Peppermint Bark Macarons
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These Peppermint Bark Macarons are a festive holiday twist on classic French macarons! Delicate macaron shells are filled with silky dark and white chocolate ganaches and a touch of peppermint, then decorated with melted chocolate and crushed candy canes.
Inspired by the classic Christmas peppermint bark candy, these macarons combine the perfect balance of sweet chocolate and refreshing peppermint. They are beautiful, delicious, and make a wonderful addition to your holiday dessert table or homemade Christmas gift boxes.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect holiday flavor: Chocolate and peppermint are a classic Christmas combination.
- Beautiful presentation: Crushed candy canes make these macarons extra festive. Check out Christmas Macarons.
- Rich chocolate filling: Smooth two chocolate ganaches pair beautifully with delicate almond shells.
- Great for gifting: Package them in a holiday macaron box for a homemade Christmas present.
- Make-ahead friendly: Macarons taste even better after resting in the refrigerator overnight.
Ingredients
- Chocolate: White and Dark chocolate.
- Cream: Heavy cream. Do not substitute with milk or half-and-half.
- Syrup: Glucose syrup. Can be replaced with inverted sugar or honey.
- Extract: Peppermint extract.
- Butter: Unsalted butter, room temperature.
- Candy: Crushed candy cane. Use your favorite brand.
- Flour: Almond flour. Make sure you are using almond flour and not almond meal.
- Sugar: White granulated and powdered sugar.
- Egg: Egg whites at room temperature. I do not “age” egg whites.
- Food Color: Use water-based colors, not oil-based.
How to Make the Chocolate Peppermint Ganache
In the saucepan, add heavy cream, glucose syrup, and peppermint extract. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil, but do not boil. As soon as it starts steaming, remove from the heat. Add 100 g of heavy cream to the white chocolate and the rest to the dark chocolate. Stir gently with the spatula until smooth and glossy.
Emulsify with an immersion blender. Add butter and emulsify again. Transfer the ganache into a pastry bag and flatten it. Repeat the same process with the dark chocolate ganache.
Use a digital kitchen scale to measure heavy cream before adding it to the chocolate.
Place both pastry bags on the baking tray and refrigerate for 6-8 hours or until the ganaches reach a pipeable consistency.
How to Make Peppermint Bark Macarons
1. Prepare the macaron shells
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone macaron mats. Sift almond flour and powdered sugar together. Discard any large pieces to ensure smooth macaron shells.
2. Make the meringue
Place egg whites in a clean mixing bowl. Begin whipping on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add granulated sugar and continue whipping until stiff, glossy peaks form. Add gel food coloring, if desired.
3. Macaronage
Add the sifted almond flour mixture to the meringue. Fold gently until the batter flows like thick lava. When lifted with a spatula, it should fall in a continuous ribbon and slowly disappear back into the batter. Be careful not to overmix.
4. Pipe the macarons
Transfer the batter into a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe evenly sized circles onto prepared baking sheets. Tap the baking sheets firmly against the counter to release air bubbles. Pop any visible bubbles with a toothpick. Allow the shells to rest until a dry skin forms on the surface, usually 15–30 minutes depending on humidity.
5. Bake
Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Bake for approximately 14–16 minutes, depending on your oven and macaron size. Allow the shells to cool completely before removing them from the baking mat.
How to Assemble the Peppermint Bark Macarons
Pair macaron shells by size. Lay them on the countertop or baking tray.
Cut the tips of each bag with ganache, then place both bags into a large pastry bag fitted with a Wilton 4B tip. Pipe ganache onto the flat side of the macaron shell, then sandwich it with another shell. Press lightly and make sure there is no ganache coming from the side of the macaron. Sprinkle the sides of the filled macaron with the crushed candy canes; this is optional.
Refrigerate the assembled macarons in an airtight container for 12-24 hours to allow the flavors and textures to develop. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Expert Tips for Perfect Macarons
- Measure ingredients accurately: A digital kitchen scale is essential for consistent results.
- Use gel food coloring: Avoid liquid food coloring, which can change the batter consistency.
- Don’t overmix: Proper macaronage is essential for smooth shells and beautiful feet.
- Let shells dry: Make sure the surface is no longer sticky before baking.
- Use good-quality chocolate: It makes a noticeable difference in the ganache.
- Add candy canes before the chocolate sets: This helps the crushed peppermint stick to the shells.
How to Store Peppermint Bark Macarons
Store assembled macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
For longer storage, freeze them in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make peppermint macarons ahead of time?
Absolutely! Macaron shells can be prepared ahead and frozen. You can also assemble the macarons a day before serving.
Can I use peppermint bark instead of chocolate ganache?
Yes! Finely chopped peppermint bark can be folded into a chocolate ganache or used as a decorative topping.
Why are my macarons cracking?
Cracked shells can be caused by insufficient resting time, trapped air bubbles, or an oven temperature that is too high. Check my macaron troubleshooting guide for more questions.
Can I use candy cane pieces inside the filling?
You can, but keep in mind that candy canes absorb moisture and may become sticky. For the best texture, use crushed candy canes as decoration just before serving.
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Recipe Card
Peppermint Bark Macarons
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- 1 immersion blender
- 3 pastry bag
- 2 baking tray
- 2 silicon mat
Ingredients
White and Dark Chocolate Ganache
- 200 g white chocolate
- 200 g dark chocolate
- 300 g heavy cream
- 15 g glucose syrup
- 57 g unsalted butter
- 5 g peppermint extract
- 30 g crusched candy cane
French Macarons
- 140 g almond flour
- 125 g powdered sugar
- 100 g egg whites, room temperature
- 105 g white granulated sugar
- 1 g black food coloring
Instructions
How to Make Chocolate Peppermint Ganache
- In the saucepan, add heavy cream, glucose syrup, and peppermint extract. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil, but do not boil. As soon as it starts steaming, remove from the heat.
- Add 100 g of heavy cream to the white chocolate and the rest to the dark chocolate. Stir gently with the spatula until smooth and glossy.
- Emulsify with an immersion blender.
- Add butter and emulsify again.
- Transfer the ganache into a pastry bag and flatten it.
- Repeat the same process with the dark chocolate ganache.
- Place both pastry bags on the baking tray and refrigerate for 6-8 hours or until the ganaches reach a pipeable consistency.
How to Make French Macarons
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone macaron mats.
- Sift almond flour and powdered sugar together. Discard any large pieces to ensure smooth macaron shells.
- Place egg whites in a clean mixing bowl. Begin whipping on medium speed until foamy.
- Gradually add granulated sugar and continue whipping until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Add black gel food coloring, if desired.
- Add the sifted almond flour mixture to the meringue.
- Fold gently until the batter flows like thick lava. When lifted with a spatula, it should fall in a continuous ribbon and slowly disappear back into the batter. Be careful not to overmix.
- Transfer the batter into a piping bag fitted with a round tip.
- Pipe evenly sized circles onto prepared baking sheets.
- Tap the baking sheets firmly against the counter to release air bubbles. Pop any visible bubbles with a toothpick.
- Allow the shells to rest until a dry skin forms on the surface, usually 15–30 minutes depending on humidity.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
- Bake for approximately 14–16 minutes, depending on your oven and macaron size.
- Allow the shells to cool completely before removing them from the baking mat.
How to Assemble Peppermint Bark Macarons
- Pair macaron shells by size. Lay them on the countertop or baking tray.
- Cut the tips of each bag with ganache, then place both bags into a large pastry bag fitted with a Wilton 4B tip.
- Pipe ganache onto the flat side of the macaron shell, then sandwich it with another shell.
- Press lightly and make sure there is no ganache coming from the side of the macaron. Sprinkle the sides of the filled macaron with the crushed candy canes; this is optional.
- Refrigerate the assembled macarons in an airtight container for 12-24 hours to allow the flavors and textures to develop. Bring to room temperature before serving.
