Holiday Cranberry Spice French Macarons
Cranberry macarons bring a burst of tart-sweet flavor and a touch of elegance to any holiday dessert table. With their vibrant color and delicate texture, these cranberry-filled French macarons are perfect for Thanksgiving gatherings, Christmas cookie exchanges, or any winter celebration.
The holidays are here, and these cranberry spice macarons are the perfect treat-delicate, tart, and beautifully festive. Make them for yourself, delight your friends and family, or add them to your Thanksgiving dessert table or Christmas cookie box for gifting.
The cranberry powder gives such great flavor to these macarons without being too overpowering. I always get rave reviews when I bring these to a party, or most recently, to work. My coworkers love me cause I’m always bringing in macarons for them. It’s a great way to test out flavors too!
They’re so good, you won’t want to wait for the Holidays!
Ingredients
The basic ingredients for macarons are simple:
- Almond flour make sure it’s fine ground or you won’t have smooth shells. Do not get almond meal, it’s not the same thing.
- Powdered sugar Sifted with the almond flour to provide sweetness and structure for the shells.
- Granulated sugar you can also use caster sugar, which is finer than granulated. I’ve never had issues making a perfect meringue with granulated sugar.
- Egg whites
- Cream of tartar Cream of tartar is optional, however, I find that it helps make the perfect meringue.
- Gel food coloring and flavoring Gel food coloring and extracts can be added directly to the meringue.
Pro Tips
Let’s Make Cranberry Spice Macarons!
Macarons can be tricky to make, but if you follow these steps, you will be successful. Additionally, check out my comprehensive Easy French Macaron Guide for Beginners for an in-depth guide on making the perfect macaron, even if you are not a beginner. The following is an overview of how to make macarons. For full instructions, refer to the recipe card below.
- Separate egg whites 24 hours ahead of time. Cover with plastic and poke a few holes on top. Refrigerate. Set on the countertop before you start making macarons. This is known as ‘ageing’ the egg whites.
- Weigh ingredients out– powdered sugar, almond flour, granulated sugar.
Candace’s Tip
It’s best to weigh out the ingredients for the most accurate measurements. I only provide measurements in grams for this reason, apart from the cream of tartar, or any spices and extracts.
- Sift together powdered sugar, almond flour, and any additions such as spices or cocoa powder.
- Make the meringue. Be careful not to overwhip the meringue. Once it reaches stiff peaks, you’re done.
- Mix together the meringue and flour/sugar mixture. This is called the macaronage.
- Macaronage is ready when it flows like honey off your spatula, you can make a figure 8 with the batter, and it sinks back into itself in 10 seconds.
- Pipe batter onto prepared baking sheets. Let them rest at least 30 minutes, sometimes more, till they form their skin.
- Bake each tray individually on the middle rack for 14 minutes at 300°F.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before removing them to a baking rack to cool down completely.
- Fill macarons once they have cooled down.
I added these macarons to a recent cookie box I made with some slightly different decorations. I drizzled some icing over them and sprinkled the icing with glitter flakes.
Filling the Macarons
Now the fun part-filling the macarons. I made a simple buttercream frosting with cranberry powder and spices for the filling. Beat everything together in your mixer until smooth and you have your filling. Match the shells according to size, flip one over and pipe out some frosting onto it. Gently sandwich the macaron together. Yay! Macarons! Now enjoy some for all of your hard work.
Special Note: Cranberry powder gives these macarons a bright, tart flavor and vibrant color without the added moisture and extra work of using sauces. If you want to use cranberry sauce, you can use my Homemade Cranberry Sauce.
Other Recipes to Try
Frequently Asked Questions
For maximum flavor and freshness, store macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. Layer them with parchment paper. Do not use wax paper as it will stick to the macarons. You don’t want to stack them too high as they are a delicate cookie.
To freeze the shells, first lay them in a single layer on a large baking sheet to freeze. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container. Line the container with parchment paper, and put parchment paper on each layer of macarons. When you’re ready to use them, thaw the macarons in the fridge overnight and decorate them as normal. Freeze for up to one month.
You can also freeze filled macarons, but it depends on what they are filled with. Buttercream frosting would freeze well. Fillings such as jams or fruit curds would probably freeze ok, but they would not thaw out as well as buttercream.
Start with making sure the meringue has stiff peaks. This helps make a strong shell that’s less prone to cracks. Let the macarons dry fully and form their skin. Be sure not to overmix or undermix the batter. This takes practice. Remember the figure eight test, and that the batter should flow like honey off the spatula. Bang the trays of filled shells on the counter to remove air bubbles. Most importantly, practice makes perfect.
You can use either silicone mats or parchment paper to line the baking sheets. I prefer silicone mats with the macarons stenciled on them. This helps you get the batter in the right place and perfectly spaced apart. Silicone mats also distribute heat more evenly. They are also reusable, which I appreciate as someone who bakes a lot of macarons. Plus, I love how easily the macarons release from the silicone mats. You may find as you continue on in your macaron journey, you’ll want to purchase some silicone mats. They also work really well for baking scones.
Cranberry Spice French Macarons
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer or hand-held mixer
- 1 spatula
- 1 large metal mixing bowl
- 1 kitchen scale
- 3 small bowls
- 1 fine mesh sieve
Ingredients
- 105 grams egg whites
- 75 grams granulated or caster sugar
- 130 grams fine almond flour
- 130 grams powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice mix
Cranberry Spice Filling
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon cranberry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 1 teaspoon milk
Instructions
- Separate the egg whites from the yolks about 24 hours ahead of when you will be making the macarons. Don't worry if it's not quite 24 hours. To separate the eggs, crack the shell as close to the middle as you can get. Pass the yolk back and forth between the half shells until all of the whites have separated out into your bowl. You may want to do this over a small bowl first in case some of the yolk gets into the whites.
- Line two large baking sheets with either silicone mats or parchment paper. Set them on a flat surface.
- Weigh out the almond flour, powdered sugar, and granulated or caster sugar into separate, small bowls. Use superfine flour so you get smooth tops. Using a fine mesh sieve, sift the powdered sugar, almond flour, and spices together over a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Using a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer with the whisk attachment, add the egg whites to a clean metal bowl. Add the cream of tartar and any extract you are using. Whip the egg whites on medium speed until they become foamy and the whisk leaves track marks in them. Now it's time to add the granulated sugar. Add the sugar in 3 separate batches with the beater running on low speed. Once you've added all of the sugar, turn the beater on high.
- You will see the egg whites begin to build volume and start to look a little more solid. They will also turn a bright white color. After about 5 minutes, stop and check for doneness. They will most likely not be done and will still be runny. Continue whisking. The egg whites will start to look thick and the whisk will leave deep track marks. You are looking for the egg whites to form stiff peaks. This is when you remove the whisk from the egg whites and they come to a point without melting away. They will form a 'peak' with possibly just a slight curve. You will also be able to turn the bowl upside down and they will not move. This is the meringue.
- Add the meringue to the almond flour/powdered sugar mixture in 3 batches. You won't be able to mix it all together until you've got all the meringue in there, but it's easier to do it this way. It will look very dry at first. As you continue mixing, it will come together. I like to use a spatula with a rounded side. It seems to move along the bowl easier, allowing me to scrape the sides and fold everything inward. The mixing is what takes the air out of the batter, allowing it to form the honey-like consistency we are looking for. The batter should flow off your spatula like honey without breaking, and you should be able to form a figure 8 with the batter that's flowing off the spatula. It should sink back into itself in 10 seconds. Then it's ready.
- Using a large pastry bag and a small, round tip (I like the Wilton 12 tip), fill the pastry bag with the batter. I like to use a large cup to set the bag into. Twist the bottom just above the tip and fold it over before putting it in the cup. This will prevent the batter from pouring out the bottom into the cup. Fold the sides over the cup and spoon the batter into the bag.
- Take the cup over to where your prepared pans are. Lift the bag out of the cup, hold the top closed, and gently squeeze the bag to push the batter down towards the tip. Work quickly as the batter will keep flowing out of the tip once it starts. If you have the mats with the macarons stenciled on them, then aim for the middle of each stencil. There should be a dot in the middle. Holding the bag upright, I count to four as I gently squeeze the batter onto the mat. Repeat this process until you have filled all of the circles or run out of batter.
- Bang the trays firmly on your countertop to remove any air bubbles. I also go through with a toothpick and lightly pop any air bubbles I see. Let the macarons rest for 30-40 minutes (longer if it's humid out) so they can form their 'skin'. You should be able to lightly touch the tops of the macarons without getting any batter on your finger, and they will feel smooth.
- Now it's time to bake them. Bake each tray one at a time on the middle rack for 14 minutes in a 300°F oven. The macarons will look matte on top, and they will not jiggle when you move the pan. I like to preheat my oven about halfway through the macarons resting.
- Once the macarons are done baking, let them rest for 10 minutes before removing them to a baking rack to continue cooling down. Once they're cooled down, they can be filled.
Cranberry Spice Filling
- The filling is a simple buttercream frosting. Beat the softened butter until it's smooth, about 60 seconds. Add the powdered sugar. Beat on low until it starts to incorporate with the butter, then turn it up to medium until its fully mixed together. It will clump up. Turn the mixer off. Add the cranberry powder, spices, and milk. Beat on high until everything is mixed well and the frosting is smooth.
- Fill a pastry bag with the frosting, fitted with your choice of tip. Match the shells by size, flipping one over of each pair. Holding the filled pastry bag upright, squeeze out roughly a nickel-sized amount onto the turned over shell. When completed, sandwich the macarons gently. I make a circular motion when sandwiching them as I don't want to press down and potentially crack the beautiful shells. Refrigerate the macarons for 24 hours to let the flavors fully develop. Honestly though, just eat one. If you don't have time to refrigerate them for that long, they're still delicious.
Notes
- For maximum flavor and freshness, store macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. Layer them with parchment paper. Do not use wax paper as it will stick to the macarons. You don’t want to stack them too high as they are a delicate cookie.
- For best results, follow the recipe as written.
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