Macaron Recipes Perfect for Every Season and Special Occasion

Su-Jit Lin
·4 min read

Not to be confused with the exuberant explosion of coconut macaroons, the elegant, Parisian-style French macaron is an almond and meringue-based treat that showcases artistry, flavor, and mastery of technique. These adorable, slightly puffed sandwich cookies taste as delicate and fancy as they look, making them perfect for bridal showers, birthdays, weddings, corporate events, or any other time you want to impress your guests.

Best of all, they're as adaptable as you like, making tasty macaron recipes and macaron recipe flavors as diverse as any occasion to have them. This video tutorial gives you one of the best recipes for macarons as a starting point, but this slide show will give you all the inspiration you need for different macaron filling recipes. From fruity jams to rich, sweetened creams or chocolate fillings that will take you from spring to winter, here are eight macaron filling ideas to elevate any special occasion in any season.

Double-Almond Macarons

What's not to love about the airy, sweet, almond-tinged flavor of classic macaron cookies? To purists, that simple flavor is all you need for an exceptional treat. This recipe doubles down on it in an elegant infusion of our favorite teardrop-shaped nut. Standard almond flour is enhanced with almond extract, which is also added to an almond buttercream frosting for the filling. The look is graceful, classy, and as tasteful as it is tasty.

Easy Flower Macarons

Part of the charm of macarons is their tidy little, slightly puffed round shapes. But with such an ethereal texture, why not play with a likewise whimsical shape? This technique adds an element of fun to an already cute cookie, and refreshing lemon curd, lemon zest, and lemon juice will perk up both your taste buds and the smile on your face.

Lemon Macarons with Cranberry-Mascarpone Filling

Similarly sunny, this macaron recipe adds lemon zest directly into the cookie, but then enriches with a mascarpone cheese-based macaron filling. This gives each bite a bit of a savory tang and richness, countered by fragrant honey and cranberries. You can use cream cheese if you can't find mascarpone and swap the craisins for dried cherries, both of which will add pleasant variety to the filling's otherwise creamy texture.

Hazelnut Macarons

Give your usual macaron recipe a major update by using hazelnuts instead of almonds. Then the filling—oh my, this filling. A homemade hazelnut buttercream that's so tasty you'll want to eat the mix by the spoonful, but it's unbeatable sandwiched between the hazelnut cookies.

Cocoa-Hazelnut Macarons

While almonds are the most common nut you'll find in macarons, this tasty macaron recipe channels the nut from your favorite chocolate spread for big, luscious flavor. Finely ground hazelnuts and cocoa powder add new depth and unexpected dimension to this delicate cookie. Plus, being able to use ready-made chocolate hazelnut spread makes the last step no more work than opening a jar. Try this with peanut butter frosting for another bold yet classic chocolate combo.

Peach Macarons

Moving on to warmer weather, sweet peach season is another seasonal fruit worth creating a culinary theme around. The already adorable shape of macaron cookies gets an extra dose of darling with a dusting of surface sugars to make it sparkle and blush with fuzzy sunset tones. A mint leaf garnish further the illusion, but there's no faking the flavor. Peach jam or peach buttercream filling bring it back full, juicy circle.

Pineapple-Filled Macarons

Take a vacation in as little as one bite: the tropical flavors of macadamia, coconut, and pineapple guarantee to whisk the eater away. These are perfect for pool parties, barbecues, or any time you want to channel the tropics. Shredded coconut adds unexpected flair to a normally smooth cookie, and crushed pineapple and pineapple juice provide natural sweetness and real fruit flavor.

Pumpkin-Almond Macarons

Just as in real life, we're onward to fall in no time at all. But all things pumpkin spice make the autumn that much more enchanting, including channeling it into a macaron recipe flavor. Just a little bit goes a long way with these delicate confections, but using rich pumpkin butter as the filling makes sure that you never forget the theme. Whip up your own for a special touch.

Macarons

Try this classic macaron recipe during the holiday season for something truly special. Vanilla bean, sea salt, and almond paste fill the cookie with flavors of the season and look like a special-occasion dessert.