An easy way to use up failed or extra macaron shells (AKA MacaWRONGS)

Let’s be honest, most macaron bakers have something in common. We all tend to have a container of extra (or failed) macaron shells in our freezers “just in case” we want to use them someday. Well, that day is today because this easy macaron cookie butter spread is calling your name! And here’s a bonus, all of the fun colors of your macaron shells will have a chance to shine since the recipe doesn’t cover them up.

Macaron Cookie Butter Recipe Inspiration

When you think of cookie butter, the first and maybe only thing to come to mind is probably Biscoff Cookie Butter. Recently however, I heard from a friend that Chloe’s Giant Cookies will turn batches of cookies that don’t turn out into homemade cookie butter. Which is absolutely GENIUS. My mind immediately went to wondering if the same would work with macaron shells. A macaron shell has a different texture than cookies like chocolate chip or speculoos, so the experimenting began to see if I could swap them in with success.

After researching homemade cookie butter recipes online, there were a few common threads amongst the top dozen or so results when it came to ingredients. Most recipes used finely ground cookies, melted butter or neutral flavored oil, a sweetener like honey or sweetened condensed milk, and a liquid to thin the consistency such as milk or water.

Since I’m a big butter girl, I rolled with that option for my “fat” of choice. With macarons being a sweeter cookie, I decided to omit the sweetener to see how it would taste without it. Then, I did some tests with both milk and water as the liquid. After experimenting, I landed on the combo I felt worked best with the texture and taste of macaron shells.

As for method, I tried both a food processor only version blending everything together, and a version with a cook step to soften and dissolve the macaron crumbles. For the cook step version, I cooked the ground macarons on the stove with a bit more milk and butter. It blended up really smooth, but I felt like it lost a little of the “macaron” flavor.

The food processor version had a bit more texture, but the flavor of the macaron shells felt like it came through more, and it was less steps. I did an additional test heating the butter and milk together before adding it, and it did improve the consistency. This method was adapted from Dinner Then Dessert’s Oreo Cookie Butter recipe. All that said, the simple hybrid version was the winner!

How To Make Macaron Cookie Butter

The process to make this recipe is super simple and only takes 5 or 10 minutes! Here’s how to make it.

1. Grind Macaron Shells in Food Processor

First, begin by grinding up 8 oz of macaron shells in a food processor until they are finely pulvarized. If using a smaller food processor, grind half the shells, and then do the second half.

*Smaller food processors in the 3.5 cup range would be the minimum size I’d recommend for this batch size. See link below for example.

KitchenAid KFC3516WH 3.5 Cup Food Chopper, White

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I made the batch in the photo below in my larger food processor. The macaron shells weren’t able to be as finely ground in the initial step as when I tested with my small food processor. However, they did eventually incorporate to the same level of smoothness in the end.

The shells used for this batch were also made the same day. This was also probably a factor for the less powdery consistency. In my tests with shells made on a different day, they had a bit less moisture and ground up a bit finer.

Macaron Shell Measurement Conversions

8 oz of macaron shells was roughly equivalent to 2 cups of crushed and lightly packed shells. For a general reference, 8 oz was about 26 shells that were 1.75″ wide.

2. Add Melted Butter and Milk

Next, heat 4 tablespoons (2 oz) of melted butter with 2 tablespoons of milk (1 oz) in the microwave in short bursts. Make sure the butter is melted and the milk is hot, but not scalded. Add to the food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.

3. Thin to Desired Consistency

Next, if you’d like a looser consistency, add additional milk (1/2-1 tbsp) and blend until combined. Make sure to scrape down the sides or lid if necessary to make sure everything is evenly incorporated!

Adding in 2 tablespoons for this batch size will create a similar consistency to a natural peanut butter. For a drizzle or easy to mix in consistency, I recommend using 3 tablespoons. See examples of the consistency difference below in the photos.

2 Tablespoons of Milk

3 Tablespoons of Milk

Keep in mind, the mixture will set up a bit as it comes to room temperature and the melted butter solidifies. Take that in to consideration as you decided how much milk to add.

Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy like the photo below. Depending on how much milk you decide to use, it may be looser or stiffer.

4. Adjust Flavor to Taste

Next, add a few drops of almond extract and a small pinch of salt to balance the flavor to your liking. These little add ins really made a big difference and gave the spread more flavor. You can even add 2 tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder for a scrumptious chocolate variation, or a 1/4 cup of freeze dried strawberry powder (plus an extra teaspoon of milk) for a fruity option!

Watkins Pure Almond Extract, 2 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)

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5. Add Food Coloring (Optional)

Finally, add in gel food coloring if desired to adjust the shade of the finished product. I do recommend adding the color in at this step at the end. When I was testing the recipe, I added color earlier while crushing the macaron shells because I wanted deeper pink. As the recipe went on though, the color darkened as ingredients were blended. To get the truest picture of the base color, work through the recipe first, and adjust at the end.

Food Coloring AmeriColor Student – Kit 12 .75 Ounce Bottles Soft Gel Paste Colors

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How to Store Macaron Cookie Butter

And that’s it! Once finished, I recommend storing this macaron cookie butter in an airtight container in the fridge. Bring the spread to room temperature before using to soften it up again.

Fridge Storage: 1-2 weeks
Freezer Storage: 2-3 months (Thaw at room temp or in the fridge)

Additional Tips

Heads up, if you need to soften the cookie butter, do short 10 second bursts in the microwave, stirring in between. Be careful not to overheat it too quickly.

If you’d like to thin the consistency further after you finish, you may need to use the food processor again. Small amounts of liquid can be mixed in at a time, but hand mixing too much liquid at once can cause separation.