INGREDIENTS:
Cookies
1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
1 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 egg whites, room temperature
¼ cup white, granulated sugar,
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Gel food coloring (optional)
Buttercream
½ cup of butter (1 stick)
1 ½ cups of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3-4 Tablespoons of milk
INSTRUCTIONS:
For the cookies…
Separate eggs whites and allow to come to room temperature (at least 30 min)
Place powdered sugar and almond flour in a food processor and pulse to thoroughly combine
Sift powdered sugar and almond flour mixture 2-3 times, removing any large pieces after sifting
In a mixing bowl, start to beat the egg whites and salt until foamy
Once foamy, continue beating egg whites while gradually adding the granulated sugar
Beat until stiff peaks form
Mix in gel food coloring if using
Using a rubber spatula, fold dry ingredients into the egg white mixture until you can stream “ribbons” of batter when you lift the spatula out
Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper
Using a piping bag, pipe batter into 1/2 inch wide circles on the parchment paper
Allow cookies to dry out about 30-60 minutes until they form a skin and you can graze the tops of the cookies gently with your fingers without batter sticking
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F
Bake cookies for 15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through
For the buttercream…
Beat butter until it is pale and fluffy
Add in vanilla and milk
Add in powdered sugar and beat until well combined
To assemble…
Ice one of the flat sides of a macaroon shell
Top with a second macaroon shell
NOTES
IF NEW TO BAKING MACAROONS…I highly recommend using Google or YouTube to familiarize yourself with different terminology, consistencies, and techniques. Macaroons are a technically challenging dessert to make.