Description
Delightful homemade Mickey Macarons featuring delicate almond and cocoa shells with a smooth buttercream filling, piped into the iconic Mickey Mouse head shape. These light and airy French macarons are perfect for a themed party or special occasion, carefully baked to achieve a perfect crisp exterior with characteristic ‘feet’ and paired with a creamy vanilla buttercream.
Ingredients
Macaron Shells
- 3 egg whites, room temperature
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 1/3 cups powdered icing sugar
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/3 cup extra dark cocoa powder
Buttercream Filling
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 4-5 cups powdered icing sugar, as needed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3-4 tablespoons milk or cream
Instructions
- Prepare the Template: Print out or freehand draw a Mickey Mouse head shape. Place the head template underneath a sheet of parchment paper and trace over the shape with an edible marker approximately 6-8 times. Repeat this step with a second sheet of parchment paper to have two sets of outlines.
- Set Up Baking Sheets: Place each sheet of parchment paper on separate cookie sheets and set aside carefully to keep the outlines visible for piping.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the almond flour, powdered icing sugar, and cocoa powder to ensure even distribution. Set aside.
- Whip Egg Whites: In a large clean bowl, beat the room temperature egg whites on medium speed for about 2 minutes, then gradually add the white sugar and continue beating for 4 minutes until glossy stiff peaks form. Test the peaks by lifting the beater; the egg whites should form small tufts.
- Fold in Dry Ingredients: Carefully and thoroughly fold the dry almond flour mixture into the egg whites. Use gentle folding motions to combine until no dry patches remain. The batter should flow slowly like lava when lifted.
- Pipe Macaron Batter: Spoon the prepared batter into a piping bag and snip the tip to create about a half-inch opening. Pipe the batter onto the Mickey head outlines on the parchment paper, carefully following the traced shapes.
- Remove Air Bubbles and Smooth: Firmly bang the baking tray on a hard, level surface to remove any trapped air bubbles in the batter. Wet your finger lightly and gently smooth down any peaks or irregularities on the macaron surfaces.
- Develop Skin: If desired, let the piped macarons rest at room temperature for about 1 hour. This allows a firm skin to form on the shells, which helps achieve the signature macaron feet during baking.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 285°F (140°C) for gentle baking that ensures an even rise without cracks.
- Bake Macarons: Bake the macarons for 10 minutes or until the surface changes from glossy to matte and the distinctive feet (rippled bottom edges) form and appear cooked. If the feet look undercooked when you remove them, immediately return them to the oven for a few more minutes.
- Make Buttercream: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter for 30 seconds until creamy. Gradually add 4-5 cups of powdered icing sugar and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and 3-4 tablespoons milk or cream, continue beating until well incorporated. Adjust consistency by adding more icing sugar for firmness or cream for softness.
- Assemble Macarons: Once the macaron shells have completely cooled, pipe buttercream onto the flat side of one cookie using a piping bag. Sandwich with a second cookie to create the finished macaron. Repeat for the remaining shells.
Notes
- Ensure egg whites are at room temperature for maximum volume when whipped.
- Be gentle when folding to preserve the airiness of the meringue.
- Resting the piped batter before baking helps develop the feet and prevents cracking.
- Use an edible marker for food-safe tracing on parchment paper.
- Macarons keep best refrigerated for up to 3 days and should be brought to room temperature before serving.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
