Donut Macarons

These are the cutest Donut Macarons. They not only look like donuts but taste like donuts too, with the addition of cinnamon sugar and a donut ganache filling.

If you love macarons be sure to try my Biscoff Macarons or Pistachio Macarons.

Why you’ll love these macarons:

• Delicious donut flavour
• Uses the French method making them super easy
• Uses only a few simple ingredients
• You’ll be putting the donut ganache on everything

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED FOR DONUT MACARONS

• Egg whites – at room temperature
• Granulated sugar (caster sugar)
• Powdered sugar (icing sugar)
• Almond flour / Almond meal
• Brown gel food colouring – just a few drops for that donut-y color

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR DONUT GANACHE FILLING

• White chocolate
• Heavy cream
• A cinnamon sugar donut

KITCHEN TOOLS NEEDED.

• Bowl (glass or metal)
• Stand mixer or electric hand mixer with whisk attachment
• Sifter or food processor (optional)
• baking paper or silicone mat marked with macaron circles
• Flat baking tray
• Kitchen Scale
• Round piping tip and piping bag / pastry bag
• Rubber spatula
• Food processor or bullet blender for the ganache

HOW TO MAKE DONUT FRENCH MACARONS

This recipe uses the French meringue method, full details and ingredient measurements for this donut Macaron recipe are in the recipe card below.

1: MEASURE INGREDIENTS

Measure the egg whites, granulated sugar, almond meal and powdered sugar. Place your silicone mat or parchment paper on 2 large baking sheets.

2: SIFT WELL OR PROCESS

Sift the almond meal and powdered sugar together. For best results, place the almond meal and powdered sugar into a food processor and process until fine.

3: MAKE A MERINGUE

Whisk the egg whites on a medium speed to start in a large mixing bowl ( or bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment) until it becomes foamy. Change to a high speed and slowly add in the sugar until it is glossy and stiff peaks form. This can take a while of whisking. Once the meringue is stiff, add in the brown food colouring and whisk until the colour has been incorporated.

4: MACRONAGE

Macronage is the step if turning the meringue and dry mixture (almond meal and powdered sugar) into the right texture batter that enables it to pipe and bake well. Sift the dry ingredients (almond meal and sugar) into the meringue. Fold gently until the almond flour mixture is fully incorporated into the meringue. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all the almond mixture has been incorporated. To check the macronage is at the right consistency, the mixture should flow like thick ribbons forming a figure 8 with the spatula a few times. It should flow off the spoon easily enough to make a figure 8 a few times without breaking.

5: PIPING THE DONUTS

Fill the macaron batter into a large piping bag fitted with a large round tip (approx 1cm). If you don’t have a piping tip, cut the edge of the piping bag, however for neat circles it’s best to use a piping tip. To make the donut shapes, place your piping bag tip approximately 1cm in from the edge of the circle, start piping following the curve of the circle until the batter meets itself to close the circle. Try not to linger when you start piping so that the batter is piped evenly and creates an even circle. Sprinkle macarons with cinnamon sugar mixture if using. Lightly tap the tray on your work surface to remove any air bubbles.

If you don’t have a silicone mat marked with small circles, you can make your own by flipping the a piece of parchment paper upside down and using a cookie cutter (approximately 2.5-2.5cm in diameter). Place the cutter on the paper and mark out your circles with a pencil, leaving a 1/2 inch gap between each. Flip the paper over before using.

6: REST AND BAKE

Rest the macarons for 30-60 minutes until it forms a skin. To test, touch the macaron, if a skin has formed no macaron should come off on your finger. Bake for 20 minutes at 150C/300F. Oven timing and temperature can take a little practise to get right when making macarons. If your oven has hot spots, turn the macarons every 5 minutes. Remove the macarons from the oven after the time has lapsed, or when you push the macaron shells on their feet and they do not move.

HOW TO MAKE DONUT GANACHE

The donut ganache is made like any ganache with the addition of a full donut to give it it’s delicious donut-y flavor.

Place the chopped white chocolate and chopped donut in a bowl of a food processor (or bullet blender). Heat the cream in a microwave safe bowl until bowling. Heat the cream for 30 seconds at a time, checking each time to ensure it doesn’t burn. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and donut making sure it is all covered. Cover and leave to sit for 5-10 minutes.

Once the cream has had time to sit and soak into the donut and melt the chocolate, blend it together to create a smooth ganache. Pour into a bowl and cover lightly with plastic wrap, place into the fridge for 2 hours to firm up for piping.

Fill the ganache into a piping bag with a small round tip (or cut the tip of the piping bag). Match the donut circles so you have 2 shells. Pipe into one shell and top with the matching second shell. Store in the fridge for 24 hours to mature the macarons before serving.

HOW TO MAKE THE DONUT MACARON GLAZE

For the glaze you can use white chocolate coloured pink, pink candy melts or royal icing coloured pink. I used 1/3 cup of white chocolate. Melt the chocolate in a small bowl in the microwave and coloured it pink using candy colouring. Use a small spoon to drizzle and spread the chocolate onto the macarons, then sprinkled with sprinkles and put aside to set.

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR SUCCESSFUL DONUT MACARONS

MACARON EGG WHITES

When making macarons it’s best to use room temperature egg whites. This ensures the egg white will whip well when turning it into meringue. If the eggs are cold, place them in a bowl of hot tap water for 10-15 minutes to allow them to come up to room temperature quickly. If time permits age egg whites for best results. Break egg whites into a bowl and cover lightly with plastic wrap, place in the fridge for 1-2 days before using.

MEASURE THE INGREDIENTS FOR MACARONS FIRST

Since macarons can be temperamental it’s important that the ingredients used are measured correctly. Using a digital scale is the best way to achieve accurate measurements for the ingredients used in macarons. Measure the ingredients before you start as the macaron making process if fairly quick and having everything ready to go makes it a lot easier.

BEST BOWL TO USE FOR MACARONS

Macarons are reliant on the whipping of the meringue, a meringue cannot form if there is any fat present. Make sure you don’t get any egg yolks in your whites. It’s also important that the bowl you use is clean and free from any fat, the best way to prepare the bowl is to give it a wipe down with some vinegar. Use a glass or metal bowl as fat is cleaned off the surface more easily. Plastic bowls can hold onto fat and are not as easily cleaned.

MATS FOR MACARONS

I like to use silicone baking mats for Macarons. I do find them easy to use and macarons are lifted off easily, however before I had purchased these I used parchment/baking paper with no issues.

FOLDING MACARONS / MACARONAGE

The art of folding macarons is referred to as macaronage. This is where a lot can go wrong, it is best to mix your almond meal and confectioners/icing sugar in a gentle folding motion, until the batter flows like lava off the spoon and can form a figure 8 a few times before breaking.

RESTING MACARONS

Rest your macarons after piping. This is an important step in the macaron making process. The resting helps form a skin which then allows the macarons to rise, form feet and have a crisp shell. Depending on the temperature and weather where you are, the macarons may require different lengths of time to rest. Between 15-45 minutes. You can test if the macarons have rested by touching a macaron with the tip of your finger, if some of the macaron mixture sticks, they’ll require a longer time, if nothing sticks then they are well rested.

TEST THE OVEN FOR MACARONS

Macarons can be finicky about temperatures, yes, it’s almost like they have a mind of their own. You may have to test a few times to see what works best with your oven. I’ve found macarons can be baked between 120c – 150c with great results, you just have to extend the cooking time when baking at lower temperatures. For my oven I bake my macarons at 150c/300F for 20 minutes. It’s also a good idea to flip your tray at 5-10 minute intervals if your oven has hot spots.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How to store macarons?

Macarons can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for a week or in the freezer for 3 months. In fact it is best to store filled macarons in the fridge for 1-2 days before eating as this matures the macarons, allowing the filling and shells to meld together to create a deliciously perfect morsel.

Why are my macarons hollow?

There can be many reasons for this, it’s hard to say. Macarons can be over/under beated in the macaronage stage. They can be baked too high or too low. It can be a tricky thing to fix, and requires further testing.

Why are my macarons cracked?

This commonly happens if the macarons have not had enough time to rest or the oven temperature is too high. The best way to tell if the macarons have rested enough is to touch it with your finger, if nothing comes off onto your finger, they are rested.

Why are my macarons hard or crunchy?

It’s quite normal for macarons to be hard or crunchy, this sometimes happens if the macarons have been overbaked. There is an easy fix for this one, fill your macarons and let them mature in the fridge for 24 or more hours. This process allows the filling to soften the macaron creating the perfect crumbly melt in your mouth texture.

More Macaron Recipes

• Biscoff Macarons
• Peanut Butter Macarons
• Passionfruit Macarons
• Pistachio Macarons