect! My family and I are having a blast making all of these. The only one we had a bit of trouble with was the mascarpone filling. It ended up just looking kind of wet? Not sure what we may have done wrong!
Hi! It may just be the brand of mascarpone that you are using - you can always add more powdered sugar if you're worried. I can't believe you made all of them, you're amazing!
Hi Erin! I tried this recipe over the weekend and the normal vanilla bean macaron shells turned out perfectly... but when I tried to add red food coloring gel in stripes to the piping bag to make the red and white swirled shells for the peppermint macarons, those shells didn't develop feet when I baked them... I didn't change anything else and let them rest for 30 minutes before putting them in the oven so not sure what happened, do you have any ideas? Maybe it was the gel format of the food coloring rather than just using the red liquid painted onto the inside of the piping bags? Thanks!
Hi! Hmmmm it could be that the mixture was over mixed? I used red gel to do mine - it could have also been not quite dry yet?
I made all of these for Christmas this year and every filling was delicious!! Great recipes and easy to follow. Thank you so much for all these wonderful flavors!
Ah so happy to hear!
Is there an alternative to the almond meal that can be used to make a nut allergy friendly macaroon? Understanding there would/could be a taste change. Thank you!
I haven't made them with anything else sorry!
My third attempt at making macarons and they came out so well. Appreciate all the detailed information and video. I made the gingerbread and peppermint versions. Can’t wait to make them again!
AMAZING GREAT INSTRUCTIONS FIRST TIME I DIDN'T HAVE AN ISSUE MAKING MACS!! THANK YOU AND THEY TASTE SOOOO GOOD WITH THE VANILLA PASTE <3
I gave making the vanilla bean macarons a go last night and let me tell you I have a new appreciation for the bakers who make these! This recipe was easy to follow, included video tips if you needed them and used simple ingredients. Overall the macarons turned out great. I was really impressed for my first time. Next time i'd make my template a little smaller as they did spread slightly and turn out a little bigger then expected but hey, that's not a bad thing right! All in all, super impressed and will happily make these again.
Thanks Erin for the recipe and detailed instructions.