The shells tell you a lot before they ever reach the oven: a smooth, glossy batter pipes into neat circles, while one that’s been overworked spreads before you can finish the tray. I pay close attention at that point when I make these Christmas Tree Cake Macarons. Their pale green shells have the familiar crisp outside and tender center, and the filling brings in the sweet vanilla-cake flavor of the snack cakes without losing the feel of a proper macaron.
These take a little patience, especially while the piped shells dry, but the work is straightforward when you watch the texture instead of rushing the clock. Sifting the almond flour with confectioners’ sugar keeps the shells smooth, and folding that mixture into the meringue in stages helps preserve the air that makes them rise. Once they’re filled, a white chocolate drizzle and red-and-green nonpareils give each one its Christmas-tree-cake finish.
Kitchen Note
The cake crumbs make this filling softer than plain buttercream at first. If it won’t hold a piped mound, chill it for 15–20 minutes rather than adding more sugar; the butter firms up without covering the snack-cake flavor.
Save these Christmas Tree Cake Macarons for a festive bake: green shells, cake-filled centers, and a white chocolate sprinkle finish.
Why the Meringue Has to Stay Airy When Almond Flour Goes In
Macaron batter isn’t stirred smooth the way a cake batter is. The almond flour and confectioners’ sugar add weight, while the whipped egg whites are doing the work of lifting the shells. If you knock too much air out while combining them, the batter can spread into flat rounds instead of holding its shape. If you stop too early, dry pockets of almond mixture can leave the piped tops rough.
Adding the dry mixture in three portions gives you a little more control over that balance. Each addition becomes easier to fold in, and you can stop once the batter flows instead of continuing to stir out of habit. The right consistency matters more than how many folds you count: batter that falls in a thick ribbon and blends back in after about 10–15 seconds is ready to pipe. That small window is what separates a tidy round from a puddle.
What Gives These Shells Their Smooth Finish—and the Filling Its Cake Flavor
- Almond flour and confectioners’ sugar — These make the delicate shell; almond meal is coarser and can leave visible flecks, so sift the almond flour and press small clumps through rather than switching to another flour. The sugar in the shell mixture also helps keep the batter fine and easy to fold.
- Egg whites, granulated sugar, and cream of tartar — Room-temperature whites whip readily, and a clean, dry bowl helps them build into a stable meringue. Add the granulated sugar gradually so it dissolves into the foam instead of weighing it down all at once. Gel coloring is concentrated; liquid coloring adds extra moisture to a batter that needs careful structure.
- Christmas Tree Cakes — The finely crumbled cakes bring the distinctive vanilla-cake and icing character to the filling. Choose individual cakes, not twin packs, and crumble them finely so they spread evenly through the butter mixture. A plain vanilla cake won’t have the same coated-cake flavor, though it can work as a different filling base.
- Butter, vanilla, and salt — Softened butter makes a smooth base that can hold the cake crumbs, while vanilla rounds out their sweetness and a little salt keeps the filling from tasting one-note. Let the butter soften before mixing; cold pieces are harder to beat smooth.
- White chocolate and nonpareils — Chopped white chocolate melts into a drizzle that sets around the decorations. Use a white chocolate bar you like eating; the coating is a small part of each macaron, but its sweetness is easy to notice. Add the nonpareils while the drizzle is still wet so they stay put.
How to Pipe, Dry, and Fill the Macaron Shells
Whip the Green Meringue
Set a rack in the center of the oven, heat it to 300°F, and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Sift the almond flour with the shell portion of confectioners’ sugar, pressing any small clumps through the sieve. In a clean, dry bowl, beat the room-temperature egg whites with cream of tartar on medium until foamy, then add granulated sugar gradually. Beat on medium-high for 5–7 minutes, until the meringue is stiff and glossy, then beat in the green gel coloring.
Fold Until the Batter Flows
Fold the sifted almond mixture into the meringue in three additions, scraping around the bowl so no dry mixture stays tucked at the bottom. Stop when the batter falls from the spatula in a thick ribbon and the ribbon blends back in after about 10–15 seconds. Transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip. Pipe 1 1/2-inch rounds about 1 inch apart, tap each sheet firmly on the counter, and pop visible air bubbles with a toothpick.
Let the Tops Dry Before Baking
Leave the piped shells at room temperature for 30–60 minutes, or longer if needed, until the surface feels dry and doesn’t stick to a fingertip. If the tops still feel tacky, give them more time rather than putting them in the oven early. Bake one sheet at a time for 14–16 minutes. The tops should be set and shouldn’t wobble when you nudge one lightly; cool the shells completely on the sheets before peeling them from the parchment.
Mix and Chill the Cake Filling
Beat the softened butter with the filling portion of confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Add the finely crumbled cakes and beat on low until evenly combined, then briefly on medium until thick. If the filling feels too soft to pipe neatly, chill it for 15–20 minutes. A firm filling is easier to portion without pushing it over the shell edges.
Sandwich, Drizzle, and Rest
Pair the cooled shells by size and pipe about 1 teaspoon of filling onto the flat side of half of them. Top with the remaining shells, then microwave the chopped white chocolate in a small bowl in 15-second bursts, stirring between each burst until melted. Drizzle it over the macarons and add the nonpareils right away, before the chocolate sets. Once the chocolate is set, refrigerate the macarons in an airtight container for 12–24 hours, then bring them to room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving.
Three Ways to Change the Color or Flavor
Make the filling peppermint
Replace the vanilla extract with 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract. It gives the cake filling a cool mint note without changing the shell, though the Christmas Tree Cake flavor becomes less prominent.
Use red shells instead of green
Swap the green gel coloring for the same amount of red gel coloring. The flavor and method stay the same, but the red shells make the white chocolate and red-and-green nonpareils stand out differently.
Make a gluten-free version
Replace the Christmas Tree Cakes with two similarly sized gluten-free vanilla snack cakes, and use gluten-free white chocolate and nonpareils. The almond-flour shells already have no wheat flour; the filling will still be sweet and cake-like, but it won’t have the original cakes’ exact coating and flavor.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Keep the assembled macarons airtight for up to 3 days. The shells soften as the filling settles into them.
- Freezer: Freeze assembled macarons in an airtight container for up to 1 month, with parchment between layers. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Reheating: These aren’t reheated. Let refrigerated macarons stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving; microwaving can soften the butter filling and chocolate unevenly.
Questions That Come Up While Making These Macarons
Christmas Tree Cake Macarons
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Set an oven rack in the center and heat the oven to 300°F.
- Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Sift the almond flour and 3 1/2 ounces of the confectioners' sugar into a bowl, pressing any small clumps through the sieve.
- In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy.
- Gradually add the granulated sugar and beat on medium-high for 5–7 minutes until stiff, glossy peaks form; beat in the green gel coloring.
- Fold the almond flour mixture into the meringue in three additions until the batter falls in a thick ribbon and the ribbon blends back in after about 10–15 seconds.
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip and pipe 1 1/2-inch rounds onto the prepared sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
- Tap each sheet firmly on the counter and pop visible air bubbles with a toothpick.
- Leave the shells at room temperature for 30–60 minutes, or longer if needed, until their surfaces feel dry and do not stick to a fingertip.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 14–16 minutes, until the tops are set and do not wobble when lightly nudged.
- Cool completely on the sheets before peeling off the parchment.
- Beat the softened butter, 3 ounces of the confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and salt in a bowl until smooth.
- Add the crumbled Christmas Tree Cakes and beat on low until evenly combined, then beat briefly on medium until thick.
- Chill for 15–20 minutes if needed until the filling is firm enough to pipe.
- Pair the shells by size.
- Pipe about 1 teaspoon of filling onto the flat side of half the shells, and sandwich with the remaining shells.
- Microwave the white chocolate in a small bowl in 15-second bursts, stirring between each, until melted.
- Drizzle it over the macarons and immediately add the nonpareils.
- Let the chocolate set.
- Refrigerate the macarons in an airtight container for 12–24 hours.
- Bring them to room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving.
