Cranberry Macarons
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Cranberry Macarons made with cranberry ganache and cranberry confit in the center. For the shells, I added a frosty texture to look like sugared cranberries. They are loaded with cranberry flavor and full of vitamins. If you like cranberries, then this recipe is for you.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- These macarons are great for the Holiday Season. Like Gingerbread or Mulled Wine Macarons.
- Macarons are full of vitamins, thanks to cranberry puree. Check also Blueberry or Mango Macarons.
- Macarons are gluten-free cookies and great for “making ahead of time” desserts. Check also Meringue Cookies or Cheesecake in A Jar.
Ingredients Note
- Flour: Almond flour was used to make macaron shells.
- Sugar: White granulated sugar and powdered sugar.
- Egg whites: Use room-temperature egg whites.
- Food coloring: Red gel food coloring.
- White Chocolate: Use good quality chocolate.
- Cranberry puree: Homemade or store bough puree.
- Butter: Unsalted butter.
- Salt: I use baking salt from Diamond Crystal.
How to Make Cranberry Macarons
- Step 1. Bake macaron shells. For these macaron shells, I used my basic macaron shells recipe. After pipping macaron shells, I sprinkled them with white granulated sugar to add a frosty texture. This is optional. Do not worry; the sugar will not melt after baking. I’ve done this many times. I have a recipe for Italian Meringue macaron shells and a recipe for making macaron shells using the no-rest method.
- Step 2. Make cranberry ganache. Instructions you can check below.
- Step 3. Prepare cranberry confit. This can be done a day or a few days ahead of time. Keep confit refrigerated before use.
- Step 4. Assemble macarons. This is my favorite part of making macarons. Make sure everything is ready, and only then assemble the macarons.
How to Make Cranberry Ganache
Semi-melt white chocolate in the microwave or using the double-boiler method. I usually place chocolate in a plastic cup or bowl and melt it in the microwave using 20-second intervals. Shake the cup after each interval to avoid burning the chocolate. Meanwhile, in the small saucepan over medium heat, warm up the cranberry puree. If you are using homemade frozen puree, you need to boil the puree before use. Be sure to measure a little extra puree in the recipe, as it will evaporate during boiling.
Add cranberry puree to melted chocolate in 3 parts, mixing with the spatula all the time. You have to do it fast and press down. Add butter and salt, and emulsify with a hand blender. Transfer the ganache into a flat container and cover it with the plastic wrap “to contact.” Refrigerate the ganache for 8- 12 hours. Transfer cranberry ganache to a piping bag with a round tip before assembling macarons.
How to Make Cranberry Confit
Mix sugar and pectin NH in a small cup or bowl. Set aside. In the small saucepan over medium heat, warm up the cranberry puree. Drizzle the sugar mixture over the puree and mix with a whisk or spatula. Bring the mixture to a boil while mixing all the time. After boiling for 20-30 seconds, turn off the heat. Add citric acid and mix again. Transfer the confit into a piping bag and let it cool on the countertop. Refrigerate until use.
How to Make French Meringue Macarons
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone macaron mats. Sift together the almond flour and powdered sugar into a large bowl. Set aside.
In a clean, grease-free mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar while continuing to whip. Whip until you have a glossy, stiff-peaked meringue. If desired, add a tiny amount of red gel food coloring.
Add the almond flour mixture to the meringue. Using a spatula, gently fold until the batter flows slowly from the spatula in a thick ribbon. Do not overmix the batter.
Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe evenly sized circles onto the prepared baking sheets. Tap the trays firmly against the counter several times to release air bubbles. Use a toothpick to pop any visible bubbles. Dust with the white granulated sugar, if desired.
Allow the piped shells to rest at room temperature for approximately 15–30 minutes, or until the surfaces are dry to the touch. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
Bake one tray at a time for approximately 12–14 minutes, depending on your oven and shell size. Allow the shells to cool completely before removing them from the baking mats.
How to Assemble
Pair macaron shells of similar size and place them on the baking tray or cooling rack. Pipe cranberry ganache on one flat side of the macaron shell.
Pipe cranberry confit in the center of the ganache. Sandwich the macaron with another shell and press lightly. Make sure there is no ganache coming out for the sides.
Place filled macarons into an airtight container and refrigerate for 12 hours. Macarons need to mature before you can eat them.
Expert Tips
- Measure all ingredients correctly by using a kitchen scale.
- Use homemade cranberry puree instead of store-bought cranberry puree.
- A lot of prepping can be done a day or two ahead of assembling macarons.
Recipe FAQs
Store Cranberry Macarons in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freeze Cranberry Macarons for up to 6 months. Defrost macarons by placing them from the freezer in the fridge overnight.
This happens when macaron shells do not rest enough before baking.
There are many reasons for that. The most common are unstable meringue, incorrect folding technique, or the wrong oven temperature. Check the Macaron Troubleshooting guide.
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If you make these Cranberry Macarons, please tag me on social media and make sure to leave a rating down below. I would love to see your creations.
Recipe
Cranberry Macarons
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- 1 spatula
- 1 small sauce pan
- 1 immersion blender
Ingredients
Macaron Shells
- 100 gr egg whites room temperature
- 105 gr white granulated sugar
- 140 gr almond flour
- 125 gr powdered sugar
- 1 gr red good coloring
- 3 Tbsp white granulated sugar for decor (optional)
Cranberry Ganache
- 300 gr white chocolate
- 100 gr cranberry puree
- 20 gr unsalted butter
- 1 gr salt
Cranberry Confit
- 60 gr white granulated sugar
- 5 gr Pectin NH
- 150 gr cranberry puree
- 2 gr citric acid (pinch)
Instructions
How to Make Macaron Shells
- In the mixing bowl, sift together almond flour and powdered sugar. Set aside.
- In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer add room-temperature egg whites and start whisking on low speed. Start adding sugar one tablespoon at a time. Add red food coloring. Increase speed to medium-high and whip until stiff picks. This will take 10-15 minutes.
- Add dry ingredients and start folding the butter with the spatula. When macaronage drips down from the spatula “like lava”, transfer it into a pastry bag with a round tip.
- Pipe macaron shells on the baking mat.
- Top the baking sheet pan with pipped macaron shells a few times.
- Sprinkle macaron shells with white granulated sugar.
- Let shells rest on the countertop until no batter sticks to your finger when you touch them.
- Bake macaron shells in the preheated oven to 275o F (134o C) for 12-14 minutes. Oven temperature and baking time may vary, depending on your oven.
- Remove baked macaron shells from the oven and let it cool on the baking mat with a baking sheet pan. When shells are cooled completely remove from baking mat and pair them with similar size.
How to Make Cranberry Ganache
- Semi-melt white chocolate in the microwave or using the double boiler method. I usually place chocolate in a plastic cup or bowl and melt it in the microwave using 20-second intervals. Shake the cup after each interval to avoid burning the chocolate.
- Meanwhile, in the small saucepan over medium heat warm up cranberry puree. If you are using homemade frozen puree you need to boil puree before use. Make sure you are measuring a little extra puree in the recipe because it will evaporate while boiling.
- Add cranberry puree into melted chocolate in 3 parts, mixing with the spatula all the time. You have to do it fast and pressing down.
- Add butter and emulsify with an immersion blender.
- Transfer the ganache into a flat container and cover it with the plastic wrap "to contact."
- Refrigerate ganache for 8- 12 hours.
- Transfer cranberry ganache to a pastry bag with a round tip before assembling macarons.
How to Make Cranberry Confit
- Mix sugar and pectin NH in a small cup or bowl. Set aside.
- In the small saucepan over medium heat, warm up cranberry puree.
- Drizzle the sugar mixture over the puree and mix with the whisk or spatula.
- Bring mixture to boil while mixing all the time. After boiling for 20-30 seconds, turn off the heat.
- Add citric acid and mix again.
- Transfer the confit into a pastry bag and let it cool on the countertop. Refrigerate until use.
