Name: Santa Claus Macarons with Red and Black Decorations Recipe
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 3 h 5 min
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 100g Domino® Golden Sugar; 4g egg white powder (optional); 100g egg whites; 105g almond flour; 105g Domino® Powdered Sugar; 1 tbsp red gel food coloring; 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (63g), heat-treated; 1/2 cup unsalted butter (113g); 1/4 cup Domino® Golden Sugar (50g); 1 1/4 cups Domino® Powdered Sugar (156g); 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1/8 tsp almond extract; 1/2 tbsp milk or heavy cream (optional); 1 1/2 cups Domino® Powdered Sugar (187g); 1 tbsp meringue powder; 4 tbsp water; 2 drops black gel food coloring; 1 drop yellow gel food coloring; 1/4 cup desiccated shredded coconut (50g)

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Introduction

Celebrate the holidays with delightful Santa Claus macarons that combine crisp shells, creamy sugar cookie buttercream, and festive royal icing decorations. These charming treats are perfect for gifting or adding a magical touch to your Christmas dessert table.

The image shows a group of red macarons designed to look like Santa belts, each with two red macaron shells as the top and bottom layer and a thick white cream filling in the middle layer. Around the white cream, there is a smooth black layer representing a belt, decorated with a small yellow square buckle placed on the front. White coconut flakes are sprinkled lightly on top of each macaron and scattered around the base, all arranged closely together on a light wooden board with a blurred background of warm yellow lights. The overall look is festive and colorful, set against a white marbled texture. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

Macaron Shells:

100g Domino® Golden Sugar
4g egg white powder (optional)
100g egg whites
105g almond flour
105g Domino® Powdered Sugar
1 tbsp red gel food coloring

Sugar Cookie Buttercream:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (63g), heat-treated
1/2 cup unsalted butter (113g)
1/4 cup Domino® Golden Sugar (50g)
1 1/4 cups Domino® Powdered Sugar (156g)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp almond extract
1/2 tbsp milk or heavy cream (optional)

Royal Icing:

1 1/2 cups Domino® Powdered Sugar (187g)
1 tbsp meringue powder
4 tbsp water
2 drops black gel food coloring
1 drop yellow gel food coloring

Decoration:

1/4 cup desiccated shredded coconut (50g)

Instructions

Step 1: Sift the powdered sugar and almond flour together to remove lumps and combine evenly.
Step 2: Preheat your oven to 300ºF (or 270ºF if using convection) and line two baking trays with parchment paper.
Step 3: In a heatproof bowl, whisk the Domino® Golden Sugar and egg white powder over simmering water until the sugar has fully dissolved.
Step 4: Add the egg whites to the sugar mixture and whip in a stand mixer until stiff peaks form, which usually takes about 13–15 minutes.
Step 5: Gently fold in the sifted dry mixture along with the red gel food coloring. Continue folding until the batter flows smoothly in a figure-8 motion.
Step 6: Pipe 1.5-inch rounds onto the lined baking trays. Tap the trays firmly on the counter to release any air bubbles.
Step 7: Let the piped macarons rest at room temperature until the tops are fully dry to touch, approximately 2 hours.
Step 8: Bake one tray at a time for 15–20 minutes. Allow the macarons to cool completely before handling.
Step 9: For the buttercream, heat-treat the flour by baking it at 350ºF for 5 minutes, then let it cool completely.
Step 10: Beat the unsalted butter with Domino® Golden Sugar and powdered sugar for 4–5 minutes until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Step 11: Add the cooled flour, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the butter mixture. Adjust the consistency with milk or additional powdered sugar as needed.
Step 12: Prepare the royal icing by whipping together powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water until the icing is glossy and holds stiff peaks.
Step 13: Divide the royal icing into portions, tint one with black gel food coloring and another with yellow gel food coloring.
Step 14: Pipe a black belt design across the red macaron shells and let the icing dry completely.
Step 15: Add a small yellow buckle on top of the black belt and allow it to set fully.
Step 16: Spread or pipe the sugar cookie buttercream onto one shell and sandwich it with the decorated shell.
Step 17: Roll the edges of the filled macarons in desiccated shredded coconut to create the “fur trim” effect.
Step 18: Refrigerate the finished macarons for up to 5 days or freeze them for up to 2 months to preserve freshness.

Tips & Variations

For a smoother batter, fold the mixture with a gentle hand and avoid overmixing to prevent flat shells.
If you don’t have red gel food coloring, you can substitute with natural beet juice powder for a similar hue.
Heat-treating the flour in the buttercream ensures safety and prevents a raw flour taste.
Try adding a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the buttercream for a warm holiday twist.
Use a silicone baking mat instead of parchment paper for more even macarons and easier release.

Storage

Store Santa Claus macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Before serving, allow them to come to room temperature for the best texture. For longer storage, freeze the macarons in a sealed container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying.

How to Serve

The image shows a group of red macarons arranged on a round wooden slab with rough bark edges, placed on a white marbled surface. Each macaron has two smooth red shells with a white creamy filling in the middle. On top of each macaron, there is a decoration resembling a Santa Claus belt: a black fondant strip around the middle and a small yellow fondant buckle in the center. On one side of the top shell, there is a red Santa hat made of fondant, edged with white fluffy icing mimicking fur, with a small white icing pom-pom at the tip. In the background, there are blurred green artificial trees dusted with white to look snowy. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the macarons without egg white powder?

Yes, egg white powder is optional and can help stabilize the meringue, but you can achieve good results using fresh egg whites alone if whipped properly.

How do I know when the macarons are dry enough to bake?

The macarons are ready to bake when their tops are no longer sticky or tacky to the touch. This usually takes about 1.5 to 2 hours depending on humidity.