I have a confession: despite being a culinary graduate, I’d never made French macarons until now. I was inspired after baking with my friends Yvonne and Jesseca, who both had success with Beth’s foolproof method on their first try. When they invited me to join them, I couldn’t resist. I’m glad I did.
After debating flavors, I settled on White Chocolate Ganache Filled Gingerbread Macarons. The gingerbread spices pair beautifully with the sweet white chocolate ganache — every bite is a delightful contrast of flavor and texture.
French macarons can feel intimidating, but following clear instructions makes them achievable, even the first time. I used Beth’s video as my guide and added a couple of practical tips: use a silicone baking mat rather than parchment paper, and weigh your ingredients when possible for consistent results.
Silicone mats provide a bit of grip so shells don’t spread too much and are more likely to develop proper feet. If you don’t have a scale, stir the dry ingredients before measuring to avoid packing and inaccurate amounts.
These macarons make adorable holiday gifts. They look impressive, taste even better, and people will be amazed that you made them. If you try the recipe and have questions, feel free to ask — and consider watching Beth’s video for a step-by-step visual walkthrough.
Also, I joined a virtual cookie exchange with 11 other bloggers. Each of us is sharing a cookie recipe, giving you plenty of ideas to keep baking all season. Below is the featured macaron recipe and the full recipe details follow.
- Oatmeal White Chocolate Chip Cookies from A Night Owl Blog
- Jam Thumbprints and Tea Cakes from Hungry Girl Por Vida
- Popcorn Cookies from Betsy Life
- Peppermint White Chocolate Covered Oreos from Mommifried
- Peanut Butter Heath Cookies from Whatcha Makin’ Now
- Peppermint Cream Cookies from The Bitter Side of Sweet
- White Chocolate Ganache Filled Gingerbread Macarons from Dessert Now Dinner Later
- White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread from Joyful Scribblings
- White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies from Daily Cup of Kate
- Toasted Almond Russian Tea Cakes from Meegan Makes
- Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate Cookies from What Katie’s Baking
- Grandma’s Sugar Cookies from Writer Mom Blog
White Chocolate Ganache Filled Gingerbread Macarons
Amber Brady
36 (+) macarons
Ingredients
- 3 egg whites, room temperature (MUST BE ROOM TEMP!)
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- brown food coloring (optional)
- 2 cups (120 g) powdered/confectioners sugar
- 1 cup (120 g) superfine blanched almond flour (or natural roasted almond flour)
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Filling
- 6 oz (170 g) good quality white chocolate chips (about 1 cup)
- 5 Tbsp heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the salt, cream of tartar, and granulated sugar and continue beating for 8 to 10 minutes, or until stiff peaks form. Add brown food coloring if desired and mix to the chosen shade.
- Sift the powdered sugar and almond flour together. Discard any large almond pieces that don’t pass through the sieve. Add the ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg to the dry mix and combine.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the whipped egg whites in two additions, using a spatula. Make 65 to 75 folds or turns total — enough to eliminate visible dry powder but not so much that the batter becomes runny. Under-mixing yields lumpy, cracked shells; over-mixing produces flat shells without feet.
- Transfer the batter to a pastry bag and pipe 1″ rounds (about the size of a quarter) onto silicone mats or parchment-lined baking sheets (silicone mats preferred). Tap the pans firmly 2 to 3 times to release air bubbles. Let the piped shells rest for 20 to 30 minutes, up to 1 hour, until a tacky skin forms. This drying step helps develop the feet during baking.
- Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 20 minutes. Do not under-bake, even if they look done; under-baked shells will stick to the tray.
- Meanwhile, make the ganache: bring the heavy cream and vanilla to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and pour over the white chocolate chips in a bowl. Stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Cool until thick enough to pipe; chilling briefly in the refrigerator will speed this, but watch it closely so it doesn’t harden too much.
- Turn half the shells over and pipe a circular mound of ganache onto each base. Sandwich with the remaining shells. Handle gently — the shells are fragile. Store finished macarons in an airtight container.
Notes
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Did you make this?
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