Christmas Tree Cake Macarons: Easy Festive Party Treats
These Christmas Tree Cake Macarons feature delicate almond shells filled with a creamy, nostalgic vanilla cake-inspired filling and decorated to look like festive Christmas trees. Perfect for holiday parties, cookie exchanges, or gifting, they’re a showstopping treat that’s surprisingly approachable for home bakers.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 24 macarons 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour (100g), finely ground
- 1 cup powdered sugar (100g)
- 2 large egg whites (70g), room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50g)
- Green gel food coloring
- Pinch of cream of tartar (optional)
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter (85g), softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar (120g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2–3 tbsp heavy cream (or dairy-free alternative)
- Pinch of salt
- Festive colored sugar or edible glitter (for decoration)
- Gold star sprinkles (for topping)
- Mini colored nonpareils (for ornaments)
- Melted white chocolate (for garland, optional)
Instructions
- Sift almond flour and powdered sugar together into a large mixing bowl. Sift again if needed for a lump-free mix.
- In a clean bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed until frothy. Add cream of tartar if using. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form (about 4-5 minutes).
- Gently add green gel food coloring to the meringue and fold slowly to reach desired shade.
- Add sifted dry ingredients to the meringue in thirds, folding gently with a rubber spatula until the batter flows in thick ribbons and settles after about 20 seconds.
- Transfer batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe 1.5-inch rounds onto a lined baking sheet, spacing about 1 inch apart. Tap tray to release air bubbles and use a toothpick to pop any remaining bubbles.
- Let piped shells rest, uncovered, for 30-45 minutes until a slight skin forms on top.
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Bake one tray at a time for 12-15 minutes until shells have risen with ‘feet’ and do not wobble when nudged.
- Slide parchment or silicone mat off the baking sheet and let shells cool completely before removing.
- Beat softened butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and mix until fluffy, then stir in vanilla, heavy cream, and salt. Blend until smooth and spreadable.
- Pair shells by size. Pipe or spread a dollop of filling onto one shell, then sandwich with its match. Gently press until filling reaches the edges.
- Decorate with melted white chocolate for garland, dot with colored nonpareils for ornaments, and top each macaron with a gold star sprinkle.
- For best flavor, refrigerate filled macarons for 24 hours, then bring to room temperature before serving.
Notes
Use room temperature egg whites for best meringue. Sift almond flour and powdered sugar twice for smooth shells. Rest piped shells until a skin forms to ensure proper ‘feet.’ Decorate only after shells are fully cooled. Macarons are naturally gluten-free and can be made dairy-free by substituting butter and cream in the filling. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to a month.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 macaron
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 11
- Sodium: 20
- Fat: 4
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 2
Keywords: Christmas macarons, holiday cookies, festive desserts, almond flour, gluten-free, party treats, Christmas tree cake, easy macarons, vanilla buttercream, edible glitter