Irish Cream Macarons
It’s been a while since we did macarons around here folks. When I first started baking and had macarons on my baking bucket list, I was whipping up a batch almost every other week. But once I got comfortable with the techniques, I slacked a bit on these little delicious crunchies. Well not anymore!
The beauty about macarons (beyond their obvious adorable chic look) is that it is easy to experiment with flavors. Unlike making a giant cake and frosting it, it’s easy to combine two or three flavors in a tiny bite. I decided to make these Irish Cream macarons in honor of the upcoming St Patrick’s day celebrations which are in full swing in my city already.
St Patrick’s Day is a HUGE deal in Syracuse. For some reason there is a large community of Irish folks in this small city and they do NOT joke about St Patrick’s Day. Celebrations start a full three weeks in advance with the arrival of the traditional green beer in a parade across the Irish neighborhood of Tipp Hill. This happened last weekend. Once the beer arrives at the local Irish Pubs, the celebrations officially start aka drinking of said beer until the St Patty’s Day parade, the weekend before March 17th. And of course it all ends with throbs of parties on March 17th.
It’s all too much excitement for me and I barely ever partake in these festivities. Instead, I do my due diligence and enjoy Ireland’s finest alcoholic beverages during this time of the year. Plus it’s still freezing cold here that a little irish cream in your coffee does some wonders. Even better, enjoy said coffee with these Irish Cream macarons.
We have a creamy irish cream filling that is sandwiched in a sweet crunchy macaron shell and topped with chocolate drizzles. A total delight!
Irish Cream Macarons
Ingredients
For Macarons:
- 120 g fine almond meal/flour
- 200 g confectioner's sugar
- 90 g egg whites (~3 large egg whites), at room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- pinch of salt
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Irish cream
Irish Cream Filling:
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons Irish Cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Topping:
- 2 tablespoons melted chocolate
Instructions
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Create a template of circles on the parchment (I used a 1½-inch round cookie cutter to draw circles on the parchment paper and flipped over the paper (drawing side down). Prepare a pastry bag with a large round tip. I used Wilton 2A.
- Using a food processor, pulse the powdered sugar and almond flour into a fine powder. Sift several times until there is less than 2 tablespoons of almond bits left.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, combine the egg whites, salt and cream of tartar. Beat until egg whites are foaming. With the mixer on medium high, sprinkle in the sugar about 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue beating until stiff peaks form, about 5-7 minutes. Add in the irish cream at this time and beat for an additional minute.
- Sift the dry ingredients over the egg whites and gently fold with a rubber spatula. Gently deflate the meringue by pressing against the side of bowl and scooping from bottom until batter is smooth and shiny; about 20-25 folds. To check consistency, drop a spoonful of batter and it should have a peak that quickly relaxes back into the batter in about 20 seconds. Start checking the batter after 20 folds.
- Transfer batter into pastry bag and pipe onto the pre-traced circles on the baking sheet. Tap baking sheet hard on counter to release any air bubbles trapped in the batter. Let shells sit on counter for 20-30 minutes to dry. Once a shell forms on the macarons, you are ready to bake (when you touch the top of the macarons, they should be dry).
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until shells are hard, rotating cookie sheets halfway through baking time.
- Cool completely on cookie sheets before peeling from the parchment.
For Filling:
- Whip the butter until light and creamy. Add in the rest of the ingredients and mix on low until combined. Increase speed to medium and whip for additional 2-3 minutes.
- Using a pastry bag fitted with a large round or star tip, fill macarons. Drizzle the top of each macaron with melted chocolate.
- Store macarons in refrigerator until ready to serve. Allow to get to room temperature before enjoying!
Notes
Macaron shell adapted from Brave Tart
Your macaroon skills are MAJOR! These look perfect. GAH – still never tried making them myself. I gotta get on it. You have inspired me! XO
Hahha thank you Liz!! You need to try making them yourself!! They will become one of your favorite baked goods.
These are perfect, Zainab! I’ve yet to make macarons myself. I just live vicariously through talented bloggers such as you. I love that you used irish cream in these. I bet they taste amazing.
Thanks Jen! Hope you try them one day!!
I have missed your macarons, these looks amazing and so perfect for St. Patrick’s Day!
Hhaha me too!
I have to commend you Zainab. I remember when you first started and while I’ve always admired your baking skills I do even more so now. Your photography has gotten so great and just look as these perfect macarons! You are a macaron expert!
Thanks Erin!! We did do the macaron challenge with Lindsay together, I still remember your funfetti/birthday cake ones.
Wowwww I want to go there and celebrate St Patrick’s Day with you. That sounds like a fun event and these macarons are to die for!
I kid you not, it’s like a month long celebration!!
Oh my gosh these look PERFECT. St. Patrick’s day is also huge here in Boston and I do my share of imbibing as well 😉 I’d love some of these irish cream macarons!
I can only imagine how wonderful the celebrations are in Boston!!
Goodness, these are some perfect looking macarons! This might sound silly but I always wonder if there’s a secret ingredient (like white food coloring) to getting that sharp snowy white look? Clearly, you are super talented. The flavor is so creative…I would definitely love a few with a cup of coffee. : )
Thank you Monica! I actually don’t use any coloring for the plain macarons. The combination of the almond flour, confectioner’s sugar and whipped egg whites, gives macarons a light tan (almost whitish) color. this is their basic color to me and when I add in food coloring it’s to get fancy like pink, purple etc.
Thanks! Mine would come out with a brown tinge. Never mind though…I’ll just admire yours!
I think it depends on your almond flour honestly or the ratio of almond to powdered sugar u are using.
These little guys are perfect & they are so pretty. I don;t know if i’d be able to eat them, OK who am i kidding right?! Your amazing in the kitchen!
Thanks Leslie!
(Pistachio) Macarons are one of my favourite things so I would love 2 or three of these ones at the moment.
You make the most beautiful macarons, Zainab! So happy you got around to making some again!
Thanks Julie!!
I still need to get macarons off of my “to-bake” list and onto my “conquered” list — I think I’m still scarred from my first, miserable failure when I was probably 16. Lol. Someday! These look so good!
Love this, so cute and it has my favorite tipple.
They look perfect! I love macarons, and I keep telling myself I need to make some. I’m definitely saving this recipe 🙂
You do NEED to make some Ashley!!
Girl, you are the macaroni queen!! These look so delicious. I love the Irish Cream concept for sure!! 🙂
Thanks Renee!!
These are so pretty, and what a fun flavor for St. Patrick’s Day! 🙂
These are so cute!! I love that they’re irish themed and don’t even have to be green. Pinned!
These are gorgeous, and sound SUPER tasty! I had no idea some people started celebrating St. Patrick’s Day so early – it’s not even March yet! They must have some serious partying stamina 🙂
Oh it is serious here. The parade is coming up next weekend and it’s just downhill from there!
Yummy! they so heavenly! so perfect!
Ohhhhhh… Macarons are my absolute FAVORITE!!!! I love this version, Zainab! <3 Pinning, of course! :*
Thank you!!
I have NO WORDS. In complete awe!
made macarons only once, definitely need practice. Yours are a work of complete beauty
(well, apparently I found 14 words to say… 😉
Yours were amazing!! Thank you 🙂
These macaroons are simply GORGEOUS! Wow!
Saw these on Insta and died! They are gorgeous–I love when you post macarons because every time I see them I gain more courage to try making them again (after so many failures 🙂
Hahha thank you Amy!! I am convinced one day soon you will try them!!
Z, these are perfection!!!! LOVE!!!
Thank you Alice!!
These are out of control! In the best way possible, of course. 🙂
Thanks Steph!
1) You have some serious macaron making skills!
2) These are gorgeous!
3) SO creative! I would have never thought of Irish Cream! You need to market these!
1) You are too nice!!
2) thank you dear friend!!
Ok you are so the queen of macarons because you are just so great at this! I still haven’t even tried making them (still scared) but every single time you post a new flavor I get closer to trying them!
Lol thanks girl!! U need to try them one day for fun 🙂 That’s how I started!
Love these macarons. Regarding the baking time, what size macarons are these? How many inches across? I have a recipe that says to bake for 22 minutes. Thanks.
Lois these are roughly an inch to inch and half circles. You get almost 30 macarons (15 sandwwiches). Also, every recipe is different. Some bake at a higher temperature or lower and the times varies. If you want to use this recipe, I recommend following the baking temperature and times.
Thanks so much. Going to give this recipe a try.
Stunningly beautiful macarons, Z! I love that you made them Irish Cream style for St. Patty’s Day and gave them a whimsical drizzle of chocolate. Just perfect! Thank you for sharing and have a great weekend!
Thanks Stacy! Hope you are having a great weekend!
I’m so impressed by how perfect these are! Pinning 🙂
Thanks dear!
I tried making some macaroons about a year ago. Huge fail! After seeing these it makes me wan to try them again! Yours look so perfect. They are too pretty to eat!
April, sorry your first attempt was horrible. Mine was too but with time it gets better. Give this recipe a try and you will be surprised.
I did not realize St. Patrick’s Day was such a big deal in Syracuse! That’s so fun! I love these macarons – so gorgeous, and the flavor sounds delicious. I’m embarrassed to admit I have never attempted macarons. I need to move them to the top of my baking bucket list!
Yay, I missed seeing your macarons 🙂 These look absolutely perfect and I love that you made them with Irish Cream – so perfect for St. Patty’s Day!
These little gems are so perfect! I wish I could make macarons half as well as you do.
I know you can 🙂
These are so gorgeous!!! I’m going to make them this weekend for my dad’s birthday.
Let me know how they turn out Hannah!!
Thank you for the receipe! It turned out really great! The irish cream filling is sooo good. <3 I also used it as cupcake frosting Mmmm
Oh that is so great to hear!! Thank you for coming back and letting me know 🙂 I’ll have to use this filling as a cupcake frosting. Love the idea.
First attempt ever making the intimidating macaroon. Fantastic!!! I was so excited, I jumped up and down lol. Thank you for a wonderful recipe.
Hi Kellie! That is exciting. I am so happy for you and love that my recipe helped. Macarons are always tricky so keep practicing and enjoy!!
I will be making these! But, as a Celiac, I am going to make sure the Irish Cream is GF!
Awesome! Please let me know how it turns out. I just made this recipe three times last weekend for an event and it is one of my favorite recipes.
I made these a few days ago, and they turned out delicious! One word of warning though–be very careful adding the Baileys to the egg whites– mine were at stiff peaks when I added it and afterwards I couldn’t get them stiff again even though it was only a teaspoon. I was very careful with folding and they still turned out okay, but if I did this again I might skip the Baileys in the shells altogether–there’s plenty of flavor from the buttercream.
Hi Anneke, so happy to hear that they turned out delicious. Thanks for the tip on the Baileys. I added mine before I reached stiff peaks but that makes sense that the alcohol may impact the egg whites.
Can I substitute the irish cream with irish cream syrup? If I can, how much do I use? Thanks! (The macaroons look great!)
I am not sure if you can as I haven’t tested that. But I think since it is frosting, I would use about 1 tablespoon.