Galaxy Macarons Recipe
If you’ve mastered macarons, Galaxy Macarons are a great way to step up your game! You can use any combination of colors for your macarons.
Galaxy macarons are an other-worldly version of the popular meringue-based sandwich cookies.
And I (Rebecca) love this creative variation!
By making three different colors of macaron batter (in this case, blue, purple, and dark grey), you can create swirls of color in the finished macarons that give them a unique and colorful appearance.
While these are the most common colors to use for galaxy macarons, you can substitute other colors. Pink or orange also goes great with black.
To add a bit more of a galaxy flair to the macarons, you sprinkle them with some edible luster dust before baking them.
Or spray on a bit of luster spray after the shells are baked.
Or you can add tiny metallic star sprinkles to both the macaron shells and buttercream filling.
The creative options you can play with making these galaxy macarons are a lot of fun to make, so let your imagination go!
And they pair well with the Grateful Dead Drink. (Both boast the same intergalactic tie-dye look.)
How to Make Galaxy Macarons
For more information on how to make macarons (plus lots of tips and tricks!), you can visit our tutorial on how to make foolproof macarons.
The first steps are all about prepping your baking equipment (like the silicon mats) and pipping tools and weighing out your dry ingredients.
It helps to wipe down all of the bowls and tools with a paper towel dampened with vinegar.
This helps remove any traces of grease that may be on them that will cause the meringue to break down.
Making your meringue:
1– Place the egg whites in a mixing bowl and use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat them at medium speed until they are slightly thickened and foamy.
2– With the mixer still running, slowly add the white sugar and cream of tartar. Turn the mixer speed up to high and continue to beat the egg whites until you have a stiff meringue that comes to stiff peaks.
You must achieve stiff peaks to avoid air bubbles in the shell.
3 — Once your meringue is ready, add the sifted almond flour and powdered sugar. Use a rubber spatula to fold them into the egg whites.
4 — When the dry ingredients are just combined, divide the batter into three separate bowls (or two if you only want to make two colors).
5 — Add some gel food coloring to each bowl.
With the rubber spatula, fold each batter until the color is completely mixed in and the batter comes off of the spatula in thick ribbons.
6 — Clean the spatula and repeat with each bowl of batter until all the colors are mixed.
Piping the Macarons
Creating the galactic tie dye effect is easier than it looks!
It’s just like piping any macaron except each color gets its own pipping bag.
And then you place all three bags into a large pipping bag.
Making the Vanilla Buttercream
The buttercream filling for the macarons can be one color.
Or you can make it three different colors to match the macaron shells.
If you want a mixture of three colors, spread each of the three colors out onto it along the edge, side by side.
Roll the plastic wrap up into a sausage. Then, slip it into a piping bag fitted with a coupler and a star tip.
Twist the end of the bag shut.
Swirl the frosting onto the back of half the room temperature macaron shells, then gently press another macaron shell onto it.
More Homemade Macaron Recipes
One of the great things about macarons is that they are gluten-free! For more easy macarons, check out a few of our favorites —
Galaxy Macarons Recipe
Equipment
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- Rubber spatula
- Mesh Sieve
- Mixing bowls
- 4 piping bags new and clean
- Large round tip
- Large star tip
Ingredients
- 4 large egg whites 120 grams
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar 100 grams
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 1/4 cup fine almond flour blanched
- 2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 gel food color in bright or very saturated colors
For the buttercream filling:
- 1/2 cup butter softened, 1 stick or 114 grams
- 2 cup powdered sugar 240 grams
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 tbsp heavy cream
Nutrition
Notes
Instructions
Prep your dry ingredients:
- Begin by weighing out all of the ingredients and having them ready.
- Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet. Fit a clean coupler into a new piping bag with a large round piping tip.
- Wipe down all of the bowls and tools with a paper towel dampened with vinegar. This helps remove any traces of grease that may be on them that will cause the meringue to break down.
- Weigh out the powdered sugar and almond flour, then put them through a fine mesh sieve to combine them well and get rid of any lumps.
Make the meringue:
- Place the egg whites in a mixing bowl and use a hand mixer to beat them until they are slightly thickened and foamy.
- With the mixer still running, slowly add the white sugar and cream of tartar. Turn the mixer speed up to high and continue to beat the egg whites until you have a stiff meringue that comes to stiff peaks.
- Once your meringue is ready, add the sifted powdered sugar and almond flour. Use a rubber spatula to fold them into the egg whites.
- When the dry ingredients are just combined, divide the batter into three separate bowls (or two if you only want to make two colors).
- Add some gel food coloring to each bowl. With the rubber spatula, fold each batter until the color is completely mixed in and the batter comes off of the spatula in thick ribbons. Make sure not to over-mix it, as this could lead to problems with the finished macaron shells.
- Clean the spatula and repeat with each bowl of batter until all the colors are mixed.
Pipe the macarons:
- Place each color in its own piping bag. Trim the end off of each bag and place them together in the large piping bag that’s been fitted with a coupler and large round piping tip.
- Twist the end of the large piping bag closed, then pipe the macarons onto the parchment-lined baking sheets. Hold the bag straight up and down and move your hand in a slight circular motion while squeezing to help swirl the colors. Pause a moment after piping, then lift away the piping bag.
Bake the macarons:
- Preheat the oven to 325 F.
- Set out the macarons until the tops have dried. When they are ready, they will look dull instead of shiny, and you should be able to gently touch the tops without the batter sticking to your finger.
- Once the tops have dried, bake the macarons for 15-16 minutes, or until they are baked.To test and make sure they are done baking, carefully try to move one of the shells. If it sticks, bake the macaron shells for another minute or two.
- Once the macaron shells have finished baking, remove them from the oven and let them cool completely.
- To give them a bit fancier of a finish, you can spray a bit of silver color mist spray on each shell once it has cooled.
Make the buttercream filling:
- The buttercream filling for the macarons can be one color, or you can make it three different colors to match the macaron shells.To make the buttercream filling, beat the room temperature butter with an electric mixer until it’s smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, until it is all incorporated into the butter.
- Mix in the vanilla extract and add milk, a tablespoon at a time, until the frosting is smooth and soft enough for piping.
- Divide the buttercream into three bowls and stir the matching gel food colors into each.
- Spread out a piece of plastic wrap. Spread each of the three colors out onto it along the edge, side by side.
- Roll the plastic wrap up into a sausage, then slip it into a piping bag fitted with a coupler and a star tip.
- Twist the end of the bag shut.
Assemble the macarons:
- Swirl the frosting onto the back of half the macaron shells, then gently press another macaron shell onto it.
Don’t forget to share your Galaxy Macarons with us on Instagram using the hashtag #sugarandclothloves. We always love seeing all of your creations! Looking for more quick and delicious recipes? You can find them all right here with a few cocktails to go along with them!
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