Gingerbread Spice Mix

Stir all ingredients together. Set aside for use in macaron shells and buttercream.

Macarons

Line 2 baking sheets with either parchment paper or a silicone mat (circle template optional but recommended).

Place a medium sized round piping tip in a large piping bag. Twist the bag right behind the tip and add a clip to seal off the opening. Place the bag tip down into either a clean tall cup with the edges folded over the rim to keep the bag open, or clip it into a bag holder.

Using a kitchen scale, carefully weigh out and sift the confectioner’s sugar and almond flour into a medium mixing bowl. Add in the gingerbread spice and whisk well to fully blend the dry ingredients together.

Place egg whites, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, and cream of tartar into a large mixing bowl. Make sure to thoroughly break up any clumps of brown sugar. Then, begin beating with a whisk attachment using either a handheld mixer or a stand mixer for 2 minutes on a medium low speed (Kitchen Aid Speed 4).

Turn up the mixer to a medium speed (Kitchen Aid Speed 6) and beat for an additional 2 minutes.

Add the brown gel food coloring (optional)

Turn mixer up to medium high speed (Kitchen Aid Speed 8) and beat for 3 more minutes, or until peaks are very stiff and the meringue clumps up in a ball in the center of the whisk. Test stiffness by removing whisk and pointing it upward. Once the peaks can hold their shape flipped upright, your meringue is ready. See photos in Basic French Macaron recipe for reference.

Pour half of your almond flour/confectioner’s sugar mixture into the bowl with your meringue, and fold 15 times with a silicone spatula. One fold is scraping all the way around the edge of your batter in your bowl, and then dragging your spatula through the middle. Be sure to scoop around the bottom of the bowl as well so you don’t miss any dry ingredients.

Pour batter into prepared piping bag, and twist the opening off. Hold your bag at the twist between your thumb and pointer finger. Remove the clip.

Holding the piping bag straight up and down, apply pressure to begin piping your batter in the center of your circle templates, and then release pressure once you are a few millimeters short of your desired size. After you release pressure, use a small quick circular flick to release your tip from the piped macaron.

Once you’ve piped a full tray, firmly bang the tray on the counter a few times to pop any air bubbles and smooth out shells. Pop any remaining large bubbles with a toothpick. Repeat with the second tray.

Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture on top of each shell.

Begin preheating your oven to 295 degrees, using an oven thermometer if possible to ensure accurate temperature readings.

Set aside shells to dry until they form a skin and are no longer tacky to the touch. Once you can gently run a finger over your shells, they are ready to bake. Use a fan to speed up the process, rotating the tray every few minutes to ensure even drying. This usually takes at least 20 minutes for me even with a fan.

Once shells are dry, and the oven has fully preheated to 295, place one tray in the center of the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 18 minutes.

Quickly open door to check the shell’s doneness by gently pressing on the side just above the feet to see if it’s firm. If it moves at all, bake for another 2 minutes.

Check shells by performing the same test, pressing on the side. If they are still unstable, bake for one more minute, and check again. Repeat until shells are firm and do not budge.

Allow shells to cool completely, and the carefully remove from silicone mat or parchment paper by gently peeling them off.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line one baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

Cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

While butter and sugar are creaming, whisk dry ingredients together in a separate mixing bowl.

Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract in to the bowl with the butter and sugar, and beat until well combined. Scrape down the bowl as needed.

Slowly add the dry ingredients in and mix until there are just a few flour streaks remaining. Scrape down the bowl, and then mix just until the flour streaks are gone and the ingredients have been incorporated.

Stir together the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl and set aside.

Portion out the cookie dough in to four equally sized balls, and roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar and place on the baking sheet with a few inches of space around it.

Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until cookie edges have just begun to set. I baked these a little longer than I usually would to create a firmer texture that would stand out in the macaron.

When cookies have cooled, crumble them up into crumbs 1/4 or smaller.

Beat butter until light and fluffy.

Slowly add in powdered sugar, salt, and gingerbread spice, and beat until fluffy. Scrape down the sides of your bowl along the way.

Pour in molasses and beat until incorporated.

Add in heavy cream and beat until combined.

Match each shell with a partner of equal size.

Pipe a dollop of Gingerbread Molasses Buttercream on one half, and a very small dollop on the matching half.

Place a generous amount of snickerdoodle crumbled on the larger dollop, and then sandwich the partner shell on top.