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Ladybug Macarons

These ladybug macarons are so fun to make and so cute! They're filled with vanilla buttercream and decorated with royal icing and candy eyes. And the best part is they aren't as difficult to make as they may seem!
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Resting time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Keyword: ladybug macarons, macarons
Servings: 18 macarons
Calories: 130kcal
Author: The Tipsy Macaron

Equipment

  • Kitchen scale
  • Strainer
  • Whisk
  • Stand mixer
  • Spatula
  • One 16 inch pastry bag
  • Two 8 inch pastry bags
  • Round piping tip
  • Two silicone mats
  • Two half sheet pans
  • Oven thermometer

Ingredients

Macaron shells

  • 90 grams powdered sugar
  • 80 grams almond flour
  • 70 grams egg whites
  • 70 grams granulated sugar
  • 2 grams egg white powder
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 5 drops red gel food coloring

Buttercream

  • ¼ cup salted butter (½ stick)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp heavy whipping cream
  • ¼ tsp vanilla extract

Royal icing and decoration

  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • ½ tsp meringue powder
  • 1 tsp water
  • 3 drops black gel food coloring
  • small candy eyes (36 eyes)

Instructions

Prepare dry ingredients

  • Weigh and sift the powdered sugar and almond flour using a whisk to break down all the little clumps. (TIP - Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together because the almond flour has moisture and will not sift well on its own)
  • Line the baking sheets with the two silicone mats.
  • Place the medium piping tip inside the 16 inch pastry bag.

Make the meringue

  • Whisk the egg whites on medium-low speed (speed 4) until you start to see small bubbles (this can take as little as 15 seconds sometimes), then slowly add 3 tbsp of granulated sugar.
  • Increase speed to medium (speed 6) and continue slowly adding the remainder of the granulated sugar.
  • Once you have medium peaks, stop the mixer, scrape the sides and add the vanilla.
  • Whisk for about 2 minutes and then add the food coloring.
  • Whisk for another 5 minutes or until stiff peaks.

Combine ingredients

  • Add in 1/3 of the dry ingredients into the meringue and fold the batter until you can't see any of the dry ingredients.
  • When folding the batter, slide the spatula under the batter, lift it in a U motion, and go over the top of the batter, and slide it under again. This way you make sure to get the batter at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Once fully combined, add in another 1/3 and repeat the process of folding.
  • Add in the last 1/3 of the powdered sugar/almond flour mixture and fold until fully combined.
  • Once all of the powdered sugar/almond flour mixture has been added, continue folding a few more times to make sure all the ingredients are combined well.
  • Now you need to deflate some of the air in the batter by taking the spatula and smearing the batter on the sides of the bowl two or three times, and then folding once or twice.
  • Continue this pattern of smearing some of the batter on the side of the bowl, and folding once or twice until the batter starts to run off the spatula in ribbons.
  • You can test the consistency by lifting the spatula and letting the batter run down. If it falls in ribbons and sinks into itself within 30 seconds, the batter is ready.

Pipe the shells

  • Transfer the batter to the pastry bag with the piping tip. (TIP: before transferring the batter to the pastry bag, place the bag inside a tall glass with a wide opening and fold the sides of the bag over the top. This will make it easier to pour the batter in the bag without the bag folding over)
  • Pipe the macarons in ¾ inch circles, about an inch apart, as they will spread a bit.
  • Tap the baking sheet against the counter about 8 times to remove any air bubbles.
  • Let the macarons rest at room temperature until they are dry to the touch. This can take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour, depending how much food coloring is used or the level of humidity in the kitchen.
  • While the macarons are resting, preheat the oven to 310°F.
  • Bake for 14-16 minutes.

Buttercream

  • Using the stand mixer, whisk the butter for about a minute until creamy.
  • Add the powdered sugar and mix.
  • Add vanilla and mix until fully combined.
  • Add the heavy whipping cream and continue mixing until smooth and creamy.
  • Transfer the buttercream to an 8 inch pastry bag and cut a ½ inch opening at the tip.

Royal Icing

  • In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, meringue powder and a few drops of water and stir with a spoon.
  • Continue stirring adding a few more drops of water if necessary.
  • Check the consistency by lifting the spoon and counting how many seconds it takes for the icing to sink back into itself. If it takes 20 seconds, the icing is ready.
  • Add 3 drops of black gel food coloring and stir until fully mixed.
  • Transfer the royal icing to an 8 inch pastry bag and cut a very small opening at the tip.
  • Start decorating the ladybug by first making a football shaped outline at the front of the macaron, filling it in, and adding two candy eyes before the icing starts to dry.
  • Pipe a straight line down the middle and then add dots on both sides of the macaron.
  • Let the icing dry completely.
  • Once the icing has dried, fill the bottom shell with buttercream, place the decorated shell on top, and refrigerate overnight.

Notes

Macaron tips
Make sure your mixing bowl is clean and grease free.
Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together. Almond flour is moist and does not sift well on its own.
Use room temperature egg whites.
Weigh all ingredients in grams for accuracy.
Whisk the meringue until you get stiff peaks.
Let macarons dry before baking so they don’t crack.
Mix the royal icing until it sinks into itself within 20 seconds.

Nutrition

Calories: 130kcal