Elf on the Shelf Chocolate Macarons
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Sprinkle some holiday magic into your day with these Elf on the Shelf Chocolate Macarons are a playful and delicious way to create treasured holiday memories.
Elf on the Shelf French Macarons
Whether you’re celebrating with children or just want to sprinkle some holiday magic into your day, our Elf on the Shelf French Macarons are the perfect choice.
They make a charming addition to your festivities, and they’re sure to delight kids of all ages.
These macarons are a playful and delicious way to create treasured holiday memories.
The holiday season is all about spreading joy, love, and happiness with your loved ones.
And what better way to celebrate than with a plate full of delectable treats that are sure to please all ages?
The Elf on the Shelf Macarons recipe is a perfect addition to your holiday menu. These mouth-watering macarons are a feast for the eyes and the taste buds.
The combination of crispy shells and creamy filling is simply irresistible.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- The Elf on the Shelf French Macarons recipe is a perfect addition to your holiday menu
- These mouth-watering macarons are a feast for the eyes and the taste buds
- This recipe is easy to follow and will create a festive and joyful atmosphere in your home
Difficulty – Easy / Intermediate
Prep time – 45 minutes
Bake time – 12 minutes
Inactive time – 30 minutes
Assembly – 20 minutes
Servings – approximately 25 assembled cookies
If you’ve always wanted to try making French macarons, our Elf on the Shelf French Macarons recipe is perfect for you.
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to make these delightful treats.
Chocolate Macarons Ingredients
- Almond flour
- Powdered sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Egg whites
- Meringue powder (optional)
- Egg white powder (optional)
- Dark chocolate cocoa powder
Chocolate Ganache Filling
- Dark chocolate chips
- Heavy cream
To Decorate
- Dark chocolate chips
- Sprinkles
For exact measurements, please see the printable recipe card below.
Pro Tip: If you want to add a little extra kick to your muffins, try adding a pinch of cayenne pepper to the dry mix. It will give your muffins a subtle and spicy flavor.
How to Make Elf French Chocolate Macarons
Preheat the Oven
Before beginning the recipe, preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
Separate the Eggs
When separating eggs, be sure to take extra care not to get any yolk into the bowl as this will prevent them from whipping up properly later on in the recipe.
Beat Egg Whites Until Foamy
Once all of the egg whites have been separated, they should be placed in a bowl in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment and then beaten until foamy, which should take about one minute. If desired, meringue powder can also be added at this stage for additional stability and volume.
Slowly Add Granulated Sugar
Slowly add in three increments and mix well after each addition on medium speed until all of it has been combined. The mixture should then be increased to medium-high speed and mixed for another five minutes until very stiff peaks form which can be balled up in the whisk attachment and pulled away from the sides of the bowl.
Scrape the Bowl
When folding the mixture, be sure to scrape the bottoms and sides of the bowl to ensure no dry ingredients are hiding. This will help to ensure that all of the ingredients are properly incorporated into the batter.
Check Consistency
To check for consistency, pull a scoop of the mixture up with your spatula and let it drop back into the bowl. The mixture should flow nicely off the spatula, ribboning as it falls and then re-incorporating back into the mixture within about a 20-second count.
Avoid Overmixing
Mix gently and avoid overmixing as this can cause air bubbles in the batter which can lead to cracked shells or hollow interiors when baking. If you mix too much, they may spread out too much during baking.
Preparing the Macaron Template
Prepare a template for the macarons. This can be done by tracing circles onto parchment paper with a pencil or using a template guide. The size of the circles should match the desired size of your finished macarons.
Piping the Macarons
Pipe out your macarons. Hold the bag approximately ½ inch above the template and perpendicular to the pan. The mixture should settle to the outer line. Pipe out all of these rounds until all batter has been used.
Popping Air Bubbles and Resting Time
Take the entire baking sheet with them on it and firmly hit it against your counter several times, releasing any air bubbles and settling down any remaining batter.
Place on Baking Sheet
Once they have rested for about 30 minutes, place each tray of macarons on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If baking more than one tray at a time, make sure to rotate the pans halfway through the cooking time.
Bake and Cool
Bake for 12 minutes (or 6-7 minutes for elf-sized macarons) or until set. Let them cool on the pan for 5-10 minutes before very gently removing them from the parchment paper.
Store Until Ready To Fill
Store the cooled macarons in an airtight container stacked on their sides until ready to fill with your desired filling.
Chocolate Ganache Filling
Preparing the Ganache
Place the chocolate chips and cream in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 1 minute. Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir thoroughly to combine the ingredients until all of the chocolate chips have melted and the mixture is smooth.
Assembling Macaron Cookies
Begin by laying out your macaron shells on a flat surface, pairing up similar-sized shells. Then, fill one-half of each shell with ganache, piping a mound in the center before topping it with its partner shell to create a cookie sandwich.
Prepare the Chocolate
Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and heat them in 15-second increments, stirring well between each interval until the mixture is smooth. Once melted, transfer the mixture to a pastry bag and cut a small hole at the end.
Decorate the Macarons
Start by drizzling the chocolate over the tops of each macaron using your pastry bag. You can then add any additional decorations such as sprinkles or edible glitter for an extra special touch. Allow the decorations to set before serving or storing your macarons in an airtight container.
Storage
Can be enjoyed right away, but to get the best texture, it’s best to wait 24 hours for the shells to mature and create the chewy goodness we all love!
Store in an airtight container refrigerated for about two weeks or frozen for up to three months (watch for freezer burn).
If stored in the freezer, allow it to reach room temperature before enjoying it.
Chocolate Macarons Tips and Tricks
- Carton egg whites can be substituted; however, we do recommend freshly separated eggs for better results.
- Room-temperature egg whites whip up quicker than cold egg whites.
- Meringue powder is recommended to help stabilize the egg whites while whipping – but it is optional.
- Egg white powder (available online) is recommended to help fill the gaps in the macaron shells and make them fuller.
- Once baked, always store the shells in an airtight container. It does not take long for them to dry out and lose their chewiness.
- Invest in a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients accurately, especially the almond flour and powdered sugar.
- Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together to get a finer texture and eliminate any lumps.
- Pipe the macarons onto a silicon mat or parchment paper and slam the baking sheet on a flat surface a few times to get rid of air bubbles.
- Let the macarons rest for at least 30 minutes before baking to create a shiny, smooth surface and a distinctive “foot.”
More Cookie Recipes For You
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls
- Reindeer French Christmas Macarons
- Easy Cake Mix Cookie Bars
- Christmas Cookies in a Jar with Printable Tag
Elf on the Shelf French Macarons
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 c. loosely packed almond flour 130 g
- 1 cup powdered sugar 130 g
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar 90 g
- 3 large egg whites 100 g
- ½ t. meringue powder optional
- 1 t. egg white powder optional
- 2 T. dark chocolate cocoa powder
Chocolate Ganache Filling
- 10 oz dark chocolate chips
- ½ c heavy cream
To decorate:
- ½ c dark chocolate chips
- ¼ c sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- Separate the eggs and retain the egg whites (be sure that there is no yolk, or they will not whip up.)
- Beat egg whites until foamy in the bowl of the mixer with the whisk attachment, about one minute.
- Add in the meringue powder (optional).
- Slowly add granulated sugar in three increments and mix well after every addition on medium speed.
- Once all the sugar has been combined, increase the speed to medium/high and mix for another five minutes. The mixture should be very stiff peaks balled up in the whisk attachment and pulled away from the sides of the bowl.
- Combine almond flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and egg white powder (optional) together in a fine mesh strainer and gently sieve, leaving behind any larger chunks and discarding.
- Pour the sifted dry ingredients into the whipped mixture and stir only enough to incorporate.
- From here, slowly start to fold, deflating the mixture and occasionally checking for consistency. Take special care to scrape the bottoms and sides of the bowl to ensure no dry ingredients are hiding. To check the consistency, pull a scoop of the mixture up with your spatula and let the mixture drop back into the bowl. This is not the time to take out your aggression – treat it nicely and mix gently!
- When it’s ready, it should flow nicely off the spatula, ribboning as it falls and then re-incorporating back into the mixture within about a 20-second count. The mixture should be the consistency of lava. Too few turns will result in tall macarons with a “peak”. Too many turns will result in the macarons spreading outward like traditional cookies rather than upward to get the nice, ruffled edges (feet).
- Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large round metal tip. If you do not have a tip, then just a straight cut across will do. Also, if you do not have a pastry bag, a Ziploc will also work.
- Prepare your baking pan by turning it upside down if it has a rim to it. Place your mat on the pan or your template with parchment paper covering it.
- Holding the bag approximately ½ inch above the template and perpendicular to the pan, using the center as a bullseye in the center and slowly squeezing the bag, keeping it in one place until the mixture reaches the inner circle of the template (provided). The mixture should settle to the outer line. (For elf-sized macarons – pipe smaller circles on a separate lined baking sheet.)
- Pipe out all the rounds until all batter has been used.
- Take the entire baking sheet with the piped rounds on it and firmly hit the sheet on the counter several times, releasing any air bubbles and settling the batter. Any stubborn air bubbles can be popped with a toothpick.
- Allow the piped rounds to rest for at least 30 minutes (that’s for our climate in the Colorado mountains. Higher humidity areas will need to increase this rest time). The tops should no longer be sticky/tacky. Sacrifice one shell to test by gently touching the surface. If it sticks to your finger, it’s not ready yet. Allow it to rest until you can touch it without sticking to your finger.
- Once they have rested for about 30 minutes, place the tray in the oven and bake for 12 minutes. (For the elf-sized macarons, bake for 6-7 minutes or until set.)
- If baking more than one tray at a time, make sure to rotate the pans halfway through the cooking time.
- Let them cool on the pan. When cooled, very gently remove it from the baking sheet.
- Store in an airtight container stacked on their sides until ready to fill.
- Chocolate Ganache Filling
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the dark chocolate chips and heavy cream for 1 minute. Remove and stir thoroughly. If needed, heat for an additional 15-30 seconds and stir well again until all chocolate chips have melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Transfer the ganache to a piping bag and allow to cool until ready to assemble.
- When ready to assemble, lay out the macaron shells and partner up with similar-sized shells.
- Fill one-half of the shells with ganache. Pipe a mound in the center and then top with the remaining shell to create the cookie sandwich.
- Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl heat in 15-second increments and stir well between each interval until the mixture is smooth.
- Transfer to a pastry bag.
- Cut a small hole in the end of the chocolate bag and drizzle over the tops of the macarons. Decorate with sprinkles of choice.
Notes
Storage:
Can be enjoyed right away, but to get the best texture, it’s best to wait 24 hours for the shells to mature and create the chewy goodness we all love! Store in an airtight container refrigerated for about two weeks or frozen for up to three months (watch for freezer burn). If stored in the freezer, allow it to reach room temperature before enjoying it.Nutrition
Can I make Elf on the Shelf French Macarons ahead of time?
Yes, Elf on the Shelf French Macarons can be made ahead of time. Once baked and filled, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Allow them to come to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor.
Are Elf on the Shelf French Macarons gluten-free?
Yes, Elf on the Shelf French Macarons are naturally gluten-free as they are made with almond flour instead of all-purpose flour. However, make sure to check all your ingredients for any potential gluten contamination.
Can I freeze Elf on the Shelf French Macarons?
Yes, you can freeze Elf on the Shelf French Macarons. Place them in an airtight container or freezer bag, separating each layer with parchment paper or plastic wrap to prevent sticking. They can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Conclusion
The Elf on the Shelf French Macarons recipe is a must-try for the holiday season.
These delicate and flavorful macarons will surely impress your guests and add a touch of festive cheer to your celebrations.
With a little patience and practice, you can master the art of macaron making and create your own variations to share with family and friends.
So why not give it a try this holiday season and spread the joy of these delicious treats?
Let us know if you’ve ever made French Macarons and any tips you might have in the comments.
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