Root Beer Float Macarons

My girls recently discovered root beer. Yea, there’s no going back now. Every time we vist a restaurant they beg for us to swap out their waters for root beer. They get really excited when they see root beer flavored candy in the store or when mommy makes these cookies. I can’t blame them, root beer was a childhood favorite. I have ,any good memoirist hanging out after work as a teenager with a root beer float and friends!

I can’t wait to make then root beer floats this summer. Once they realize you can add ice cream to that bubbly sweetness they just might flip! Until then I thought I’d treat them to some macarons. I started off with a root beer shell and then filled the, with a mix of vanilla and root beer buttercream. If you love root beer floats you will definitely love these.
Here’s what your going to need:

Root Beer Macarons
4oz Almond Flour
8oz Powdered Sugar
5oz Egg Whites
2 1/20z Sugar
2 Tsp. Root Beer Extract ( I recommend McCormick)
1/2 Tsp. Salt
Brown Gel Coloring (Optional)

Root Beer Float Buttercream
1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter
2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 Tsp Root Beer Extract 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1-2 Tsp. Milk
Brown Gel Coloring (Optional)

Again I am SO sorry for not having step by step pictures! These were one of the macarons I made during a baking time restricted baking marathon and I promise Macarons 101 is coming soon (I know I’m late!) but you can check out this post for lost more info and details on how I make my macarons.

Step 1: Measure out all of your macaron ingredients first. This really makes it so much easier when working with treats like this.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, pour in egg whites, salt, and sugar. (You can do this with a hand mixer it will just take a little more work and careful attention.) Set timer for 3 minutes and beat at a medium speed using the whisk attachment (4 on my KitchenAid). Once the 3 minutes are up turn it up about 3 notches to speed 7 and beat for another 3 minutes. Once those are up turn it all the way up on high and beat one last time for 3 minutes.

Step 2: While your meringue is beating sift your almond flour and powdered sugar into a bowl. Once all is sifted you should have some small bits of almond that were too large to pass through. If there is a tsp. or less you just leave them out, if there is more you will want to send them through a food processor to grind them up before pouring into the batter.

Step 3: Add in extract and any coloring if you would like, I added just a little brown gel coloring here but depending on your brand of extract you may not need it. Beat on high for about 30 seconds, stop and use a spatula to scrap all the unmixed meringue from the sides, then beat for 30 more seconds.

Step 4: Using a spatula “fold” the batter with about 25-28 turns of the spatula going around the bowl then across in a swooping pattern. By doing this you are deflating some of the extra air from the batter. Make sure to get everything off the bottom mixed in. At first it will seem really thick and clumpy but it will smooth out quick. You want a thickness that is still thick enough to hold a little shape but thin enough to fold back into itself. You can check this every few stirs by holding up your spatula with batter on it, the batter should “drop” off the spatula but then settle into the batter after a few moments.

Step 5: Using a small round tip and piping bag pipe small 1-1.5 inch circles onto either a macaron mat or parchment paper. Again, I used a macaron mat and it REALLY made this process so easy. But you could simply pipe circles on to parchment paper and even pre-draw circles on the bottom as guides. Either way you need to remember you batter will spread a bit so you don’t want to pipe all the way to the sides or the circle.

Step 6: Preheat the oven for 290-300 degrees (mine was perfect at 295 you may have to play with your temps a bit). Then set your piped macarons trays on the counter and set the timer for 25 minutes. DO NOT place the macarons in the oven right after piping. Do your dishes, read a book, create list of futre macaron flavors, but DO NOT place them in the oven. After about 25-30 minutes your macarons should have a slight “crust” over them. When you gently touch them they should not stick to your finger. Bake for 15-18 minutes, time will depend on size. If they aren’t crusted over yet, leave them a bit longer!

Step 7: After pulling tray from oven, carefully pull the baking mat OR parchment paper off the baking tray and on to the counter to cool. Let the cool COMPLETELY before attempting to remove.

Step 8: While they are cooling make you can whip up the filling. In a large mixing bowl or bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter until fluffy add in powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Add in 1-2 Tbs. of milk a little add a time beating in between until you achieve desired consistency. Once you have your buttercream ready spoon about half of it into a bowl. Then beat 1 Tsp of root beer extract into the remaining buttercream. Add in a little brown gel coloring if needed.

Step 8: Place vanilla buttercream back in bowl with root beer buttercream and give it a gently swirl. Don’t mix it so they are totally combined you want to see the two different colors. Place in a piping bag with round tip and fill macaron shells.