These galaxy macarons are made by separating the macaron batter into three different colors and adding glittery stars for decoration. They’re filled with creamy pink vanilla buttercream but you can change the flavor and color of the filling.
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How to make different color macarons in one batch
These galaxy macarons are made from one batch of macaron batter. After making the meringue and adding the powdered sugar and almond flour mixture, fold the batter until just fully combined.
Once combined, separate the batter into three bowls, and add 2 drops of food color to each bowl. If you want brighter colors, you can add 3 drops, but try not to add to much food coloring to avoid over mixing. The more color you add at this stage, the more you have to mix in order to incorporate it into the batter.
Fold the batter to incorporate the color, but be careful not to over mix. Once the color is incorporated, stop folding.
Transfer the batter to three separate bags, cut the tips about 1/2 inch wide, and place all three bags into the larger piping bag.
Decorating macarons
Once you’ve piped the macarons and before baking, add the glitter stars so they stick to the batter once they’ve been baked. The stars will not melt in the oven.
Over mixed macarons
Over mixing can easily happen when making galaxy macarons because you’re adding the color at the batter stage, and will need to fold several more times to incorporate the color. Try to fold the batter just enough for the color to be mixed in. Over mixing can lead to flat macarons or feet that are spread out on the sides.
Best food coloring for macarons
The best food coloring for macarons is either gel food coloring or powder. Liquid food coloring adds too much moisture to the meringue, making the batter runny and ruining the texture of the shells.
You shouldn’t add too much food coloring though, just a couple of drops, so it’s best to use a good quality brand with a strong color.
How do you get vibrant colors in macarons?
In order to get vibrant colors for these galaxy macarons, you will need to use quite a bit of gel food coloring. I recommend using up to 6 drops of gel food coloring for the entire batter amount in this specific recipe, which means 2 drops per color.
Buttercream color
For these galaxy macarons, I used 2 drops of pink gel food coloring. A little goes along way when it comes to coloring buttercream, so I usually start with one drop and add more if I want to deepen the color.
How long do macarons last?
Macarons can stay fresh in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 7 days. You can also freeze macarons filled with buttercream for up to a month.
More multi-colored macarons to try
- Mango Macarons
- Strawberry Cheesecake Macarons
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Macarons
- Cotton Candy Macarons
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Macarons
Macaron resources
Galaxy Macarons
Equipment
- Kitchen scale
- Strainer
- Whisk
- Electric mixer
- 3 spatulas
- 2 small bowls (glass or stainless steel)
- Four 8 inch pastry bags
- One 16 inch pastry bag
- 1 round piping tip (Wilton 12 or Ateco 10)
- Two silicone mats
- Two half sheet pans
- Oven thermometer
Ingredients
- 90 grams powdered sugar
- 80 grams almond flour
- 70 grams egg whites (room temperature)
- 70 grams granulated sugar
- 2 grams egg white powder (optional)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 drops black gel food coloring
- 2 drops blue gel food coloring
- 2 drops pink gel food coloring
Vanilla buttercream
- ½ cup salted butter (1 stick)
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ tbsp heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 drops pink gel food coloring
Instructions
Prepare dry ingredients
- Sift powdered sugar and almond flour using a whisk to break down any clumps. Set aside.
- Line sheet pans with silicone mats.
- Insert piping tip in 16 inch pastry bag.
Make the meringue
- Whisk the egg whites on medium speed (speed 4) until opaque (this can take as little as 15 seconds sometimes).
- Slowly add 3 tbsp of granulated sugar, 1 tbsp at a time.
- Whisk until you start to see tracks in the meringue.
- Increase speed to 6 and continue slowly adding the remainder of the granulated sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, until you've added all the sugar.
- Once you have soft peaks, stop the mixer, scrape the sides, and add the vanilla extract.
- Whisk until you have stiff peaks.
Combine ingredients
- Add the powdered sugar and almond flour mixture in three parts, 1/3 at a time, folding each part until fully combined. Once you can't see any more dry ingredients, stop folding.
- Separate the batter into 3 parts, leaving 1/3 of the batter in the mixing bowl, and the rest divided into the two smaller bowls.
- Add 2 drops of gel food coloring to each of the bowls (2 drops of pink to one bowl, 2 drops of blue to another, and 2 drops of black to the last bowl).
- Working with one bowl at a time, fold the batter in each bowl until the color is fully incorporated, being careful not to over mix.
- Once the color is fully mixed in, continue folding the batter and deflating some of the air by smearing the batter against the side of the bowl two or three times, and folding once or twice.
- Repeat this process for each bowl, checking the batter consistency every few folds by picking up some of the batter with the spatula and letting it run down. If it falls in ribbons without breaking and sinks back into itself within 30 seconds, the batter is ready.
Piping the macarons
- Transfer the batter from each bowl into a separate 8 inch pastry bag and cut a 1/2 inch opening at the tip of each bag.
- Place the three 8 inch pastry bags inside the 16 inch bag.
- Holding the pastry bag at a 90° angle, pipe the shells into 3/4 inch circles about an inch apart swirling the tip at the end to create the swirl.
- Tap the tray against the counter about 8 times to release any air bubbles.
- Add a few glitter stars on half of the shells, or you can add the stars to all of the shells if you want your macarons to have stars on both sides. (The stars won't melt in the oven)
- Let macarons rest until they form a skin and are no longer sticky.
- While the macarons are resting, preheat the oven to 310°F.
- Bake the macarons for 14-16 minutes.
- Macarons are ready when they no longer wiggle if you touch the tops.
Make the vanilla buttercream
- Using the stand mixer, whisk the butter until smooth.
- Add half of the powdered sugar and whisk until combined.
- Add the remaining powdered sugar and whisk until fully combined.
- Add 2 drops of pink gel food coloring and whisk until the color is combined.
- Add the vanilla extract and the cream and whisk until creamy and smooth.
Assemble the macarons
- Fill an 8 inch pastry bag with the buttercream and cut a 1/2 inch opening at the bottom of the bag.
- Pipe the buttercream in the center of half of the macarons and top with the remaining halves.