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Home » RECIPE » Desserts » Red Velvet Macarons

Red Velvet Macarons

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By: Shinee Published: 7/22/2021Updated: 11/23/2021

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Stunning red velvet macarons, filled with sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting, are made to impress! Let me show you how to achieve that perfect color and texture!

Table of Contents

  • Why you’ll love this recipe:
  • Is this recipe for you?
  • How to achieve bright red color:
  • How to make this recipe:
  • Red Velvet Macarons

Why you’ll love this recipe:

Red velvet macarons are, hands down, one of my absolute favorite macaron flavors, right after pistachio macarons and lemon macs.

Not only does it have the most gorgeous color, but the flavor is so, so good!

The sweet n’ tangy cream cheese filling, crisp and pleasantly chewy shells with slight hint of cocoa and vanilla. I couldn’t ask for anything better!

Is this recipe for you?

Now, if you’re new to making macarons and you’re determined to get the “perfect” look, this may not be the best recipe to start your macaron journey.

I highly recommend starting with my plain macarons for beginners. It has all the nitty-gritty details, explanation of techniques for success and video tutorial!

This red velvet macaron recipe is slightly advanced because of added cocoa powder and significant amount of food coloring.

Tip

Check out my FREE MACARON MASTERCLASS for beginners!

How to achieve bright red color:

The secret to achieving this bright red macarons is using the combination of cocoa powder and red food coloring.

Using red food coloring alone yields lighter, pinkish red shells no matter how much coloring you add.

Tip

Only use gel food coloring for macarons, as liquid food coloring may throw the wet to dry ingredients ratio off.

MY FAVORITE FOOD COLORING!

This food coloring is my go-to for making macarons.

BUY ON AMAZON
I get a lot of questions about this white serving dish. I bought this particular one at a local thrift store, but I found similar one on amazon.com.

How to make this recipe:

We’re making French meringue macarons, which is my go-to method and it’s the easiest one.

1. Sift dry ingredients

Sift almond flour, powdered sugar and cocoa powder 3 times. This’s important, because not only are we mixing the ingredients, but we’re also aerating them for fluffier cookies.

2. Make meringue

French meringue is the easiest, because we simply whisk egg whites with sugar until stiff peaks. Now, while it seems super easy, there’re a few things to keep in mind.

Tip

Getting your meringue just right is one of the crucial steps for making perfect macarons. Watch my Meringue 101 video for more tips!

3. Macaronage

Add dry ingredients into the meringue and fold the batter until it reaches the perfect consistency, which means the batter is thick, yet runny enough to slowly flow off the spatula into a ribbon.

Tip

My 10-second test:
1. Scoop some batter on your spatula and then drop the batter into a ribbon into the bowl.
2. Slightly tilt the bowl and count to 10.
3. If the edges of the ribbon melt back into the batter in 10 seconds, the batter is ready!

4. Pipe the shells

Transfer the batter into a piping bag, fitted with a round tip. (I use Wilton 12 tip.) Pipe the shells on 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

Let the macarons rest for 15-90 minutes to form a skin. In dry climates, the shells dry faster. In humid climates, it could take up to 2 hours to dry.

FREE macaron template

Click Here To Download My Free Macaron Template

5. Bake

Bake macarons one baking sheet at a time for about 18 minutes at 300°F.

6. Make cream cheese filling

Meanwhile, make cream cheese filling. It’s just a simple frosting recipe, but works perfectly for macarons as well.

7. Fill macarons

Once macarons shells are completely cooled, remove them from the parchment. Then pair them by size and fill them with cream cheese frosting.

8. Maturing

I know, you want to dive right in. But these macarons are best when served after maturing them for at least 8 hours in the fridge after filling.

During this process, filling seeps into the shells, softening and flavoring the macarons perfectly.

Tip

Typically, macarons are matured for at least 24 hours, but since cream cheese frosting is wetter filling, 8 hours is sufficient for maturing.

YouTube video
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Red Velvet Macarons

Stunning red velvet macarons are made to impress! Follow my step by step visuals for these crisp and pleasantly chewy macarons filled with sweet and tangy cream cheese filling.
4.17 from 49 votes
serves: 20 filled macarons
Prep: 1 hour
Cook: 18 minutes
Total : 1 hour 20 minutes
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Ingredients

For macaron shells:

  • 100 g super fine almond flour Note 1
  • 75 g powdered sugar Note 2
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder Note 3
  • 70 g egg whites at room temperature Note 4
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar Note 5
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 75 g fine granulated sugar Note 6
  • 1 teaspoons red gel food coloring Note 7
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For cream cheese filling:

  • ¼ cup (55g) cream cheese softened
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Note: I test all my recipes with both measurements for the most precise and accurate result!

Instructions

To make macaron shells:

  • Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, or teflon sheet, or silicone mat. (TIP 1: For even air circulation, flip the baking sheets upside down.)
  • To prepare dry ingredients, sift together almond flour, powdered sugar and cocoa powder twice. Note: If you have up to 2 tablespoons of chunky dry ingredients left in the sifter, you don't have to replace it. Simply discard those chunky bits.
  • To make meringue, in a clean mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium low speed until foamy. (I set it to speed 2 or 4 on my KitchenAid stand mixer.)
  • When egg whites are foamy, add cream of tartar and salt and continue to whisk.
  • Then slowly add sugar one tablespoon at a time, while mixer is still running. Allow the sugar to dissolve after each addition.
  • When the meringue reaches soft peaks stage, add red gel food coloring and vanilla extract.
  • Continue beating the egg whites on the same medium low speed until hard peaks form. Visual cues: Meringue should ball up inside the whisk, and when you lift the whisk, the meringue should hold a pointy end and have sharp ribs. (Watch this meringue video for more information.)
  • To make batter, sift almond flour mixture into the meringue. Using a silicone spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the meringue until fully incorporated. Then continue to fold the batter until it’s runny enough to draw a figure eight. To test, take a small amount of batter and drop it into the bowl. If the small peaks dissolve into the batter on its own in about 10 seconds, the batter is ready. If not, fold couple more times and test again. Be careful not to over-fold the batter. (TIP: Making french macarons is all about the technique. This is one of the most crucial step. Let me try to describe the folding motion as best as I can: run the spatula clockwise from the bottom, up around the sides and cut the batter in half. If you’re beginner macaron-baker, I suggest to count every fold. It takes roughly about 50 folds to reach the proper consistency. After 50 folds, start testing the batter, and continue testing after every couple folds.)
  • To pipe macaron shells, transfer the batter into a pastry bag, fitted with a round tip. (I used this Wilton 12 tip.)
  • Hold the pastry bag at straight 90° angle and pipe about 1.5-inch rounds about an inch apart on prepared baking sheets. (TIP 2: Download my free macaron template. Simply pipe the batter to fill inner circle.)
  • Tap the baking sheets firmly on the counter (or using your hand) a few times to get rid of any air bubbles. You can also use a toothpick to burst some large air bubbles. This step ensures smooth tops.
  • Let the macarons sit out on the counter for at least 15-30 minutes, maybe up to couple hours, depending on humidity. When you lightly touch the macarons and the batter does not stick to your finger, then it’s ready to go into the oven.
  • Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Note: I don't use convection settings. I set my oven to heat from top and bottom.
  • To bake, working one baking sheet at a time, place one tray with macarons on the middle rack. (TIP: To prevent browning, place an empty baking sheet on top rack to shield the heat.) Bake for about 15-18 minutes. It’ll take longer for larger macarons. To test for doneness, touch a macaron lightly and try to move it. If it slides and wobbles, bake a minute or so longer. The cooked macarons should be firm to touch and the base shouldn’t move. (TIP: It’s always better to slightly over-bake macarons than under-bake them!)
  • Cool macarons complete and then remove the shells from the parchment paper. (TIP: Don't remove the shells while warm, you may risk breaking the shells, or the bottom might get stuck to the baking surface.)

To make the filling:

  • While macarons bake, prepare the cream cheese filling. In a mixing bowl with whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract and salt and beat until well combined.
  • Transfer the filling into a pastry bag fitted with a round piping tip. (I used Wilton 10 piping tip.)

To assemble:

  • Pair the macaron shells by size and arrange them on a wire rack.  Line them up so that bottom shells are upside down.
  • Pipe a dollop of filling on bottom shells. Place the top shell over the filling and press lightly so the filling spreads till the edges.
  • Store the filled macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for at least 8 hours to mature, which allows the filling to soften and flavor the shells.
  • To serve, bring the macarons out about 30 minutes prior to serving.

Tips & Notes:

Note 1: It’s best to use super fine almond flour to ensure smooth tops. Weigh the ingredients before sifting.
Note 2: I don’t recommend making your own powder sugar, because commercial powdered sugar has cornstarch in it. And it helps with texture of the cookies.
Note 3: For this recipe, you can use either natural or Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
Note 4: I’ve had success with carton egg whites (Bob Evans brand). You’ll need 1/3 cup of egg whites.
Note 5: Cream of tartar is optional and can be omitted. However, it helps to stabilize egg whites and create sturdier meringue. It’s just an extra insurance!
Note 6: It’s important to use fine granulated sugar for meringue, as it dissolves quicker. You can also use caster sugar, aka baker’s sugar.
Note 7: I used this gel food coloring.
GOT MACARON TROUBLE? Check out my macaron troubleshooting guide.

Nutrition Facts:

Serving: 1filled macaron Calories: 114kcal (6%) Carbohydrates: 15g (5%) Protein: 2g (4%) Fat: 6g (9%) Saturated Fat: 2g (13%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 1g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 9mg (3%) Sodium: 30mg (1%) Potassium: 21mg (1%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 14g (16%) Vitamin A: 109IU (2%) Calcium: 15mg (2%) Iron: 1mg (6%)
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full disclosure here.
Author: Shinee
Course:Dessert
Cuisine:French
Did you make this?Show me your creation! Tag me @shineshka and hashtag it #sweetandsavorybyshinee!
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  1. Marilyn says

    Posted on 30 December 2022 at 10:31 am

    Oh, love your red velvet cupcakes too!

    Reply
  2. Marilyn says

    Posted on 30 December 2022 at 10:27 am

    5 stars
    Shinee, my family’s favorite is Red Velvet (plus Pistachio). Your recipe is working for me! I’ve started baking macarons just a month ago, and I think I’m getting the hang of it now. Thanks for sharing your recipe! Hope you can come up with a recipe for coffee macarons 🙂

    Reply
  3. Katie says

    Posted on 17 February 2022 at 9:14 pm

    5 stars
    I love your recipes! I have been trying to perfect your basic macaron recipe, and have been able to troubleshoot almost all of my issues to where they are basically perfect. I have moved onto this red velvet recipe, and I am having 1 lingering issue, my macarons are not rising evenly in the oven to where 1 side will have a perfect foot and the other won’t have a foot at all. Do you have any tips for that issue? Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 28 February 2022 at 10:14 am

      Hi, Katie!! First, I’m so happy you found my recipes and macarons resources helpful! Onto your issue… That’s so interesting!!! It’s called lopsided macarons. Can you clarify that this issue only happens with your red velvet macarons? Or does it happen with plain macarons as well?

      Reply
  4. Lisa says

    Posted on 14 February 2022 at 8:54 pm

    5 stars
    Watch the videos and use a digital scale to measure your ingredients and your macarons will be perfect. The one very small adjustment I made was to increase the egg whites to 72 grams instead of 70. I did this because there was always a small amount of beaten egg white remaining on the whisk after beating them to stiff peaks which I couldn’t remove, so I added this small amount to compensate for the loss.

    The really wonderful thing about Shinee is that when I had a question for her about the consistency about my batter, she actually answered my email. She is a caring instructor and I’m very happy I stumbled upon her recipe and videos.

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 28 February 2022 at 10:24 am

      Aww. Lisa, thank you so much for your feedback! I’m so happy you’ve perfected your macarons. Your tip on meringue left on the whisk is actually quite eye-opening. I always wondered why some people have trouble with thick batter and it might be due to this fact!! I’ll take note and add it to my troubleshooting tips!

      Reply
  5. Harmony says

    Posted on 28 November 2021 at 3:59 pm

    3 stars
    I’ve successfully baked a few different types of macarons before, but these didn’t turn out quite right. I think the culprit is the granulated sugar (I typically use Caster or a super fine sugar). Also, the parchment paper, while good in theory, ended up dipping onto the cookies and sticking to them. An over turned cookie sheet or slightly domed aluminum foil cover would be more effective. I also think there is a little too much butter in the filling, and it ended up overpowering the cream cheese. I subbed in lemon juice instead of vanilla extract, and it seems to have rescued it.
    It did come out a perfect red, and I will have 15 (~2″) cookies once they cool. Not sure yet how they taste, but I’m hopeful.

    Reply
  6. Ellie says

    Posted on 13 November 2021 at 11:27 am

    You should include cup measurements because not everyone has a baking scale. I know it is more accurate but it is not accessible to everyone

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 19 November 2021 at 9:41 pm

      Hi, Ellie. Thanks for your feedback. For macarons, I highly recommend measuring the ingredients by weight. Macarons require precise measurements for success. And I’m all about setting my readers up for success.

      Reply
  7. Michelle Bradley says

    Posted on 11 November 2021 at 2:26 am

    Hello

    Can these be frozen with the filling in?

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 11 November 2021 at 8:07 pm

      Yes, you can freeze filled macarons. I recommend maturing them first for at least 8 hours in the fridge first.

      Reply
  8. Claire says

    Posted on 24 September 2021 at 1:12 pm

    How much salt are you to add I’m not seeing it in the ingredients list

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 24 September 2021 at 1:16 pm

      Thanks for reaching out, Claire! You’ll need 1/4 teaspoon of salt. I updated the recipe with this info.

      Reply
  9. Corrine says

    Posted on 16 April 2021 at 12:00 pm

    5 stars
    These were incredible!!

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 18 April 2021 at 2:54 pm

      Yay, so happy you loved the recipe. Thank you for your feedback, Corrine!

      Reply
  10. Amy says

    Posted on 25 March 2021 at 11:05 am

    Did you edit this to weighing ingredients? I swear I’ve been using this recipe from my Pinterest board and measured the ingredients in cups up until today. Super frustrating!

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 27 March 2021 at 10:43 pm

      Hi, Amy. Sorry for causing this frustration. Yes, I updated the recipe to show weight measurements only, as precision is key to success for majority people.

      Reply
  11. Alec Martin says

    Posted on 25 March 2021 at 7:50 am

    5 stars
    Great recipe!! This was my first macaron, and it was the BEST one I have ever had! I believe my feet didn’t rise enough. What could have caused the feet to not rise enough? Also, I added a drizzle of white chocolate on the top shell. The final product tasted and looked like I ordered them from a french bakery! This recipe is DEFINITELY a keeper!! Thanks.

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 27 March 2021 at 10:41 pm

      Yay, so happy you had a macaron success!!! There’re number of reasons for small feet, like low oven temp, weak meringue, etc. You can check out my Macaron Troubleshooting Guide for more details.

      Reply
  12. Oriana Dominguez says

    Posted on 16 March 2021 at 4:53 pm

    5 stars
    I made these yesterday and they are superb! I’ve baked macarons a few times but if you are unfamiliar with precisely how the batter should look, definitely watch the video. These were beautiful (I only used the half tsp of red gel coloring and they were vibrant red!) and with the frosting were definitely giving the red velvet vibes: thanks for a great recipe!

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 20 March 2021 at 4:40 pm

      Oriana, I’m so happy you tried and loved my recipe. Thank you for sharing your success!!

      Reply
  13. Ron says

    Posted on 14 February 2021 at 8:01 pm

    5 stars
    This is a tasty macaron recipe that I make for my wife each year for Valentine’s Day. I’ve found that I can only get about 18 complete macarons with the ingredients listed in the recipe using a 1.5″ round silicone tray template. Aging the egg whites for 24 hours in the fridge and allowing them to come up to room temperature gives me the best results when making the meringue. I use a convection oven set for 300°F at 18 minutes middle rack and get some slight sticking in the center, but overall the cookies are in great condition (not a super hard crust and a chewy interior). My family can’t get enough of these macarons and know to savor them since they are a treat that only shows up occasionally throughout the year. 😉

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 18 February 2021 at 3:08 pm

      Wow, that’s a real treat to make these on Valentine’s Day, Ron. Your wife is lucky! Thank you for sharing your feedback and your meringue technique.

      Reply
  14. Stephanie says

    Posted on 11 February 2021 at 4:33 pm

    Why is half the recipe in grams and half in cups? Is it possible to have the conversion for the cookie part in cups as well? At one point I remember this recipe was all in cups because I’ve made it before and it came out very well, but I don’t remember the measurements.

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 18 February 2021 at 3:29 pm

      Hi, Stephanie. For higher chance of success, I recommend weighing all the ingredients on a scale over measuring by volume. That’s why updated the recipe to only include metric measurements.

      Reply
  15. JP says

    Posted on 25 January 2021 at 9:52 pm

    How many macarons does this recipe make? and what’s an alternative for the cream cheese filling?

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 26 January 2021 at 1:09 pm

      Hi, JP. This recipe makes about 25 filled macarons. They’re 1.5-inch rounds.

      Reply
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