Macaron Christmas Tree

The green shells are the first thing you notice when this macaron tree comes together, but the batter is where the careful work happens. It needs to pipe into tidy circles, then rest until the tops feel dry; rushing either part makes a delicate cookie harder to handle. I like that the finish is festive without asking for extra decorating tools: a little buttercream, red and green nonpareils, and one yellow star do the work.

For this Macaron Christmas Tree, almond shells sandwich a soft vanilla buttercream, then the finished macarons become a centerpiece on a serving platter. The shells have a light almond flavor, and the sweet filling gives each bite a creamy middle. Take your time with the batter and let the shells cool fully, and the finished tree looks just as charming as it tastes.

Why the Tree Layout Uses Every Macaron You Bake

The number of shells and the tree shape are designed to fit together. Thirty shells become 15 filled macarons, and the rows of 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 use all 15. That gives the tree a wide base and a centered point without leaving extra filled cookies to crowd the platter.

Before you start assembling, set out the platter and picture the rows from the bottom up. Keep the macarons centered as you move toward the top, and use just a little buttercream between neighbors to help them stay in place. The buttercream acts as edible glue, but a heavy dab can squeeze out and make the clean outline look messy. A small amount is enough to hold the tree together while keeping the green shells visible.

Why Fine Almond Flour and Gel Coloring Matter in These Shells

• Almond flour and confectioners’ sugar — These make up the shell’s dry base. Finely ground almond flour gives you a smoother batter; sift the pair together and press any small clumps through rather than leaving them behind. Almond meal is coarser and won’t give the same smooth shell, so stick with almond flour.
• Egg whites, cream of tartar, and granulated sugar — The whites whip into the meringue that supports the shells, while cream of tartar helps stabilize them. Room-temperature whites are ready to whip evenly, and the granulated sugar goes in gradually so it can dissolve into a glossy meringue. A clean, grease-free bowl matters more here than an expensive mixer.
• Green gel food coloring — Gel gives the shells their color without adding as much liquid as liquid food coloring. Use the gel specified for this batter; too much added moisture can change how the macarons pipe and dry. If you don’t want green shells, leaving out the coloring is a better choice than switching to liquid dye.
• Butter, heavy cream, vanilla, and kosher salt — Softened butter beats smoothly into the filling, and heavy cream helps it turn fluffy. Vanilla is easy to taste in this simple buttercream, so use an extract you enjoy; the salt keeps the sweetness from tasting flat. There’s no close dairy-free swap that preserves this buttercream’s texture.
• Nonpareils and the yellow star — The sprinkles add color and the star gives the top of the tree a clear finishing point. Keep them ready before assembling, since the small buttercream dots on top are what help the decorations stay put.

How to Get Smooth Shells and Assemble the Macaron Tree

Prepare the Pans and Sift the Dry Ingredients

Heat the oven to 300°F with a rack in the center, then line two 18×13-inch baking sheets with parchment. Trace 30 circles, each 1 1/2 inches wide and spaced 1 inch apart, on the underside of the paper so the marks don’t touch the batter. Sift the almond flour with the shell portion of the confectioners’ sugar, pressing small clumps through the sieve.

Whip a Glossy Meringue and Fold Carefully

Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean, grease-free bowl until foamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar and keep beating until the meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks, then beat in the green gel coloring. Fold in the almond mixture with a flexible spatula, stopping when the batter falls in a thick ribbon and settles back into itself within about 10 seconds. If it still sits in a stiff mound, keep folding gently; if it runs thin, you’ve gone too far.

Pipe, Dry, and Bake the Shells

Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip and pipe onto the marked circles. Tap each baking sheet firmly on the counter to release air bubbles, then let the shells stand at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes. They’re ready for the oven when the surfaces feel dry and don’t stick to a lightly touched finger. Bake one sheet at a time for 14 to 16 minutes, rotating it halfway through, until the shells are set.

Fill the Shells and Decorate the Tree

Beat the softened butter until smooth, then add the remaining confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt; beat until fluffy. Pipe about 1 teaspoon of buttercream onto the flat side of half the shells and top with the rest to make the macarons. Arrange them on the platter in the tree shape, keeping the rows centered and the bottom widest, and dab a little buttercream between neighboring macarons. Finish with small dots of buttercream, the nonpareils, and the yellow star above the top macaron.

Two Fresh Ways to Serve the Green Macarons

Questions That Come Up While Making This Macaron Tree

Macaron Christmas Tree

Macaron Christmas Tree is a festive centerpiece made by piping green almond meringue shells, filling them with fluffy vanilla buttercream, and arranging them in a tree shape. Red and green nonpareils and a yellow star sprinkle add the finishing details.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Standing time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Calories: 280

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the shells

• 3.5 oz almond flour
• 3.5 oz confectioners' sugar for the shells
• 2.67 oz egg whites room temperature (about 3 large egg whites)
• 0.125 tsp cream of tartar
• 2.67 oz granulated sugar
• 0.25 tsp green gel food coloring

For the buttercream and decoration

• 4 oz confectioners' sugar for the buttercream
• 2 oz unsalted butter softened
• 1 tbsp heavy cream
• 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 0.125 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp nonpareils red and green
• 1 sprinkle yellow, star-shaped

Equipment

• 2 18x13-inch baking sheets
• 1 Piping bag with 1/2-inch round tip
• 1 electric mixer
• 1 Serving platter

Method

 

Make the shells

1. Heat the oven to 300°F with a rack in the center.
2. Line two 18x13-inch baking sheets with parchment paper and trace 30 circles, each 1 1/2 inches wide and spaced 1 inch apart, on the underside of the parchment.
3. Sift the almond flour and 3 1/2 ounces of the confectioners' sugar into a bowl, pressing any small clumps through the sieve.
4. In a clean, grease-free bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy.
5. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar until the meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks.
6. Beat in the green food coloring.
7. Fold the almond mixture into the meringue with a flexible spatula until the batter falls in a thick ribbon and the ribbon settles back into the batter within about 10 seconds.
8. Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip and pipe 30 circles onto the marked parchment.
9. Tap each baking sheet firmly on the counter to release air bubbles.
10. Let the shells stand at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes, until their surfaces feel dry and do not stick to a lightly touched finger.
11. Bake one sheet at a time for 14 to 16 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through, until the shells are set.
12. Cool the shells completely on the baking sheet before peeling them from the parchment.

Make the buttercream

1. Beat the butter until smooth.
2. Beat in the remaining 4 ounces of confectioners' sugar, the heavy cream, vanilla, and salt until fluffy.

Assemble the tree

1. Pipe about 1 teaspoon of buttercream onto the flat side of 15 shells and top with the remaining shells to make 15 macarons.
2. Arrange the macarons on a serving platter in centered rows of 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1, with the bottom row widest.
3. Dab a little buttercream between neighboring macarons to hold the tree together.
4. Add small dots of remaining buttercream to the tops of the macarons.
5. Decorate with the nonpareils.
6. Place the yellow star-shaped sprinkle above the top macaron.

Notes

For smooth shells, sift the almond flour and confectioners' sugar well, and let the piped shells dry until they do not stick to a lightly touched finger. Store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; assembled macarons can be frozen. For a dairy-free variation, use plant-based butter and cream in the buttercream.