Homemade Red Velvet Macarons with their bold red color and a hint of cocoa flavor, are just like the beloved cake but in bite-sized form. These delicate French cookies are filled with tangy cream cheese frosting for a classic flavor pairing and results in a chewy, melt-in-your-mouth experience that elevates the classic red velvet to new heights. Serve these cookies for special occasions — they're perfect for Valentine's Day or on your holiday dessert table!
I'm a big fan of red velvet cake over here. It's moist and tender with the perfect pairing of flavors. You can see a bit of my obsession with red velvet in our Red Velvet Cookies or Red Velvet Cupcakes — and these macarons are no exception! The mild chocolate macaron shells are delicious and stunning with their bright red color, and the flavors balance out well with the rich cream cheese frosting. You can't help but nibble them to savor every bite!
Why You'll Love These Red Velvet Macarons
- Tried-and-true recipe. I don't really want to toot my own horn, but I'm pretty well known for baking the best, most incredible French macarons. They are delicate and crispy outside and chewy inside. My basic macaron recipe follows the French method and has been tested many, many times. It always results in the most perfect little macarons with adorable feet. The ingredients are too expensive to waste on a half-baked recipe, so set yourself up for success with the right one!
- Fun twist on red velvet. Isn't red velvet such a fun option? The deep red color is stunning, and the chewy texture of macarons adds an extra element to the classic red velvet flavor in the best way possible. They honestly may even be better than the cake!
- Great for special occasions. The red color makes these macarons picture-perfect for Christmas or Valentine's Day, although they're certainly great any time of the year! Either add them to your dessert table or package them up in neat little boxes for a sweet gift anyone will love. You can even drizzle them with a little melted chocolate for a little extra flair. They're always stunning!
Ingredient Notes
To make this delicious red velvet macaron recipe, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- almond flour - it's very important to use superfine blanched almond flour. You can also make your own almond flour at home if you want by finely grinding blanched almonds until you have a grainy powder.
- confectioners' sugar - this finely powdered sugar will blend into the batter without adding any grittiness. We also need powdered sugar for the cream cheese filling.
- dutch-processed cocoa powder - red velvet is traditionally made with this specific cocoa powder for a hint of chocolate flavor.
- egg whites - room temperature eggs will be whipped with the sugar until stiff peaks have formed. You can bring the eggs up to room temperature faster by placing the whole egg in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes before cracking and separating them.
- super fine white sugar
- red gel food coloring - this will give you that bold red color!
- cream cheese - for the cream cheese frosting. Let the cream cheese come to room temperature first.
- butter - use unsalted butter to keep the filling from becoming too salty.
- vanilla extract
Baking Tools and Equipment
To make red velvet macarons, you will need the following baking tools and equipment
- measuring cups and spoons or a kitchen scale
- two large mixing bowls
- whisk
- stand mixer with a whisk attachment
- silicone spatula
- piping bag and large ½ inch round tip
- macaron silicone baking mat or a regular silicone baking mat (or parchment paper)
- large half sheet baking pan
- wire cooling rack
How to Make the Best Red Velvet Macarons
First, make the macaron batter.
- Prep. Prepare a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat (or if you have enough, prepare 2 baking sheets).
- Combine dry ingredients. Using a fine mesh sieve over a large mixing bowl on a scale, sift almond flour until you reach 140 grams. Discard any large pieces of almond flour. Repeat with the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder. Whisk together the dry ingredients until very well combined. Set aside.
- Beat egg whites and sugar. Add egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer. Using a whip attachment, beat the mixture, starting on low. Once soft peaks have been formed (about 2 minutes), add the sugar and increase the speed to medium. Once medium peaks are achieved, increase the speed to high. Beat on high until stiff glossy peaks have formed, about 2 minutes.
- Color. Add in the red food coloring and beat until just combined.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer, and place a sieve over top. Pour the dry mixture into the sieve, then sift the dry ingredients into the meringue.
- Fold. Use a rubber spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the meringue. Be careful not to overmix and over-deflate the meringue.
- The mixture is ready to be piped when it ribbons off your spatula. The batter, when lifted with a spatula, should keep flowing off the spatula in ribbon shapes nonstop, without drizzling off too quickly. If it is coming off in large V shaped chunks it needs to be folded more.
- Another test is the figure 8 test: If you can lift some batter up and use it to draw several figure 8’s without the stream breaking, it is ready!
- The mixture is ready to be piped when it ribbons off your spatula. The batter, when lifted with a spatula, should keep flowing off the spatula in ribbon shapes nonstop, without drizzling off too quickly. If it is coming off in large V shaped chunks it needs to be folded more.
- Another test is the figure 8 test: If you can lift some batter up and use it to draw several figure 8’s without the stream breaking, it is ready!
Now, let's make the macaron shells.
- Pipe macaron shells. Add batter to a piping bag with a medium to large-sized round tip (I recommend a large ½-inch top). Pipe 1 to 1 ½-inch small circles of batter onto the prepared baking sheet. Make sure the piping bag is held straight up and perpendicular to the baking sheet.
- Tap. After you’ve piped all the macarons, gently tap the baking sheet multiple times against the counter to remove any air bubbles from the macarons. If some air bubbles still remain, use a toothpick to gently poke them out.
- Rest. Preheat oven to 300°F. While the oven is preheating, allow the macarons to sit and form a “skin”. This “skin” should form anywhere from 8 minutes to an hour. You know the macarons are ready to be baked when you can touch them lightly without having the batter stick to your finger. Keep checking them periodically to see if they have formed a skin.
- Bake. Bake macarons for 15-20 minutes. Check at 15 minutes, and if they are not ready then keep checking every minute. The macarons are ready when the tops are firm and do not move around their base at all. Allow the macarons to cool completely before attempting to remove them from the silicone mat.
- Cool. Allow the shells to fully cool on the silicone mat. Once fully cooled, peel all of the macaron shells off the mats.
How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting Filling for Macarons
In a large mixing bowl, add butter and cream cheese. Use an electric hand mixer to beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla, then beat again until smooth and well combined.
How to Assemble Macarons
- Place the cream cheese frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large ½ inch round tip.
- Pipe the frosting onto half of the macaron shells.
- Top each piped shell with a similar sized top-shell.
- Place into the fridge overnight to mature and meld together for the best results.
Recipe Variations
- Pipe a special shape. If you want to serve this red velvet macaron recipe for Valentine's Day, pipe the shells like little hearts! They'll look adorable arranged in a little gift box or on a dessert tray.
- Decorate the outside. For a little extra color, drizzle a thin stream of melted white chocolate on top of the macarons. You can even sprinkle on some colorful sprinkles or brush on a little edible gold leaf to complete the look. See how we decorated our Pistachio Macaron tops for an idea.
- Adjust the size. Prefer teeny tiny one-bite macarons? Pipe them into 1-inch circles for the perfect size. You can also make much larger shells, like 4-inch rounds, if you prefer fewer, larger macarons.
How to Serve
We love serving these Red Velvet Macarons during the holidays, especially during Valentine's Day. Serve them on their own or pair them as part of a bigger dessert spread along with:
- Valentine's Day Heart Sugar Cookies
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Oreo Brownies
- Strawberry Shortcake
- Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Heart Cookies
- Raspberry and White Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
For more recipe ideas, see our 40 Best Valentine's Day Dessert Recipes.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Prep your trays. It's much easier to pipe the macaron batter into perfect circles with using a macaron silicone baking mat (the silicone mats that have the circle measurements on them). However, you don't have to buy any fancy gear. Use a pencil and some sort of stencil to make your own macaron template on a piece of parchment paper. Flip the parchment over to be able to pipe the rounds without getting any pencil on the batter. Easy!
- Don't rush. Macarons are notoriously fussy, and I think they can smell your fear. If you're patient and follow the steps as written, you'll do fine! The most important thing is to let the macaron batter develop a skin. This requires letting the piped shells rest for up to an hour before baking. Don't focus on the time as much as the texture. If you can touch them without getting batter on your finger, they're ready.
- Cool completely. Please do not add cream cheese frosting to warm macaron shells! The heat will melt the cream cheese and cause a big, soggy mess.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
How to Store
Since the filling contains dairy, you'll need to store these macarons in the refrigerator. Package them up in an airtight container and chill for up to 3 days.
How to Freeze
Although it's always risky to freeze dairy products, cream cheese frosting typically freezes quite well. Refrigerate the macarons first, then freeze for up to 2-3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge before eating. You may notice a little separation in the cream cheese frosting, but it should be minimal.
FAQ
Almond meal and almond flour are different ingredients, although they have similar names. Almond flour is blanched to remove the skins and then blended into a very fine powder. Almond meal has a coarser texture with larger individual pieces, and the skins have not been removed. Only use super fine, blanched almond flour for macarons.
The easiest option is to use a high-quality gel food coloring. Regular liquid-based food coloring is too wet, and gel coloring is the best for adding a really rich color. For red velvet macarons, you can certainly add just red food coloring, or you can deepen the color by adding small amounts of black.
Just like any macaron recipe, your shells need to develop a skin. This can take up to an hour, with the shells resting at room temperature. Gently touch the shells with your finger. If you can touch them without any of the batter sticking to your finger, they're ready to bake.
More Macaron Recipes
- 50 Best Cookie Recipes
- French Macarons with Vanilla Buttercream
- Chocolate Macarons with Chocolate Buttercream
- Peppermint Macarons
- Pistachio Macarons
Did you make this recipe? I would greatly appreciate a comment and rating below, letting me know what you thought of the recipe. You can also snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.
Don't forget to sign up for my email newsletter so that you don't miss any recipes. You can also follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for more recipe updates.
Recipe
Red Velvet Macarons
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 24 macarons
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Homemade Red Velvet Macarons with their bold red color and a hint of cocoa flavor, are just like the beloved cake but in bite-sized form. These delicate French cookies are filled with tangy cream cheese frosting for a classic flavor pairing and results in a chewy, melt-in-your-mouth experience that elevates the classic red velvet to new heights. Serve these cookies for special occasions — they're perfect for Valentine's Day or on your holiday dessert table!
Ingredients
For the macaron shells:
- 140 grams super fine almond flour (about 1 ½ cups)
- 115 grams confectioners' sugar (about 1 scant cup)
- 8 grams Dutch processed cocoa powder (about 4 teaspoons)
- 100 grams egg whites (about 3 large egg whites), at room temperature
- 110 grams super fine white sugar (about 1 cup + 2 teaspoons)
- 1 tablespoons red gel food coloring (I specifically used Americolor Super Red)
For the cream cheese frosting:
- ¼ cup (56 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup (60 grams) block cream cheese, softened
- 1 ½ cups (180 grams) confectioners’ sugar
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Make the macaron batter:
- Prepare a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat (or if you have enough, prepare 2 baking sheets).
- Using a fine mesh sieve over a large mixing bowl on a scale, sift almond flour until you reach 140 grams. Discard any large pieces of almond flour. Repeat with the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder. Whisk together the dry ingredients until very well-combined. Set aside.
- Add egg whites to the bowl of your stand mixer. Using a whip attachment, beat the mixture, starting on low. Once soft peaks have been formed (about 2 minutes), add the sugar and increase the speed to medium. Once medium peaks are achieved, increase the speed to high. Beat on high until stiff peaks have formed, about 2 minutes.
- Add in the red food coloring and beat until just combined.
- Remove the bowl from the stand mixer, and place a sieve over top. Pour the dry mixture into the sieve, then sift the dry ingredients into the meringue.
- Use a rubber spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the meringue. Be careful not to overmix and over-deflate the meringue. The mixture is ready to be piped when it ribbons off your spatula. The batter, when lifted with a spatula, should keep flowing off the spatula in ribbon shapes nonstop, without drizzling off too quickly. If it is coming off in large V shaped chunks it needs to be folded more. Another test is the figure 8 test: If you can lift some batter up and use it to draw several figure 8’s without the stream breaking, it is ready!
Make the macaron shells:
- Add batter to a piping bag with a medium to large sized round tip (I recommend a large ½-inch top). Pipe 1 to 1 ½-inch small circles of batter onto the prepared baking sheet. Make sure the piping bag is held straight up and perpendicular to the baking sheet.
- After you’ve piped all the macarons, gently tap the baking sheet multiple times against the counter to remove any air bubbles from the macarons. If some air bubbles still remain, use a toothpick to gently poke them out.
- Preheat oven to 300°F. While the oven is preheating, allow the macarons to sit and form a “skin”. This “skin” should form anywhere from 8 minutes to an hour. You know the macarons are ready to be baked when you can touch them lightly without having the batter stick to your finger. Keep checking them periodically to see if they have formed a skin.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes. Check at 15 minutes, and if they are not ready then keep checking every minute. The macarons are ready when the tops are firm and do not move around their base at all. Allow the macarons to cool completely before attempting to remove them from the silicone mat.
- Allow the shells to fully cool on the silicone mat. Once fully cooled, peel all of the macaron shells off the mats.
Make the cream cheese frosting filling:
- In a large mixing bowl, add butter and cream cheese. Use an electric hand mixer to beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla, then beat again until smooth and well-combined.
Assemble the macarons:
- Place the cream cheese frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large ½ inch round tip.
- Pipe the frosting onto half of the macaron shells.
- Top each piped shell with a similar sized top-shell.
- Place into the fridge overnight to mature and meld together for the best results.
Notes
How to store: Since the filling contains dairy, you'll need to store these macarons in the refrigerator. Package them up in an airtight container and chill for up to 3 days.
How to freeze: Although it's always risky to freeze dairy products, cream cheese frosting typically freezes quite well. Refrigerate the macarons first, then freeze for up to 2-3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge before eating. You may notice a little separation in the cream cheese frosting, but it should be minimal.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: French
Leave a Comment