Strawberry Cheesecake Macarons Recipe
Delight in the elegance of homemade Strawberry Cheesecake Macarons with a delicate almond meringue shell infused with strawberry and vanilla extracts, perfectly paired with a creamy strawberry cheesecake filling. These visually stunning pink macarons are light, airy, and just sweet enough, finished with a garnish of crushed freeze-dried strawberries for an extra fruity crunch.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus 30-60 minutes resting time)
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: About 20-24 macarons (10-12 pairs) 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Macaron Shells
- 100 grams almond flour
- 100 grams powdered sugar
- 75 grams egg whites (about 2 large eggs)
- 50 grams granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon strawberry extract
- Few drops pink food coloring (optional)
Filling
- Softened cream cheese (amount not specified, estimated 100 grams)
- Softened butter (amount not specified, estimated 50 grams)
- Powdered sugar (amount not specified, estimated 75 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon strawberry extract
- 2 tablespoons crushed freeze-dried strawberries (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to ensure the macarons bake evenly and don’t stick.
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: Sift together the almond flour and powdered sugar into a bowl to remove lumps and combine thoroughly; set this mixture aside for later folding.
- Beat Egg Whites: In a clean mixing bowl, start beating the egg whites with cream of tartar until they become foamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar while continuing to beat until stiff peaks form, which is crucial for proper macaron structure.
- Add Flavor & Color: Gently incorporate the vanilla extract, strawberry extract, and optional pink food coloring into the meringue to infuse flavor and achieve the signature macaron hue.
- Fold Dry Ingredients: Carefully fold the sifted almond flour and powdered sugar mixture into the whipped egg whites. Fold until the batter reaches a lava-like consistency—fluid enough to slowly drip off the spatula without being too runny.
- Pipe Macarons: Transfer the batter into a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe small, uniform circles onto the parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced evenly to allow for expansion.
- Rest Macarons: Let the piped circles sit at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes. This resting period allows the shells to develop a dry skin, which helps form the classic macaron feet during baking.
- Bake: Bake the macarons in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through to ensure even cooking. The macarons should rise and develop a firm yet delicate shell.
- Cool Shells: Allow the macarons to cool completely on the baking sheets before attempting to remove them to help prevent cracking.
- Prepare Filling: Beat together softened cream cheese and butter in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar followed by strawberry extract, mixing until the filling is fluffy and flavorful.
- Assemble Macarons: Pair matching macaron shells by size. Pipe a dollop of the cheesecake filling onto one shell and gently sandwich with the matching shell. Optionally, garnish the assembled macarons with crushed freeze-dried strawberries for added texture and a burst of strawberry flavor.
Notes
- Resting the macarons before baking is essential to develop the skin that leads to the classic ‘feet’.
- Use room temperature egg whites to achieve optimal meringue volume.
- Ensure almond flour and powdered sugar are well sifted for smooth shells.
- The amount of cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar for the filling can be adjusted to taste and desired consistency but estimated quantities are listed.
- Freeze-dried strawberries add a nice crunch and an intensified strawberry flavor but are optional.
Keywords: strawberry macarons, cheesecake macarons, french macarons, strawberry dessert, almond flour macarons, homemade macarons, dessert sandwich cookies
