Peppermint macarons have a classic french macaron shell filled with white chocolate ganache and rolled in crushed peppermints. It is one of the best macaron flavors for the holidays!
I have been loving thinking up holiday macaron flavors and peppermint seemed like a no-brainer. The addition of white chocolate ganache in the center instead of a buttercream makes these french macarons taste more like white chocolate peppermint bark than just plain peppermint.
Ingredients for Peppermint Macarons
Ingredients for french macron shell:
- Almond Flour. Be sure that you are using almond flour and not almond meal.
- Powdered Sugar. This will aid in the flavor and structure of the finished macarons.
- Egg Whites. Having your egg whites at room temperature will make it easier to whip them.
- Granulated Sugar. Sugar will give structure to the beaten egg whites.
Ingredients for white chocolate ganache:
- Heavy Cream. Heavy cream is necessary for it to be thick enough, don’t use half and half.
- White Chocolate Chips. Be sure to get chocolate chips and not baking chips, they have a better flavor.
Peppermint macarons assembly ingredients:
- Peppermint Candies. These will need to be finely crushed.
White Chocolate Ganache
I have quite a few recipes that use chocolate ganache. First of all, because it is truly delicious. You can take a plain old recipe, add chocolate ganache and it take it to a whole new level. It can be a real game changer. Second, it is so stinking easy to make.
Chocolate Ganache is made with equal parts (by weight, not by measurement) heavy cream, and chocolate. The two are melted together for a perfectly smooth and creamy chocolate ganache. If you want a thicker ganache you can add more chocolate. If you want a thinner ganache you can add more heavy cream.
White chocolate is a bit different than regular chocolate, so I higher ratio of chocolate to cream is needed to achieve the consistency we are looking for.
How to make white chocolate ganache
STEP 1: In a small saucepan heat the heavy cream over low heat until lightly boiling.
STEP 2: Remove the pan from heat and add the chocolate chips. Allow to sit for five minutes.
STEP 3: Next, use a whisk to slowly stir the mixture together until everything is melted and fully incorporated. Stir from the center in one direction. You want to be sure not to add too much air to the ganache, so mix slowly.
STEP 4: Transfer the ganache to a small bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge and allow to cool thoroughly and thicken up.
Macaron tips
- If possible, make your macarons on a less humid day. You will need to rest the macarons for longer and they might not turn out as well on a humid day.
- Don’t over mix the batter. You only need to macaronage until you can make a figure 8 with the batter. If you over mix the macarons will spread too much.
- Wipe the bowl down with vinegar before adding the egg whites to whip. Even a speck of leftover dish soap or fat (egg yolk, butter, etc.) will inhibit the egg whites from whipping up properly.
- Let the macarons rest before eating. Macarons are best when they have matured for 12 or so hours. So after you fill the macarons, let them rest overnight for the best flavor.
How to make french macarons
STEP 1: Line a cookie sheet with a silicone mat. I highly recommend a silicone mat of some kind, but if you don’t have one then you can also use parchment paper.
STEP 2: In a food processor add the powdered sugar and almond flour and pulse until fully combined and rid of lumps. Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl. If you don’t have a food processor you can just sift the ingredients together.
STEP 3: In a medium bowl, prepare the french meringue. Beat the egg whites on low speed until they get frothy. Increase the speed and slowly add the sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. If you want to add food coloring, do it now, but add it sparingly or you will make the meringue too liquidy.
STEP 4: Add the french meringue into the dry ingredients and begin to gently fold with a silicone spatula. This process is called macaronage. You will know the batter is ready when the ingredients are fully combined and not streaky. You should be able to hold the spatula above the bowl and draw a figure 8 smoothly without the batter breaking off. Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip. Pipe 1-inch disks onto the prepared cookie sheet.
STEP 5: Firmly tap the cookie sheet onto the counter 3 or 4 times to bring any air bubbles to the surface. Use a toothpick to pop any remaining air bubbles.
STEP 6: Let the macarons rest for an hour. There needs to be a dry layer on the top. You should be able to run your finger over the top without any transferring to your finger.
STEP 7: Preheat the oven to 280 degrees (F). This is the temperature that I have found works well for my oven, but you may need to play around with the temperature.
STEP 8: Place the macarons on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 5 minutes, rotate the cookie sheet, bake for another 5 minutes, and rotate the cookie sheet again, bake for 5 minutes. 15 minutes in total.
STEP 9: Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. They should peel off of the mat easily.
STEP 10: When the macarons are cooled peel them off of the mat and match each shell to another that is the same size.
How to assemble peppermint macarons
STEP 1: Transfer the ganache to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip. Pipe your desired amount of ganache onto the inside of one macaron shell. Sandwich the matching macaron shell on top.
STEP 2: Roll the outside of the macaron in the finely crushed peppermint candies. The peppermint should stick to the chocolate ganache.
More macaron recipes
- Apple Pie Macarons- These classic french macaron shells are flavored with apple pie spice and filled with an apple pie spice buttercream and apple pie filling.
- Almond Joy Macarons- A classic french macaron shell filled with silky chocolate ganache and rolled in almonds and coconut.
- Chocolate French Macarons with Marshmallow Filling- These macarons have the perfect combination of chocolate and marshmallow!
- Raspberry Rose French Macarons- Pretty pink french macarons filled with rose buttercream and raspberry jam!
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Recipe
Peppermint Macarons
Ingredients
For Ganache:
- ¼ cup (50 grams) heavy cream
- ¾ cup (125 grams) white chocolate chips
For Macarons:
- 1 cup (110 grams) almond flour
- 1 ⅔ cup (200 grams) powdered sugar
- 3 large (100 grams) egg whites
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
For Assembly:
- peppermint candies, finely crushed as needed
Instructions
For Ganache:
- In a small saucepan heat the heavy cream over medium heat.
- When the cream comes to a light boil turn off the heat and add the chocolate chips. Allow to sit for 5 minutes.
- Use a whisk to slowly stir the ingredients together until the chocolate is fully melted.
- Transfer the ganache to a small bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge until thoroughly cooled and thickened.
For Macarons:
- Line a cookie sheet with a silicone mat or you can use parchment paper if you don't have one.
- Using a food processor, pulse the powdered sugar and almond flour until fully combined and rid of lumps. Sift the combined dry ingredients into a large bowl. If you do not have a food processor you can just sift.
- In a medium bowl, prepare the french meringue. Beat the egg whites on low speed with a hand mixer until they get frothy. Increase the speed and slowly add the sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. If you want to add any food coloring, do it now, but use it sparingly or you will make the meringue too liquidy.
- Add the french meringue into the dry ingredients and begin to gently fold. The batter should be fully combined and not streaky. When you are able to make a figure 8 with the batter in one motion, the batter is ready. If it is too runny it has been over-mixed.
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip. Pipe 1-inch disks on to the silicone mat.
- Tap the cookie sheet on the countertop 3 or 4 times to get rid of any air bubbles. Use a toothpick to pop any remaining air bubbles.
- Allow the macarons to rest for an hour or until the tops of the macarons have dried. You will be able to gently run your finger over them without anything getting on your finger.
- Preheat the oven to 280 degrees (F).
- Place the macarons on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 5 minutes, rotate the cookie sheet and bake for another 5 minutes, rotate the pan one last time, and bake for 5 minutes. 15 minutes in total.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on the cookie sheet.
- If the macarons were baked correctly they should easily peel off of the silicone mat.
For Assembly:
- Transfer the ganache to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip. Pipe your desired amount of ganache onto the inside of one macaron shell. Sandwich the matching macaron shell on top.
- Roll the outside of the macaron in the finely crushed peppermint. The mixture should stick to the white chocolate ganache.
Caitlin says
These mac's were soooo delicious and some of the best I have made. Thanks for creating such an easy to follow recipe, it really felt failproof! If you like lindt's peppermint white choc truffles you need to try these!