Macarons with Vanilla Buttercream Filling

Macarons are a fun French treat that adds brightness to your day with the rainbow of cheerful colors they have. These little cookies have a perfected look and a crisp/chewy texture with sweet flavor. Specialize them even more with a variety of different flavors between the cookies and the filling. Whether you are celebrating a bridal or baby shower, wedding, or just because, macarons are a delightful addition to any celebration or everyday! You can't go wrong with these Macarons with Vanilla Buttercream Filling.

Macarons can be temperamental, but don't be feared. Once you figure out their texture, its response to your oven, how they react to your climate, and have patience when making them, you'll be so excited with them in the end! Macarons are made to impress, their crisp shell and pleasantly chewy inside is exactly what you want.

These little cookies are a lovely treat to enjoy, and can be to make, once you get the hang of it. Give yourself a few tries and you'll be making macarons for all occasions!

Here I am sharing a basic macaron recipe, but there are so many flavor combinations that can be done as well. Enjoy making these cute, elegant, and tasty sweet treat.

Macarons with Vanilla Buttercream Filling 

PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE

Cookie Ingredients for Macarons with Vanilla Buttercream Filling:

3/4 cup Blanched Almond Flour (this is the brand I used and found at our local Walmart)
1 cup Confectioners' Sugar
2 large Egg Whites, at room temperature
1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
Food Coloring Gel

Vanilla Buttercream Filling Ingredients: 

1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
4 cups Confectioners Sugar
1/4 cup Milk
2 tsp Vanilla
1/4 tsp Clabber Girl Corn Starch

Tools to use for Macarons with Vanilla Buttercream Filling 

Pipping bag
Pipping bag tips
Food coloring gel
Parchment paper or Silpat mat

Directions for Macarons with Vanilla Buttercream Filling:

Macaron Cookies:
1. Combine almond flour and confectioners' sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk together. Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing against it to break up any clumps. Set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add the egg whites and beat using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed until whites get frothy, about a minute. Then add the granulated sugar and beat on high for about 2 minutes until stiff, glossy peaks form, a meringue

3. Using Food Coloring Gel, add a knife tip of color to your your meringue mixture. Mix for only a small amount longer until its well blended. Use more gel for bolder colors.

4. Gently fold in the dry ingredients a little at a time. Repeat until mixture is smooth. It will run a little but not be too runny. Be sure to not over mix.

5. Using a pipping bag with a 1/2 inch round tip, filled with batter to pipe each cookie.

6. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpat mat and pipe batter into 1 inch circles, 1 inch a part. I use a macaron template that I found online for consistency. There are also macaron silpat mats available.

7. Once done piping the circles, tap the baking sheet on the countertop several times to release any air bubbles. Batter will flatten out a little. When lifting up your spatula, the batter should pour with a steadily and settle back down in the bowl.

8. Let batter sit at room temperature for 30 minutes until they for a skin. This is helpful when baking to form the signature macaron feet.

9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

10. Bake macarons for 15 to 18 minutes. The cookies should come right off the baking sheet when lifted off. 18 minutes worked best for me.

11. Let cool somewhat then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Vanilla Buttercream Filling:
1. Using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer, cream the butter until soft and smooth.

2. Warm the milk and dissolve the Clabber Girl Corn Starch in it.

3. Add the milk/corn starch, vanilla, and confectioners' sugar a little at a time and mix together until light and fluffy, well blended.

Put together the Macarons: 
1. Using a pipping bag with a round tip, add the buttercream filling.

2. Pipe a swirl of filling on the flat side of the cookies.

3. Top with another cookie, creating a sandwich effect with 2 cookies with filling in between.

A Few Baking Notes:
- Do not overfold as the batter will be too runny, they will spread out and not for the signature feet. Do not under fold as the batter will crack.

- Do not skip the drying time. This will help develop a skin over the batter to create the feet when baking. They should be completely dry to touch before you bake them.

-You may need to adjust your oven temperature down some or shorter baking time depending on your oven to see for sure what works best for you.

-If you have hollow tops, you may need to adjust your oven temperature or baking time.

-Store macarons in an air tight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Enjoy these pretty cookies with their round tops, ruffled feet, and tasty filling between!

This post is sponsored by Clabber Girl but 

all thoughts/opinions are always 100% my own. 

Chocolate Dipped Wafer Cookies

I love making holiday treats for the kids parties and at home. These Chocolate Dipped Wafer Cookies are probably one of the easiest treats to make! They're fun for the kids to help with, tasty, and still somewhat "homemade."

I made these with my daughter for her preschool class party. We used pink wafers with Valentine's Day in mind. We melted white chocolate and dipped one end of the water in the chocolate then set them out on a cookie sheet. We decorated the chocolate them with different fun sprinkles.

So fun and easy to put together.

Choose a color wafer.

Use melted white, milk, or dark chocolate. .

Decorate with sprinkles, small candies, and/or chocolate drizzle to make them festive.

Wrap them up in a treat bag and attach a cute tag for fun gift giving.

Do different variations for Forth of July, Halloween, etc. 

Chocolate Dipped Wafer Cookies

PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE

Ingredients for Chocolate Dipped Wafer Cookies: 

1 package wafer cookies (Strawberry, Chocolate, and/or Vanilla)
1 package chocolate (I like to use Baker's Premium White Chocolate or Nestle Tollhouse Morsels
 Sprinkles, small candies (Valentine's Day, 4th of July, Halloween, Christmas)

Directions for Chocolate Dipped Wafer Cookies: 

1. Place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and melt the chocolate until smooth. Microwave on high for 30 minute intervals and stir in between.
2. Line a baking sheet with wax paper so the cookies won't stick when the chocolate has dried.
3. Dip the wafer into the melted chocolate halfway or so.
4. Place the wafer on the wax paper. While the chocolate is still warm add the sprinkles or other decorations.
5. Let chocolate cool completely and enjoy! Place in a treat bag, tie with a ribbon and add a cute tag for fun gift giving.

Dakota Caramels, A Rumford Complete Cookbook Recipe

These Dakota Caramels are a perfect addition to make up as part of your holiday treats.

Growing up, my mom always made a large assortment of holiday treats from baking cookies, making caramels and toffees, and preparing chocolate coated treats. I loved to help her with  them, especially my favorites. We would make up trays of a mixture of all the goodies, and deliver them around to our neighbors. This Dakota Caramels recipe reminds me of  those times making all the holiday treats.

The Dakota Caramels recipe is on page 208 of the Rumford Complete Complete Cookbook. Below is a photo of the recipe.

They have a delicious sweet molasses-nutty flavor to them.

Here is my version of the recipe:

Dakota Caramels, A Rumford Compelete Cookbook Recipe

Ingredients for Dakota Caramels:

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup molasses
1/4 lb grated chocolate (I used semi-sweet)
1/2 cup butter
1 cup milk
1 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)

Directions for Dakota Caramels:

Put all the ingredients, except the nuts into a large pan. Cook at a medium to high heat to bring mixture to a boil. Stir often and continuously boil to bring mixture to a Firm Ball level, 244 to 248 degrees F, on a candy thermometer . After reaching the firm ball level, add in the chopped nuts and stir them in. Then gently pour the mixture into a greased baking sheet and let cool. Cut into bite sized squares when cooled. Wrap each square in wax paper to store.

PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE

This old fashioned recipe is easy to do and the caramels have a great blend of flavors.

This post is sponsored by Clabber Girl but my

 thoughts/opinions are always 100% my own

.

Pecan Sandies

Our cookie jar is usually full of a different type of cookie each week! Pecan sandies are one of my favorites, toasty pecan bits combined with a sweet, buttery flavor make up these cookies. A crisp and light cookie that is buttery and loaded with pecans! So good!

These cookies are great for any occasion, to make for a holiday cookie tray, bake sale, or just to fill your cookie jar each week.

Perfect as is straight out of the cookie jar or pair with a glass of milk or cup of tea.

I always like to make a variety of cookies throughout the year, then when the holiday season rolls around, I make them all up at once for cookie trays. These Pecan Sandies will definitely be included!

Pecan Sandies

Ingredients: 
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon Clabber Girl baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg, beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Directions:
Mix together the flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar then set aside.

In another bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy.
Then add the vanilla, salt, egg and beat until smooth.

Slowly combine the flour mixture into the liquid mixture. Continue mixing with each flour mixture addition. The dough will be a thick so be sure to add flour mixture a little at a time.

Add the pecans and mix them in with a large spoon.

Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and lay out on an ungreased baking sheet. Using the end of a cup, flatten each dough ball to about 1/2 inch thick.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until very lightly browned on the edges. Remove and cool.

PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE


Enjoy these Pecan Sandies anytime of the year!

This post is sponsored by Clabber Girl but my

 thoughts/opinions are always 100% my own

Candy Corn Rice Krispie Treats

Candy corn is probably one of the most popular Halloween candy treats! Maybe the most recognized for the Halloween time of year. What a fun twist on rice krispie treats and Halloween together is to make Candy Corn Rice Krispie Treats.

It's always fun to put together a fun creative treat! These are great for your child's class snacks, to pass out for trick or treating, or just a fun twist on rice krispie treats in the fall time!

Candy Corn Rice Krispie Treats

Ingredients:

mini marshmallows

rice krispie treat cereal

stick butter

red food coloring

yellow food coloring

Directions: 

For the Yellow layer: 

2 1/2 cups rice krispie cereal

2 cups mini marshmallows

1 1/2 Tbsp butter 

yellow food coloring

For the Orange layer: 

2 cups rice krispie cereal

1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

1 Tbsp butter

red and yellow food coloring

For the White layer:

1 cup rice krispie cereal

1 1/4 cups mini marshmallows

1 Tbsp butter

Spray an 8 inch round pan with non stick spray. You will want to have wax paper available ready to use to shape your cereal in the pan, so the cereal doesn't stick to your hands and is easier to shape. You can use the microwave or stovetop, whichever you prefer.

Starting with the yellow layer, melt the butter and add the marshmallows and melt them together. Then add the yellow food coloring, a few drops for the desired yellow color and mix together. Then add the rice krispie cereal. Mix together well until all the cereal is coated with marshmallows. Shape the yellow layer around the outside edge of your round pan. 

For the orange layer, melt the butter and add the marshmallows then melt them together. Add the yellow and red food coloring to get the orange shade. Remember only a little bit of red coloring needed and more of yellow to get the orange shade. When you have your desired orange color, add the rice krispie cereal and mix together well until the cereal is coated with marshmallows. Shape the orange layer around the inside of the yellow layer in the pan. 

For the white layer, melt the butter and add the marshmallows then melt them together. Add the rice krispie cereal and mix together well until the cereal is coated with marshmallows. Then add to the center of the round pan. 

Make sure all the layers are pressed in the pan and pressed together. 

Allow the rice krispie treats to cool fully and set up for 30 minutes. When they are ready to cut, simply flip over the pan on a cutting surface and remove the treats from the pan. This is where a well greased pan is important, so it all comes out together. Using a large knife cut the rice krispie treats into triangles around the circle. This will give you the Candy Corn look. 

Makes 8 Candy Corn Treats. Double or triple the batch to make more of this easy treat. 

PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE 

Put a popsicle stick in the end, wrap in a clear party bag and tie with a colorful ribbon for a great treat for school or trick or treating!! Everyone will love them!!

This post is sponsored by Clabber Girl but my

 thoughts/opinions are always 100% my own