Description
Delight in these elegant Red Velvet Macarons featuring delicate almond meringue shells tinted with rich red gel food coloring and filled with a smooth, tangy cream cheese frosting. Perfect for special occasions or a luxurious treat, these French-style macarons combine classic red velvet flavors with a light, airy texture that melts in your mouth.
Ingredients
Scale
Red Velvet Macarons
- 110 g aged egg whites (about 4 large egg whites), room temperature
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar (optional)
- 110 g granulated sugar (1/2 cup + 2 tsp)
- 140 g superfine almond flour (blanched) (1 1/2 cups)
- 125 g powdered sugar (1 cup)
- 4 g unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (2 tsp)
- Red gel food coloring (about 1 tsp)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 56 g cream cheese (1/4 cup), room temperature
- 4 g vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (1 tsp)
- 1 g fine salt (1/8 tsp)
- 125 g powdered sugar (1 cup)
Instructions
- Prepare baking sheets: Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside.
- Beat egg whites: Pour 110 g of aged egg whites into a stand mixer bowl with a whisk attachment and mix on medium speed until small bubbles form on the surface. Add 1/4 tsp cream of tartar and continue mixing until soft peaks form and visible tracks remain.
- Add sugar: Gradually add 110 g granulated sugar to the egg whites while mixing on medium-low speed, then increase to medium-high speed and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Sift dry ingredients: Sift 140 g superfine almond flour, 125 g powdered sugar, and 4 g cocoa powder into the meringue. Use a spatula to break up clumps and press through the sieve.
- Add color and fold: Add about 1 tsp red gel food coloring and gently fold the mixture using a circular motion to combine without deflating the meringue.
- Macaronage: Fold the batter until it flows off the spatula in a thick ribbon and you can draw continuous figure 8s without the stream breaking.
- Pipe shells: Transfer batter to a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip and pipe 1 1/2-inch rounds spaced 1 inch apart onto prepared sheets.
- Release air bubbles: Firmly bang the baking sheets on the counter several times and pop any remaining air bubbles with a toothpick.
- Rest shells: Let the macarons rest for 30 minutes until a dry skin forms and the surface looks matte.
- Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 320°F (160°C) while the macarons rest.
- Bake shells: Bake one tray at a time on the middle oven rack for 21 minutes, rotating halfway through for even baking.
- Cool shells: Remove from oven and allow shells to cool completely on the pan (about 30 minutes), then gently peel off the silicone mat or parchment.
- Make frosting: Beat 56 g cream cheese on medium speed until smooth, then mix in 4 g vanilla extract and 1 g salt on low speed. Slowly add 125 g powdered sugar and mix until smooth and well combined. Adjust consistency with small amounts of cream or powdered sugar if needed.
- Assemble macarons: Pair shells by size, pipe a dollop of cream cheese frosting onto one shell, then sandwich with its pair. Optionally drizzle with white chocolate or sprinkle crushed shells for garnish.
- Chill and mature: Place macarons in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight to develop flavor and soften the texture before serving. Let come to room temperature before enjoying.
Notes
- This recipe makes approximately 36 macaron shells, yielding 18 sandwich macarons.
- Use a kitchen scale for precise measurement for best results.
- Aged egg whites separated from fresh eggs produce better meringue; avoid using carton egg whites.
- Use gel food coloring instead of liquid to maintain batter consistency.
- Piping on a macaron mat or template ensures consistent size and shape.
- Allow macarons to rest and form a skin before baking for characteristic smooth tops and feet.
- Macarons develop best flavor and texture after chilling filled for 24 hours.
- Store filled macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; freeze unfilled shells and fillings up to a month.
- If your macarons don’t turn out, consult macaron troubleshooting resources for tips.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 macaron
- Calories: 90 kcal
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 25 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
