Macaron Recipe - St. Patrick's Day Macarons - Chocolate, Bailey's, Coffee (2024)

The Irish coffee-flavored macarons were easily my favorites, but all three were quite solid. I opted for simple buttercream fillings in each, simply because I was pressed for time and knew I could knock ’em out quickly. If I had more time, I’d have worked up a ganache or more complex buttercream recipe. Especially for the chocolate & Guinness — the buttercream works, but I bet a ganache would be a better option. And the plain/Bailey’s could use a light dusting of cocoa powder just for aesthetics. If you have any of your own modifications/alterations, please let me know! 🙂

Here are recipes for each…

• Irish Coffee Macaron Recipe
• Bailey’s Macaron Recipe
• Chocolate Guinness Macaron Recipe
• Irish Coffee Recipe

Ingredients (for the shell)

• Egg Whites: 2 (room temperature)
• Cream of Tartar: Pinch
• Caster Sugar: 57g
• Powdered Sugar: 125g
• Almond Flour: 75g
• Instant Coffee: 2 tbsp

Ingredients (for the filling)

• Unsalted butter: 1 stick (room temperature)
• Powdered sugar: 250g
• Jameson Irish Whiskey: 3-5 tbsp

Instructions for the shell

1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and prepare ingredients ahead of time — this goes fast!
2. Combine almond flour, powdered sugar, and instant coffee, then sift together 1-2 times. (The more you sift, the smoother the macaron.)
3. Beat egg whites on high. As egg whites become foamy (~30 secs), add a pinch of Cream of Tartar.
4. Add caster sugar slowly (over the course of 10-15 seconds) as you continue beating on high.
5. Continue beating on high until stiff peaks form. (About 2 minutes).
6. Remove bowl from mixer and fold half the dry ingredients in by hand. After the first half has been incorporated, fold in the second half.
7. Slowly continue folding — you want to make sure everything is incorporated, but don’t be too aggressive. When the batter turns into a thick lava-like consistency, you’re ready to pipe.
8. Transfer the macaron batter to a piping bag and pipe 1.5″ rounds onto the parchment-lined cookie sheet. After piping, rap the cookie sheet on the countertop a few times to remove air bubbles (lift it a few inches and drop it). Let the macaron rounds sit for 30-45 minutes.
9. Preheat oven to 325°F. Bake macarons for about 10 minutes. Ovens are finicky, so you have to experiment for yourself. (I bake mine for 12 minutes.)
10. Remove from the oven and transfer the entire parchment sheet to a cooling rack. Once they’ve cooled, carefully remove the macaron shells from the parchment.

Instructions for the filling

1. Cream the butter for about 30 seconds.
2. When butter is a little fluffier, slowly add powdered sugar.
3. Continue mixing butter and sugar together until creamy.
4. Add whiskey, 1 tbsp at a time, until mixed. (Use your own judgment as to how much whiskey to use. You don’t want it to get too watery.)
5. Transfer buttercream to piping bag. Pair up like-sized macaron shells. Pipe buttercream on one half, then lightly press shells together.

Ingredients (for the shell)

• Egg Whites: 2 (room temperature)
• Cream of Tartar: Pinch
• Caster Sugar: 57g
• Powdered Sugar: 125g
• Almond Flour: 75g

Ingredients (for the filling)

• Unsalted butter: 1 stick (room temperature)
• Powdered sugar: 250g
• Bailey’s Irish Cream: 3-5 tbsp

Instructions for the shell

1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and prepare ingredients ahead of time — this goes fast!
2. Combine almond flour and powdered sugar, then sift together 1-2 times. (The more you sift, the smoother the macaron.)
3. Beat egg whites on high. As egg whites become foamy (~30 secs), add a pinch of Cream of Tartar.
4. Add caster sugar slowly (over the course of 10-15 seconds) as you continue beating on high.
5. Continue beating on high until stiff peaks form. (About 2 minutes).
6. Remove bowl from mixer and fold half the dry ingredients in by hand. After the first half has been incorporated, fold in the second half.
7. Slowly continue folding — you want to make sure everything is incorporated, but don’t be too aggressive. When the batter turns into a thick lava-like consistency, you’re ready to pipe.
8. Transfer the macaron batter to a piping bag and pipe 1.5″ rounds onto the parchment-lined cookie sheet. After piping, rap the cookie sheet on the countertop a few times to remove air bubbles (lift it a few inches and drop it). Let the macaron rounds sit for 30-45 minutes.
9. Preheat oven to 325°F. Bake macarons for about 10 minutes. Ovens are finicky, so you have to experiment for yourself. (I bake mine for 12 minutes.)
10. Remove from the oven and transfer the entire parchment sheet to a cooling rack. Once they’ve cooled, carefully remove the macaron shells from the parchment.

Instructions for the filling

1. Cream the butter for about 30 seconds.
2. When butter is a little fluffier, slowly add powdered sugar.
3. Continue mixing butter and sugar together until creamy.
4. Add Bailey’s Irish Cream, 1 tbsp at a time, until mixed. (Use your own judgment as to how much whiskey to use.)
5. Transfer buttercream to piping bag. Pair up like-sized macaron shells. Pipe buttercream on one half, then lightly press shells together.

Ingredients (for the shell)

• Egg Whites: 2 (room temperature)
• Cream of Tartar: Pinch
• Caster Sugar: 57g
• Powdered Sugar: 125g
• Almond Flour: 75g
• Cocoa Powder: 2 tbsp

Ingredients (for the filling)

• Unsalted butter: 1 stick (room temperature)
• Powdered sugar: 250g
• Guinness Extra Stout: 1 cup

Instructions for the shell

1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and prepare ingredients ahead of time — this goes fast!
2. Combine almond flour, cocoa, and powdered sugar, then sift together 1-2 times. (The more you sift, the smoother the macaron.)
3. Beat egg whites on high. As egg whites become foamy (~30 secs), add a pinch of Cream of Tartar.
4. Add caster sugar slowly (over the course of 10-15 seconds) as you continue beating on high.
5. Continue beating on high until stiff peaks form. (About 2 minutes).
6. Remove bowl from mixer and fold half the dry ingredients in by hand. After the first half has been incorporated, fold in the second half.
7. Slowly continue folding — you want to make sure everything is incorporated, but don’t be too aggressive. When the batter turns into a thick lava-like consistency, you’re ready to pipe.
8. Transfer the macaron batter to a piping bag and pipe 1.5″ rounds onto the parchment-lined cookie sheet. After piping, rap the cookie sheet on the countertop a few times to remove air bubbles (lift it a few inches and drop it). Let the macaron rounds sit for 30-45 minutes.
9. Preheat oven to 325°F. Bake macarons for about 10 minutes. Ovens are finicky, so you have to experiment for yourself. (I bake mine for 12 minutes.)
10. Remove from the oven and transfer the entire parchment sheet to a cooling rack. Once they’ve cooled, carefully remove the macaron shells from the parchment.

Instructions for the filling

1. Simmer Guinness on low-medium heat until it reduces (10-15 minutes). Don’t be too aggressive with the heat or else it’ll start smelling/tasting super malty.
2. Cream the butter for about 30 seconds.
3. When butter is a little fluffier, slowly add powdered sugar.
4. Continue mixing butter and sugar together until creamy.
5. Add Guinness reduction, 1 tbsp at a time, until mixed. (Use your own judgment as to how much Guinness to use. You don’t want it to get too watery.)
6. Transfer buttercream to piping bag. Pair up like-sized macaron shells. Pipe buttercream on one half, then lightly press shells together.

Ingredients

• Hot Coffee
• Brown Sugar: 1 tbsp
• Irish Whiskey: 2-3 tbsp
• Whipping Cream: Slightly whipped

Instructions

1. Fill a mug with hot water to preheat it, then dump out.
2. Fill the mug 3/4 with coffee.
3. Add brown sugar and whiskey, stirring to dissolve.
4. Hold spoon upside down at the edge of the mug, just above the coffee line. Slowly pour cream over back of spoon to create a layer of cream on top of the coffee.

• I’ve tried 300 different macaron recipes, and none are better or easier than Cristina Valencia’s excellent instruction at Jordan Vineyard & Winery.
• Irish Coffee recipe inspired by Daydreamer Desserts.
• Bailey’s recipe inspired by Art and the Kitchen.
• Guinness recipe inspired by Celebrations.
• Chocolate macaron recipe originally inspired by Annie’s Eats.