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Orange Creamsicle Macarons

This week we’re making orange creamsicle macarons! They’re decorated to look just mini orange creamsicles and are filled with the best vanilla orange buttercream.

image of mini orange creamsicle macarons filled with orange creamsicle buttercream

Making Macarons with the French Method

There are quite a few different ways to make macarons, including the Italian, Swiss, and French Method!

I’m a fan of the french method, mostly because of its simplicity! The French method whisks egg whites together with a bit of sugar to create a French meringue with stiff peaks.

This meringue is then folded into a mixture of finely ground almonds and powdered sugar. This process of folding the meringue into the dry ingredients is called macaronage.

No matter what method you use, macarons require expertise to mix the batter the perfect amount to achieve that elusive, lava-like consistency.

Equipment You’ll Need to Make These Orange Creamsicle Macarons

Like I mentioned above, these orange creamsicle macarons don’t require a ton of equipment!

However, I find they turn out best when the ingredients are weighed and the macarons are baked on a silpat mat. As macarons bake, they usually spread less on silpat mats than parchment paper.

Below is a list of tools and equipment I like to use when I make macarons:

Making Orange Creamsicle Macarons – Step by Step Process

While the recipe below is quite detailed, I find visual cues to be super helpful!

Below are some photos and a video tutorial of the process to help guide you through this recipe for orange creamsicle macarons.

Step #1: Prep Your Ingredients and Equipment to Make These Orange Creamsicle Macarons

After weighing your ingredients, wipe down your mixing bowl and whisk attachment with a bit of vinegar or lemon juice. This removes any traces of grease and helps the meringue whip up properly.

Step #2: Sift Your Dry Ingredients

Sift your superfine almond flour and powdered sugar. This ensures your macaron shells turn out nice and smooth.

image of dry ingredients being sifted into bowl to make french macarons

Step #3: Make French Meringue

Next it’s time to make the French meringue! Whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar on a medium speed until soft peaks form.

Next, add in the granulated sugar and mix on a medium speed for 30 seconds to help the sugar incorporate into the egg whites.

Once the sugar is incorporated, mix on a medium high speed until stiff peaks form. This can be done with a stand mixer or hand mixer.

Keep a close eye on your mixer to avoid over mixing your meringue. Stop the mixer once you notice texture as the meringue mixes, and the meringue begins to gather in the whisk.

image of french meringue that's been whipped to have stiff peaks to be used to make french macarons

Step #4: Mix the Dry Ingredients Into The Meringue

Mix the dry ingredients into the meringue. Once the dry ingredients begin to incorporate into the meringue, scoop out about 1/4 cup of the mixture into a small bowl.

Add orange gel food coloring into the batter and continue to fold until thick ribbons of batter flow off your spatula when it’s lifted.

Gently fold the uncolored batter with a mini rubber spatula until it it the right consistency as well.

A great way to test the consistency of your batter is the figure 8 test. This is when you lift your spatula and see if you can draw a figure 8 with the batter running off your spatula in one consistent stream.

You should be able to draw a couple figure 8s once your macaron batter is the right consistency.

Step #5: Pipe the Macaron Shells

Fill a large piping bag with the orange macaron batter and pipe creamsicle shaped dollops onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Use the printed circles on your mat as a guide.

Place the uncolored batter into a small piping bag and snip the end of the bag to make a 1/2 cm opening. Pipe a thin line of white macaron batter at the base of each of the creamsicle macarons.

Firmly bang or drop your pans on the counter a few times to bring any trapped air bubbles to the surface and pop them with a scribe. This can help you avoid hollow or cracked shells.

Step #6: Rest the Piped Macaron Shells

Next let the macarons rest for about 30 minutes, or until they form a skin.

They should be mostly dry to the touch and look matte once they’re ready to be baked! While the shells rest preheat your oven.

Step #7: Bake The Macaron Shells

Bake one tray of macarons at a time, and rotate the pan half way through to help them bake evenly.

Let the macarons cool fully on the pan then gently remove them from the silpat mat.

Step #8: Assembling These Orange Creamsicle Macarons

Pipe a dollop of orange creamsicle buttercream onto one macaron shell and top it with a second shell.

Place the finished macarons in the fridge in an airtight container to mature overnight then bring the macarons back to room temperature and enjoy!

image of mini orange creamsicle macarons filled with orange creamsicle buttercream

Orange Creamsicle Macaron Troubleshooting

I’d love to think everyone’s first batch of orange creamsicle macarons will turn out perfectly but my own experience has taught me that’s not always the case.

Macarons can be incredibly temperamental and it might take a few tries to get them just right.

If you run into any issues please check out my detailed French macaron troubleshooting guide.

image of mini orange creamsicle macarons filled with orange creamsicle buttercream

Choosing The Right Filling for Your Orange Creamsicle Macarons

While we put tons of energy into the shell of a macaron, almost all of the flavor in a macaron comes from its filling.

The shell gives the macarons an incredible texture, but the filling is what determines its flavor. You can use just about any type of frosting or ganache to fill macarons.

I have a big sweet tooth, so I love making orange creamsicle buttercream to fill these macarons. It makes them taste just like a bite of an orange creamsicle!

If you don’t want your macarons to be super sweet, I recommend using Italian buttercream or Swiss meringue frosting instead!

image of mini orange creamsicle macarons filled with orange creamsicle buttercream that have been bitten into to show the filling and full shells

Orange Creamsicle Macaron Recipe Yield

This recipe makes about 36 macaron shells, which can be used to make 18 regular sized macarons. You can double or triple this recipe to make more macarons if needed.

Or if you want to make mini creamsicles like I did, you can make about 30 mini macarons.

The yield and bake time will also vary based on the size of macarons you pipe. I pipe my shells with a diameter of about 1 1/4 inches.

Tips for Making the Best Orange Creamsicle Macarons

  • Wipe your mixing bowl and whisk with lemon juice or vinegar to remove any traces of grease before making your meringue. It will help your egg whites whip up better!
  • Separate your own eggs and age them if possible. Do not use egg whites from a carton.
  • Measure your ingredients in grams with a kitchen scale. You really need to be precise with this recipe and your macarons will turn out best if the ingredients are weighed.
  • Use superfine almond flour rather than trying to make your own! It more consistently yields great macarons.
  • Carefully read through the directions before making these macarons. There are quite a few steps and it’s good to know your game plan before you start!
  • FIRMLY bang/drop your pans on your counter after piping your macarons. This helps release any air bubbles that may be trapped and prevent cracked or hollow shells.
  • Rest the macarons for 30 minutes (or until they develop a skin) before baking them. This will help the feet develop properly!
  • If you’re not super familiar with your oven, pipe a small number of macarons on a few sheets to test your oven for hot spots and to see if it bakes accurately. This way you won’t waste a whole tray of macs if your oven runs hot or cold.
  • Let your macarons mature! Letting them rest overnight while they are filled softens them (in a good way) and allows the flavors to develop.
  • If you run into any issues making these macarons, please check out my macaron troubleshooting guide.
image of mini orange creamsicle macarons filled with orange creamsicle buttercream

Making These Orange Creamsicle Macarons in Advance & Storage Tips

  • Let these macarons mature for a few hours or overnight in the fridge before eating them. This gives them their best texture and taste.
  • Store macarons at room temperature for up to 2 days in an airtight container.
  • Refrigerate macarons for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
  • Freeze filled macarons for up to a month in an airtight container.
  • Unfilled macaron shells can be frozen for up to a month in an airtight container.
  • Make your filling ahead of time too or save any leftover filling! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try this recipe for orange creamsicle macarons, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please leave a rating and comment below.

Tag me @chelsweets and use the #chelsweets on social media so that I can see your amazing creations!

Other Recipes You Might Like:

Yield: 30 mini macarons

Orange Creamsicle Macarons

image of mini orange creamsicle macarons filled with orange creamsicle buttercream

Learn how to make the best orange creamsicle macarons! They're filled with an orange creamsicle buttercream that will take you straight back to your childhood!

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 6 minutes

Ingredients

Orange Creamsicle Macarons

Orange Creamsicle Buttercream Frosting

  • 56g unsalted butter, room temperature (1/4 cup)
  • 4g artificial vanilla (1 tsp)
  • 3g orange emulsion or orange extract (1/2 tsp)
  • 2g salt (1/4 tsp)
  • 125g powdered sugar (1 cup)
  • 10g heavy cream (2 tsp)

Equipment

Instructions

Orange Creamsicle Macarons

  1. Line two flat baking sheets with silicone mats and set aside.
  2. Sift 70g superfine almond flour and 63g powdered sugar into a large bowl and set aside.
  3. Pour 55g of aged egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk and mix on a medium speed until the surface of the egg whites is covered in small bubbles. Add in a pinch of cream of tartar and continue to mix until your reach the soft peak stage.
  4. Add 55g of granulated sugar into the eggs and mix on a medium speed for 30 seconds then increase the mixing speed to a medium-high speed. Keep mixing until stiff, glossy peaks form.
  5. Start folding the dry ingredients into the meringue. Once the dry ingredients begin to incorporate into the meringue, scoop out about 1/4 cup of the mixture into a small bowl and set aside.
  6. Add orange gel food coloring into the batter and continue to fold until thick ribbons of batter flow off your spatula when it's lifted. I like to perform the figure-8 test to check my consistency! This is when you lift your spatula and see if you can draw a figure 8 with the batter running off your spatula in one consistent stream. You should be able to draw a couple figure 8s once your macaron batter is the right consistency.
  7. Pour the orange macaron batter into a large piping bag fit with a small round piping tip.
  8. Gently fold the uncolored batter with a mini rubber spatula until it is the right consistency as well. Place the uncolored batter into a small piping bag and snip the end of the bag to make a 1/2 cm opening.
  9. Pipe small creamsicle shaped shells onto a silicon mat, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Use the printed circles on your mat as a guide, and square off the bottom corners of each macaron with a scribe to give them that iconic popsicle shape.
  10. Pipe a thin line of white macaron batter at the base of each shell.
  11. Bang the pans firmly on the counter a few times to release air bubbles, then pop any remaining air bubbles that come to the surface with a toothpick.
  12. Let the macarons rest for 30 minutes, or until they develop a skin. The macarons should look matte once the skin has formed.
  13. As the macarons rest, preheat your oven to 315 F.
  14. Bake one tray of macarons at a time on the middle rack of your oven for 13-16 minutes and rotate your pan halfway through. Cover the tops of the macarons with foil as you rotate the pans to prevent browning.
  15. Remove from oven and let the macarons cool on the pan (about 15 minutes), then gently remove them from the silpat mat.

Orange Creamsicle Buttercream Frosting

  1. Beat 56g of room-temperature butter on a medium speed for 1-2 minutes with an electric mixer until it becomes lighter in color and smooth.
  2. Mix in 4g artificial vanilla extract, 3g of orange emulsion and 2g salt on a low speed.
  3. Slowly mix in 120g of powdered sugar and 10g heavy cream on a low speed.
  4. Continue to mix on low for a couple minutes until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached. 
  5. If the frosting is too thick, add in additional heavy cream or milk (1 tsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (1 Tbsp at a time).
  6. Place in a small piping bag with a round tip or snip a 1 cm opening at the bottom of the bag.

Assembling These Orange Creamsicle Macarons

  1. Pipe a dollop of orange creamsicle buttercream or frosting of your choice around one macaron shell, then press a trimmed, 2-inch popsicle stick on top of the buttercream. Gently press a second shell on top of the frosting to create a sandwich.
  2. Place the finished macarons in an airtight container and chill in the fridge overnight, then let them warm to room temperature and enjoy!

Notes

Recipe Yield:

This recipe makes about 36 mini creamsicle macarons. You can double or triple this recipe to make more macarons if needed.

The yield and bake time can vary based on how large you pipe your shells. I piped these shells with a diameter of about 1 and 1/4 inch, so they're a tiny bit smaller than a standard macaron.

Tips for Making the Best Orange Creamsicle Macarons

  • Measure your ingredients in grams with a kitchen scale! You really need to be precise with this recipe. Your macarons will turn out best if the ingredients are weighed.
  • Separate your own eggs and age them if possible! Do not use egg whites from a carton.
  • Carefully read through the directions before making these macarons. There are quite a few steps and it's good to know your game plan before you start!
  • Use a macaron mat or print out a template to help you pipe consistently sized macarons.
  • FIRMLY bang your pans on your counter after piping your macarons. This helps release any air bubbles that may be trapped and prevent cracked or hollow shells.
  • Rest your macarons for 30 minutes before they're baked to allow them to develop a skin.
  • Pipe a small number of macarons on a mat to test your oven for hot spots and see if it bakes accurately. This way you won't waste a whole tray of macs if your oven runs hot or cold.
  • Let your macarons mature in the fridge overnight! Letting them rest overnight while they are filled softens them (in a good way) and allows the flavors to develop.
  • If your first batch of macarons doesn't turn out, please check out the troubleshooting section above for help!

Making These Orange Creamsicle Macarons in Advance & Storage Tips

  • French macarons need to mature overnight (or ideally 24 hours) in the fridge before being eaten! They taste best 24 hours after being made.
  • Macarons can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days in an airtight container.
  • Macarons can be refrigerated for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
  • Filled macarons can be frozen for up to a month, but the length can vary based on the filling.
  • Unfilled macaron shells can be frozen for up to a month in an airtight container.
  • Your filling can be made ahead of time too or save any leftover filling! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month.

Nutrition Information

Yield

36

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 65Total Fat 3gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 14mgSodium 29mgCarbohydrates 8gFiber 1gSugar 7gProtein 1g

Laura

Friday 5th of August 2022

Chelsey, why do you use artificial vanilla in this recipe? I’m just curious for the reasoning behind it. I love your recipes! Thanks!

Chelsweets

Sunday 7th of August 2022

Hi Laura,

Artificial vanilla is crucial to make these taste like creamsicles! It's one of the main flavors in creamsicles, and using it in the buttercream makes it taste like an actual creamsicle. Happy baking!

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