Peanut Butter Macarons

If you love peanut butter like me, you’re going to love these Peanut Butter Macarons. They’re using the easy French macaron method and filled with a peanut butter buttercream. Does it get any better than that? Read my post below for the best tips and tricks for making these Peanut Butter Macarons.

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

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED FOR MACARONS?

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR PEANUT BUTTER BUTTERCREAM

• Unsalted softened butter
• Peanut butter
• Powdered sugar (icing sugar)

KITCHEN TOOLS NEEDED.

• Bowl (glass or metal)
• Stand mixer or electric hand mixer with whisk attachment
• Sifter or food processor (optional)
• Parchment/baking paper or silpat mat
• Flat baking sheet
• Kitchen Scale
• Round piping tip and piping bags

HOW DO I MAKE PEANUT BUTTER MACARONS?

STEP 1: MEASURE INGREDIENTS

Measure the egg whites, granulated sugar, almond meal and powdered sugar.

STEP 2: SIFT WELL OR PROCESS

Sift the almond meal and powdered sugar together. Alternatively place the almond meal and powdered sugar into a food processor and process until fine.

STEP 3: MAKE A MERINGUE

Whisk the egg whites on a medium speed until it becomes foamy. Slowly add in the sugar until the meringue is stiff and glossy. This can take a while of whisking. Once the meringue is stiff, add in the brown and yellow food colouring and whisk until the colour has been incorporated.

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STEP 4: MACRONAGE

Macronage is the step if turning the meringue and almond meal into the right texture batter that enables it to pipe and bake well. Sift the almond meal and sugar into the meringue. Fold gently until the mixture the dry ingredients are incorporated into the meringue. To check the macronage, form 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.

STEP 5: PIPING

Fill the macaron batter into a piping bag fitted with a round piping tip (cut the edge of the piping bag, however for neat circles it’s best to use a piping tip). Pipe 1 inch (3.5cm) circles onto parchment (baking) paper or a silpat mat. Sprinkle some or all of the macarons with the crushed peanuts.

STEP 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 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. The macarons from the oven after the time has lapsed, or when you push them on their feet, they do not move.

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HOW DO I MAKE PEANUT BUTTER BUTTERCREAM MACARON FILLING?

Place the butter, peanut butter and powdered sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until smooth, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk if the mixture is too stiff and beat until smooth. Fill into a piping bag and pipe a little mound into the one side of each macaron shell. Place the other shell on top.

MACARON TIPS AND TRICKS

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 silicon 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.

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.

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.

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 peanut butter 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.