Get ready to immerse yourself in the holiday spirit with these festive macarons.

Macarons (not to be confused with macaroons) are delicate sandwich cookies made from whipped egg whites, sugar, and ground almonds. These colorful French pastries are elegant enough to elevate any gathering. If you're up for a fun and rewarding baking challenge that'll impress at your holiday cookie exchange, try this Christmas macaron recipe from the Institute of Culinary Education.

Macarons incorporate meringue in two forms: whipped into the dough to make the cookies, and in the buttercream filling. When crafting this fluffy egg white treat, it's crucial to hit the precise temperatures outlined in the recipe. Chelsea Burgess, pastry and baking arts chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education's New York City campus, explains why the sugar must be heated to exactly 245˚F. “We aim to cook the sugar syrup to the ‘soft-ball stage,’” she tells Mytour. “As the syrup cooks, water evaporates and the temperature increases. At 245˚F, the sugar concentration reaches about 85 [percent], allowing the meringue to cool but remain soft and flexible.”

Chef Burgess further explains, “The sugar temperature plays a vital role in determining the final texture of the cookies. If the sugar is too hot, the cookies will be crisp and brittle. If it's too cold, they’ll turn out too chewy. Keep in mind, the ideal macaron is crisp on the outside with a soft, slightly chewy center.”

Start by preheating your oven to 325˚F. Begin the meringue by placing sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring only enough to dissolve the sugar, and heat until the candy thermometer reads 245˚F. While the sugar cooks, whip the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer until soft peaks form.

Once the sugar syrup reaches the right temperature and the egg whites are ready, slowly pour the sugar syrup along the inside of the bowl while the mixer is running at medium-high speed. Allow the mixture to come together until the bowl reaches body temperature.

While the meringue cools, start on the base by sifting together confectioner's sugar and almond flour. Then, combine the dry ingredients with the remaining egg whites in a large bowl. Stir until the mixture forms a paste, then add the food coloring and mix until fully incorporated. Once the meringue cools, fold one-third of the meringue into the paste, followed by the rest of the meringue.

Now that the base is ready, pipe the macarons into the desired shapes. If you're feeling festive, Chef Burgess shares instructions for shaping them into gingerbread men and snowmen. Start by creating a template with evenly spaced snowman shapes on a half-sheet of parchment paper, followed by gingerbread men outlines. Insert a large round piping tip (Chef Burgess used size No. 806) into a disposable piping bag, push it to the bottom, and fill the bag with the macaron batter. Place the parchment template on a sheet tray and cover it with a silicone baking mat.

Hold the piping bag upright and pipe the macarons by hovering the tip about half an inch above the center of the circle. Squeeze the bag until the batter spreads evenly to the edge of the circle. Once done, stop pressing the bag and pull it away from the piped macaron, ensuring you don’t pull it straight up.

The gingerbread men require a different approach. Chef Burgess suggests piping a starfish shape within the template, starting at the outer edge of each limb and pulling towards the center. Once you finish piping the gingerbread men, remove the template under the mat. To smooth out the tops of the macarons, firmly tap the sheet tray on the table. If needed, dip your finger in water and gently press down any peaks that remain.

Allow the macarons to dry at room temperature for 30 minutes, uncovered. Afterward, bake them for 8 minutes at 325˚F, or until they are set and can be easily removed from the silicone mat. Ensure they are completely cool before filling and decorating.

Once the cookies are ready, it’s time to prepare the meringue filling. This step should feel familiar since it’s similar to the macaron batter. Begin by combining sugar and water, then bring them to a boil. Stir just enough to dissolve the sugar and heat the mixture to 245˚F. While the sugar cooks, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form.

Once the sugar syrup reaches 245˚F and the egg whites are whipped, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl while the mixer runs at medium-high speed. Wait until the outside of the bowl reaches body temperature before adding and beating in the butter. Finally, stir in the vanilla and salt. The macarons are now ready for assembly.

If you’re interested in exploring more recipes like this one, visit the Institute of Culinary Education. The institute offers engaging and comprehensive courses, ranging from restaurant and culinary management to plant-based culinary arts, available at their New York City and Los Angeles campuses.

Holiday Macarons

Base Ingredients 180g powdered sugar, 180g almond flour, 65g egg whites, food coloring

Meringue Ingredients 180g granulated sugar, 45g water, 65g egg whites

1. Preheat the oven to 325˚F.
2. To prepare the meringue, combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan, and heat it, stirring just enough to dissolve the sugar. Bring the mixture to 245˚F.
3. As the sugar heats, place the egg whites for the meringue in the stand mixer’s bowl and whip them until soft peaks form.
4. Once the sugar syrup reaches 245˚F and the egg whites are whipped, gradually pour the sugar into the mixing bowl while the mixer runs at medium-high speed. Be sure not to let the syrup touch the whisk.
5. Whip until the outside of the bowl feels like body temperature.
6. While the meringue cools, prepare the base by sifting the powdered sugar and almond flour together.
7. Mix the dry ingredients with the remaining egg whites in a large bowl, stirring until a paste forms.
8. Add food coloring to the paste and stir until fully incorporated.
9. Once the meringue has cooled, whisk in one-third of it into the paste to lighten the mixture.
10. Fold in the remaining meringue to combine evenly.

Chef Chelsea Burgess’s Piping Guide

1. Create a template by drawing evenly spaced snowman shapes on a half-sheet of parchment paper. Then, sketch equally spaced gingerbread man shapes on another half-sheet of parchment.
2. Insert a large round piping tip (Chef Chelsea used No.806) into a disposable piping bag and fill it with macaron batter.
3. Place the parchment template on a sheet tray and lay a Silpat (silicone baking mat) on top of it.
4. Pipe the macarons: Hold the piping bag vertically, keeping the tip around ½-inch above the parchment at the center of each traced circle. Gently squeeze the batter out evenly until it reaches the edge of the circle. Release the pressure and pull the piping tip away from the piped macaron without lifting straight up.
5. For gingerbread men, pipe a starfish shape following the template. Begin at the outer edge of each limb and pull inward toward the center.
6. Repeat this process until both trays are filled.
7. Remove the template from under the Silpat. Firmly tap each edge of the sheet tray on the table to smooth out any lumps and level the tops. If necessary, dip your finger in water and gently press down any peaks.
8. Let the piped macarons air-dry for 30 minutes at room temperature, uncovered.
9. Bake at 325˚F for 8 minutes or until the macarons are set and can be easily removed from the Silpat. Allow them to cool completely before filling and decorating.

Italian Meringue Buttercream Filling

Ingredients170g egg whites 50g water 340g granulated sugar 510g butter, room temperature 10g vanilla 2g salt

1. Start by preparing the meringue using the same method as with the macarons. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Cook until it reaches 245˚F.
2. While the sugar is boiling, place the egg whites for the meringue into the bowl of a stand mixer. Whip them until soft peaks form.
3. Once the sugar syrup reaches 245˚F and the egg whites are whipped, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the mixing bowl while continuing to whip at medium-high speed. Be careful not to let the syrup touch the whisk.
4. Continue whipping until the outside of the bowl reaches body temperature.
5. Gradually add the butter while continuing to beat until it is fully incorporated.
6. Finally, add the vanilla and salt.