Magical Treats at Home

buttercream frosting

Caramel Gingerbread Cookie Sandwiches

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Where can I find the original treat?

Whoopie pies, mini cakes, giant cookies, give me a handheld dessert to walk around and snack on at the parks and I’m a happy person. One favorite handheld dessert at EPCOT has a cult-like following, and for good reason, it’s DELICIOUS.

If you’re a caramel fan, then you’ve more than likely made your way over to Karamell-Küche (“caramel kitchen”) in EPCOT and tried one of the many, many amazing caramel-themed treats there. One absolute favorite on the menu is the seasonal Caramel Gingerbread cookie sandwiches. They are a sizeable handful of two oversized gingerbread cookies stuffed with American-style buttercream and oozing with Werther’s caramel. SO. GOOD.

So good in fact I had to make them at my home and share the recipe with you all, because after you’ve run out of your stash and your next trip is months away, this should hold you over.

Although there are three separate parts to this cookie, it comes together rather quickly. To keep it in-theme with the park version, I actually use Werther’s soft caramels and add some salt to them. It cuts down on making the caramel from scratch, although if that’s something you’d like to do, go for it!

The dough recipe is easy to work with and requires minimal chilling. They do spread, which is why I recommend scooping into balls and baking them without flattening. If you want to make these cookies smaller, reduce the bake time by a few minutes or they’ll get too hard.

And the buttercream is straight-up American style, so nothing fancy here. Just whip up the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and cream and you’re done.

This is super kid-friendly recipe, and most components can be done by even the littlest hands. Older kids can definitely help with the caramel melting by themselves, and since you’re just warming those candies, even younger kids with supervision can do that part. Let’s just remind them not to stick their fingers into the hot pan. And even some of the adults might need that reminder too…

So let’s make our own caramel kitchen today and bake some cookies! And remember to check all the way through the recipe for helpful tips and tricks.

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Caramel Gingerbread Cookie Sandwiches

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  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Yield: 5 cookies 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: German
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Description

These oversized, beautifully spiced gingerbread cookies sandwich a generous amount of buttercream and salted caramel. Inspired by the Karamell-Küche cookies found at EPCOT in WDW.

Ingredients

Scale

For the cookies:

  • 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 2–¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • pinch of kosher salt

For the buttercream:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 cups (454 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
  • pinch of kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

For the salted caramel sauce:

  • 6 ounces (about 25 candies) Werther’s soft caramel candies, unwrapped
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Special Tools:

Instructions

For the cookies:

  1. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until whipped and fluffy-about 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl half-way through.
  2. Add in the egg and mix until fully incorporated. Then mix in the molasses and water.
  3. Next, dump in the flour, ground ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Mix on low until no flour is visible, and then mix for an additional 30 seconds on medium-high until dough reaches the consistency of Play Doh.
  4. Chill the dough for 15-20 minutes (I keep it in the mixing bowl). While dough chills, preheat oven to 350°f.
  5. Line two cookie sheets with parchment. When dough is done chilling, use a 2 ounce disher (blue handled, #16) or ¼ cup measuring cup to scoop out balls of dough placing 5 balls on each cookie sheet. Keep about 2-3” of space between cookies, as these spread out while they bake.
  6. Bake for 14-15 minutes. Cool on cookie sheets until room temperature. Cookies will still be soft but will firm up as they cool.

For the buttercream frosting:

  1. While the cookies are baking, make the frosting by first whipping the butter until creamy and lighter in color, about 1 minute. Next add in the powdered sugar, mixing on lowest setting until the powdered sugar has absorbed most of the butter. Stop, scrap down the sides, and then mix on medium high until it starts to whip up and resemble frosting.
  2. Next, add in vanilla and cream, mixing on low, and then gradually increasing to high. Whip for two minutes until light and fluffy. Set aside.
  3. When cookies are room temperature, move frosting to a piping bag fitting with a round piping tip. Pipe the frosting onto the bottom cookie half in a spiral starting from the center and moving outward. Set aside.

For the salted caramel sauce:

  1. To make the caramel sauce, combine the unwrapped caramels, water, and salt into a small saucepan over medium-low heat. When the caramels start to soften, mix continuously until smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  2. When the caramel is still pourable, but not super liquidy, drizzle over the buttercream halves (if the caramel is too hot, it will melt the buttercream). Top with the other cookie half and enjoy!

Notes

  • Dough can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • If you want to make smaller cookies, reduce cooking time by about 5 minutes.
  • Cookies can be baked ahead of time and stored in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days. They can also be individually wrapped and frozen up to 4 months.
  • This frosting will make slightly more than you need. Extra frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Let come to room temp and re-whip if necessary before using.
  • Frosting can also be spread onto the cookies instead of piped if you prefer.
  • Any unused caramel sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month. If sauce sticks in the pan, re-warm slightly until soft and then transfer to the container.
  • Assembled cookies can be stored tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 5 Cookies

Twice Upon a Cupcake

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Christmas Tree Cupcakes // magicaltreatsathome.com

Where can I find the original treat?

  • This holiday treat was found at the Main Street Bakery inside the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World.

During the holidays your baking is allowed to be… extra. And today we’ve got an “extra” cupcake. As in, there is a cupcake sitting on top of another cupcake. See? Extra.

Christmas Tree Cupcakes // magicaltreatsathome.com

Actually, there is a cupcake sitting on top of a cupcake with a hidden Mickey cake ball inside. Sooooo extra. And let’s be real. This is fun to make, but there’s a lot of components. You can definitely make just some of these parts, but if you’re missing Disney treats on Main Street this holiday season, then this is a fun project.

Christmas Tree Cupcakes // magicaltreatsathome.com

The recipe below is broken down into three components: cake balls, confetti tree cupcakes, and the surrounding base for the cupcake. These can be done simultaneously, or broken up into steps over days depending on how much time you have. I’m also noting that usually, I make the red velvet cake balls with cream cheese icing, but I found that regular American buttercream works better here (it doesn’t “weep” like the cream cheese does when molding and freezing).

Christmas Tree Cupcakes // magicaltreatsathome.com

The only thing I deviated from in the original treat was the sugar light bulbs. For a home baker, I thought going through this step would feel like overkill. Instead I piped out buttercream lights, refrigerated them, and used for the lights. Then, my 6 year old looked at the trees and asked “why didn’t I just use M&Ms?”, and honestly, I would have just done that had I thought of it. So, I’m recommending that for convenience here as well.

Kids can help in all parts of the baking and decorating stages here. My kids mostly liked adding the M&Ms to their half trees (in the picture below I piped some frosting onto an extra confetti “tree” cupcake and let them decorate and eat that part).

Christmas Tree Cupcakes // magicaltreatsathome.com
You can also make a single tree cupcake too!

Now, the hidden Mickey part of these is probably the hardest of these cupcakes. And what is the secret to getting a hidden Mickey every time you make a cut? Simple! You actually create a ring, or halo, over the ball in the center. Then no matter where you make the cut to reveal the hidden Mickey, you’ll get one! They are tricky though, and as you can see, mine were prone to separate when baking. My suggestion is that you really seal the ball and the ring together. I had placed mine just on top, and the cake batter pushed the ring up a bit. You could also pin them together with toothpicks and take the toothpicks out when done baking (and PLEASE remember to do that as I do not want you to harm your mouth eating treats!).

Christmas Tree Cupcakes // magicaltreatsathome.com

Anyway you decided to make these, whether the full cupcakes, just the trees, or without the hidden Mickey centers, these are a delightful treat to have this holiday week.

Happy baking, happy holidays, and I’ll see you all in the New Year!

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Christmas Tree Cupcakes // magicaltreatsathome.com

Twice Upon a Cupcake

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  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Yield: 4–6 Twice Upon a Cupcake cupcakes 1x
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Description

A decadent holiday cupcake has TWO hidden treats inside that are revealed when you cut through the cupcake. Did you find the hidden Mickey? A Walt Disney World inspired treat.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Buttercream and decorations:

  • 1 pound powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 cup butter, room temperature
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon cream
  • green food coloring (I used Americolor Leaf green)
  • Optional food coloring if making buttercream light decorations: red, yellow, blue
  • Red, yellow, and blue M&Ms for lights

For the red velvet hidden Mickey center:

Adapted from Dessert for Two

  • 95 g (3/4 cup) flour
  • 4 teaspoons cocoa powder, unsweetened
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil or neutral oil
  • 2 tablespoons warm water
  • 1/2 cup (99 g) granulated sugar
  • scant 1/4 cup (57 g) Greek yogurt
  • 1 egg
  • Red food coloring (see notes below for type and amounts)
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla

For the Cupcakes (and Sprinkle Funfetti Tree Cupcakes):

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1–1/2 cups (180 g) all purpose flour
  • 1–1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup green and red sprinkles

Specialty Tools:

Instructions

For the buttercream:

  1. First, make sure your powdered sugar is lump free. Sift if needed.
  2. Then, beat the butter and salt together for a minute until light and fluffy.
  3. Pour in the powdered sugar and slowly mix until they start to combine about 30 seconds. Then turn up the speed to high and beat together until mixture starts to become fluffy in texture.
  4. Add in the vanilla and cream, and beat on high an additional minute or two until desired texture is reached. If dry, add in an additional teaspoon of cream. Set aside covered with a damp, not wet, towel.

For the red velvet hidden Mickey center:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°f and grease and flour a 6″ round cake pan.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the oil, warm water, granulated sugar, Greek yogurt, egg, red food coloring, and vanilla.
  4. Add in the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
  5. Pour into prepared baking pan and bake 20-25 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
  6. Let cool in the pan 5 minutes, turn out the cake onto a cooling rack, and let completely cool at least one hour.
  7. Then crumble the cake into pea sized crumbs and place in a mixing bowl.
  8. Add to the crumbs about 1/4 cup of the buttercream frosting. Mix well until combined.
  9. Next, roll out 4-6 small round balls, these will be the heads. Set aside on a parchment lined baking sheet.
  10. With the remaining cake pop dough, roll out thin snakes (you can use plastic wrap to help roll out the snakes). Form the snakes into rings and place on the balls. You can use toothpicks to hold in place. Press firmly to help seal the two together. Place in freezer until ready to use.

For the cupcakes:

  1. Set the oven to 350°f. Set out tall cupcake holders (you will not need a cupcake tray for the freestanding molds). Then, using tin foil, shape out a conical mold for the tree tops. (You can use a popover pan to hold the molds in place, or place the tin foil mold in a tall baking cup). Make sure there are no gaps or holes or your batter will leak. Optionally, you can also cook off some funfetti cupcakes in regular molds, freeze, and then cut to shape.
    Christmas Tree Cupcakes // magicaltreatsathome.com
  2. In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
  3. Next, beat in eggs one at a time until incorporated. Then add in vanilla and 1/4 cup of the milk.
  4. Mix in flour, baking powder, and salt, and then the rest of the milk. Set aside.
  5. Remove red velvet cake pops from freezer and place into freestanding baking molds. Spoon batter over cake pops until about 2/3 of mold is filled. Place in oven for 25-28 minutes.
  6. Next, add sprinkles to remaining batter and mix to combine. Do not over mix.
  7. Pour sprinkle batter into conical molds, and place in oven for 22-26 minutes. Both cupcakes can bake in the oven at the same time, but keep separate timers.
  8. When finished baking, let cool to room temperature. Funfetti cupcakes can be kept in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up if they need to be cut to shape.

Decorating:

  1. If piping lights, remove about a half cup of frosting. Divide into three bowls and color one bowl red, another yellow, and lastly blue. Then transfer to small piping bags with a round tip. Pipe out circles onto a parchment lined baking sheet and refrigerate at least an hour to firm up.
    Christmas Tree Cupcakes // magicaltreatsathome.com
  2. If not piping lights and using M&Ms instead, remove about 1/2 cup of frosting into a plain tipped piping bag and pipe a circle on top of the base cupcakes. Place the funfetti trees on top of that. Then proceed to coloring all the remaining frosting green by adding 2-3 drops of gel food coloring into the frosting bowl. Mix well to fully incorporate the color and then transfer all of the frosting to a piping bag fitted with an closed star tip (I used Ateco #847).
    Christmas Tree Cupcakes // magicaltreatsathome.com
  3. Pipe out closed stars for the trees all over the funfetti cakes.
    Christmas Tree Cupcakes // magicaltreatsathome.com
  4. Next, if using buttercream lights, remove those from the fridge and place immediately onto the green frosting. If you using M&Ms, place those on the frosting. Repeat until all cupcakes are decorated.
  5. Enjoy!

Notes

  • If cocoa powder is lumpy, sift before using.
  • If you are using grocery store food coloring, you will need about 1-1/2 teaspoons of red food coloring to get the cake a nice bright red. If you were using a gel paste from like Americolor, you will need about a quarter teaspoon or two big squirts from the bottle.
    Mickey Mouse Red Velvet Cake Pop // magicaltreatsathome.com
  • Cake crumbs should be small and no larger than a pea.
  • Cake balls should not be too wet or too dry to hold their shape properly. If too wet, add more cake crumbles. If too dry, add more frosting a small bit at a time.
  • M&Ms candies can be used instead of piping buttercream lights.
  • To prevent cake pop from moving inside the cupcake when baking, use toothpicks to hold together in place. REMEMBER TO REMOVE THE TOOTHPICKS BEFORE DECORATING.
  • Cupcakes will keep up to 4 days refrigerated in an airtight container. Let come to room temperature before eating.
  • Extra buttercream can be kept in an airtight container up to a week, or frozen up to 3 months.
  • Extra cake batter can be baked off for regular cupcakes. Reduce bake time by 2-3 minutes.
Christmas Tree Cupcakes // magicaltreatsathome.com

Mandalorian Macarons

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Mandalorian Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com
  • These treats were inspired by Disney’s The Mandalorian show.

We love macarons around here. LOVE THEM. But most of the recipes we’ve done require some design work. Not today. Why? Because we’ve been inspired by a simple recipe we saw on t.v… and Baby Yoda.

Mandalorian Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

Yes, if you’ve been watching The Mandalorian these past few weeks (and if not, I don’t think this is a spoiler), then you spotted that cute little baby munching on.. macarons. They weren’t given a name in the show, so we’re calling them Manadalorian Macarons. Although, if you head to Williams Sonoma they’ve dubbed them Nevarro Nummies™️. And not to be a cantankerous fan, but I have a few issues with the ones they’re selling. But mostly, after the price point, the color is WRONG. They’re grey! Well, blue-grey, but still…

On the show they’re just the plain cookies, not filled. I’m showing both since everything is better with frosting. Also, Americolor makes a turquoise food gel color that is just perfect here and I’m linking to that because I’m so in love with it.

Mandalorian Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

If you’ve made some of my macaron recipes before, then you might notice I’ve included a new ingredient in the list: meringue powder. I got this tip from the Dessert for Two blog and I’ve noticed that it’s improved the stability of my egg whites when making french macarons. This ingredient is optional, but I’ve found the batter more forgiving with this addition.

Mandalorian Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

If your kids are comfortable with a piping bag, they can help pipe the macarons. They can also help pipe frosting as well if you’re doing that (you should totally do that).

As always, please check out all the tips after the recipe. This is the way.

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Mandalorian Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

Mandalorian Macarons

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  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Yield: Apx. 48 Mandalorian Macarons
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Description

Baby Yoda knew a good thing when he saw it, and now you can enjoy your own Mandalorian Macarons at home with this no fail recipe! Inspired by the Mandalorian television show.

Ingredients

Scale

For the macarons:

For the buttercream (optional):

  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon heavy cream, milk, or nondairy milk

Specialty Items:

Instructions

For the macarons:

  1. Line two open sided cookie sheets with parchment. Set aside.
  2. In a food processor, pulse together the almond flour and powdered sugar. If you do not have a food processor, sift well to combine. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a mixer, add egg whites and salt and whisk on low until foamy. Then slowly pour in the meringue powder and increase speed to medium.
  4. When soft peaks appear, add in granulated sugar. Now whip just until just about stiff peaks form.
  5. Add in food coloring to the bowl and slowly mix to incorporate (I sometimes take the whisk attachment off and just stir by hand. Don’t worry about streaks at this point as you’ll mix more when you add dry ingredients in).
  6. Sift a third of the dry mixture into the egg whites and fold until barely incorporated, about 10 turns. Repeat twice with remaining dry mix. Mix gently until all of the almond mixture has been absorbed and there are no visible lumps in batter. Then continue to fold the mixture, pushing the batter against the sides of the bowl and scraping until it falls off your spoon in ribbons like cake batter. (This technique for mixing is called macaronage and I highly suggest looking up some videos on this if you’re serious about getting a great macaron.)
  7. Add batter into a piping bag and pipe circles onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Let the batter sit about 30 minutes to 1 hour. You want the macarons to form a skin, so that when you touch them, no batter comes off on your finger.
  8. Preheat your oven to 325°f about 15 minutes before your cookies are ready to bake.
  9. Bake the cookies about 10-11 minutes, turning the cookie sheet around about halfway through.
    Mandalorian Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com
  10. Cool on the sheet and store in an airtight container.

For the buttercream (optional):

  1. If frosting, fully cool to room temperature before decorating.
  2. Cream the butter in a mixer until light and fluffy; about 1 – 2 minutes.
  3. Add in powdered sugar and mix until all the sugar is incorporated.
  4. Pour in vanilla and cream/milk and beat again for an additional 30 seconds.
  5. Spread filling between two cookie halves and sandwich together. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Meringue powder helps to ensure stability with your egg whites. It helps them form better, and less likely to deflate when mixing in the dry ingredients. This ingredient is optional.
  • Sifting the almond flour and powdered sugar together is necessary for the absorption of oils and to prevent clumping of batter.
  • Using gel based food coloring will give a much deeper, and vibrant color, than standard food dye.
  • An open sided cookie sheet allows air to move freely and your macarons will cook more evenly.
  • Cookies can be stored in an airtight container up to one week.
Mandalorian Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

Pecan Pie Crispy Treat

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Pecan Pie Crispy Treat // magicaltreatsathome.com

Where can I find the original treat?

  • This holiday treat can be found at Screen Door General Store at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn (Florida), and Marceline’s in Downtown Disney (California).

Thanksgiving is tomorrow here in the US; a Thanksgiving that will not run its usual course. And so today on the site we have a pie, but not really a pie, that you could serve at your nontraditional Thanksgiving feast. TLDR: it’s a pecan pie rice crispy treat. YES a whole 9” pie.

Pecan Pie Crispy Treat // magicaltreatsathome.com

Disney is known for whimsical treats, but sometimes they’re a bit on the silly side too. Like the crispy treat pies this year. I love the idea behind them, and I think the treat makers must have had a lot of fun making them. And I know we all loved eating them as the flavor combinations came through and it definitely was a unique, and 2020 way, to eating pie this year.

I’m presenting the recipe formed inside a 9” pie plate, but those that have seen the whole “pie” at the resorts (it was made available both in Florida and California), might have noticed its domed shape from the mold it was made in. I figure, if you’re going to serve this at your Thanksgiving dinner this year, it should arrive at the table in a proper pie plate. 

Pecan Pie Crispy Treat // magicaltreatsathome.com

Since we’re dealing with hot sugar here, I would not recommend the younger kids come help with the bases here. However, making and piping the frosting “cream” and decorating with sprinkles is a great way to get them involved in a holiday dessert. 

Now that we’ve thrown out all the conventional ideas of a traditional dinner this year, I do hope you make this pie. If you’re at home celebrating with just one or two of you, this also freezes really well. Just cut it into slices and freeze up to 3 months for best flavor.

Pecan Pie Crispy Treat // magicaltreatsathome.com

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

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Pecan Pie Crispy Treat // magicaltreatsathome.com

Pecan Pie Crispy Treat

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Yield: 1 9″ Pecan Pie Crispy Treat 1x
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Description

Pecan pie and crispy treat lovers unite with this full sized maple scented Pecan Pie Crispy Treat. A Disney-inspired holiday treat.

Ingredients

Scale

For the “crust”:

  • 2 cups crisped rice cereal
  • 20 full size marshmallows
  • 1–1/2 tbsp butter

For the “filling”

  • 3 cups crisped rice cereal
  • 30 full size marshmallows
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup chopped pecans toasted, 3 tbsp reserved
  • Pinch salt

For the frosting:

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/2 pound powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • Mickey Mouse sprinkles

Specialty Items:

Instructions

For the “crust”:

  1. Before beginning, butter/grease your pie pan. Set aside.
  2. Combine the butter and marshmallows in a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until marshmallows have melted and mixture is smooth.
  3. Immediately dump in the crisped rice cereal and quickly mix to combine.
  4. Pour into the prepared pan and gently press mixture into place with a rubber spatula (or damp fingers, which is my favorite method). Create a thin layer around the pan, pushing up the sides to make the “crust”. Set aside.
    Pecan Pie Crispy Treat // magicaltreatsathome.com

For the “filling”:

  1. Combine the butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, and marshmallows in a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until marshmallows have melted and mixture is smooth.
  2. Mix in the pecans at this stage, and then pour in the crisped rice cereal and quickly mix to combine.
  3. Pour on top of the “crust” layer, pushing firmly to fuse the layers.
  4. Spread the remained chopped pecans over the top, lightly pressing in. Cool to room temperature.
    Pecan Pie Crispy Treat // magicaltreatsathome.com

For the frosting and decoration:

  1. Whip the butter and salt until light and creamy in either a stand mixer, or with a handheld mixer.
  2. Pour in the powdered sugar (sift if yours is lumpy), and mix until incorporated.
  3. Add in the milk and vanilla extract and mix at high until creamy and smooth and desired texture is reached.
  4. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with an closed star tip and pipe 8 small swirls on top of the cooled pie. Refrigerated at least 4 hours to set or overnight.

To serve:

  1. Straight from the refrigerator, use a sharp knife to slice individual pieces.
  2. Let individual pieces come to room temp before serving.

Notes

  • Pecans can be toasted in a dry frying pan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Stir constantly to prevent browning and remove from the pan when done toasting.
  • Use a smaller pan than you think you’ll need for melting the marshmallows. As the marshmallows melt into the butter, if there’s too much space in the pan, they will start to dry out and form strings. Keeping the marshmallows closer together in the pan will ensure they melt more evenly, creating a better mixture to add the cereal into.
  • When mixing cereal into the melted marshmallows, keep the mixture on the flame so that marshmallows stay liquid. Removing to mix in can seize up the liquid before the cereal is fully mixed.
  • The addition the the maple syrup will make the “filling” softer and refrigeration is needed to cut out sliced cleanly.
  • Leftover frosting can be stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator up to one week, or frozen up to 3 months for best flavor. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and re-whip to use again.
Pecan Pie Crispy Treat // magicaltreatsathome.com

Make it Pink! Make it Blue! Frosting How To!

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Make it Pink! Make it Blue! Frosting demo // magicaltreatsathome.com

Where can I find the original treat?

  • This frosting how-to is inspired by the Royal Cupcake at Disneyland found at the Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe.

One of the easiest ways to make a dessert feel elevated, to seem really special, is to decorate it with fancy frosting and sprinkles. Cupcakes always seemed like a personal present to give to someone, and instead of sparkly bows and wrapping paper, we’ve got two-toned frosting and edible stars.

Make it Pink! Make it Blue! Frosting demo // magicaltreatsathome.com

When the Royal Cupcake debuted at Disneyland, its unofficial title was the Make it Pink! Make it Blue! cupcake, as the dueling fairies in Sleeping Beauty were known to yell at each other. And today we’ve actually got a short video to show two ways to make this frosting!

Make it Pink! Make it Blue! Frosting demo // magicaltreatsathome.com

Method one is adding the colored frosting to a piping bag directly. Each color is spooned in on opposite sides and when piped together, you get the two colors. This method produces a more blurred line between colors, although still distinct.

Method two is a little extra work, but has a sharper line between colors. You start by laying down a piece of plastic wrap and spooning your frosting colors in stripes longways (you can also pipe them out if you want but that was too much for me). Then you fold over your colors lengthwise, making a sausage with the plastic wrap, and insert that inside a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pull the plastic wrap through the tip and cut off the extra that hangs out. Then pipe as you normally would!

Now it’s time for me to make some cupcakes disappear!

Make it Pink! Make it Blue! Frosting demo // magicaltreatsathome.com

African Sunshine Cupcake (Sunflower Cupcake)

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African Sunshine Sunflower Cupcake // magicaltreatsathome.com

Where can I find the original treat?

  • This treat was originally found at The Mara in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.

How is it already a week since our last recipe?! Time sure is strange right now, at least for all of us at home. But, another week, another Disney treat. And this week we’re traveling from our home base here in SoCal to Florida to make the African Sunshine Cupcake that was at The Mara in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge!

This sunflower cupcake was a request from a follower on Instagram. So, just a reminder to everyone that if there’s something you’d like to make and you don’t see it here on the site yet, just ask us and we’ll see if it’s something we can make! I’ll also point out that even though the cupcake recipe makes 12 total cupcakes, the buttercream should decorate about 6, as the other remaining 6 cupcakes we’ll crumble and use for our cake pop recipe in a few days!

African Sunshine Sunflower Cupcake // magicaltreatsathome.com

This treat is a chocolate cupcake flavored with orange extract and topped with a layer of fudge, chocolate crisp pearls, and yellow and green vanilla buttercream frosting. They sure are a pop of sunshine! And don’t let all those individual petals scare you into thinking this is more of an advanced decorating project; it’s not! I’ve got a quick video I’ll link to on our YouTube page (yes, we have one but it’s a bit sparse!) and it shows the technique for piping on the petals. In summary, you’ll want to start the tip at the inner edge of the baking cup and fold up and over to create some height for the flower petals since you’ll want an area to catch all the pearls in.

While you might want perfect petals for your cupcake, kids can help mix the cupcake batter, and pipe their own petals for the flowers. It’s a good lesson in patience to slowly get the buttercream to come out!

African Sunshine Sunflower Cupcake // magicaltreatsathome.com

If you’re wondering where the name comes from, Disney states that South Africa is the 10th largest producer of sunflowers in the world. Now let’s make some buttercream sunshine!

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African Sunshine Sunflower Cupcake // magicaltreatsathome.com

African Sunshine Cupcake (Sunflower Cupcake)

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  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Yield: 6 Sunflower Cupcakes 1x
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Description

Bring a little sunshine into your home with these orange-chocolate cupcakes topped with bright yellow and green vanilla buttercream surrounding a pool of fudge and crisp chocolate pearls. A Walt Disney World inspired treat.

Ingredients

Scale

For the cupcakes (adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction):

  • 3/4 cup (95g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (45g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup melted coconut oil or vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1–1/2 teaspoons orange extract
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, at room temperature

For the fudge:

  • 4 ounces sweetened condensed milk
  • 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the buttercream:

Chocolate crisp pearls for decoration

Specialty Tools:

Instructions

For the cupcakes:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with the baking cups. Set aside.
  2. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, vanilla, and orange extract together until combined. Pour half of the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Then half of the Greek yogurt. Gently whisk until just combined. Repeat alternating with the remaining wet ingredients and Greek yogurt. Stir only until there are no visible white streaks of yogurt to avoid over-mixing the batter. This is a thin batter!
  3. Fill baking cups halfway with batter. Bake for 18-21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before decorating. ** You will only need 6 for this recipe. Save the others for the cake pop recipe we’ll have in a few days!
    African Sunshine Sunflower Cupcake // magicaltreatsathome.com

For the fudge:

  1. While the cupcakes are baking, combine the sweetened condensed milk and chocolate in a heat safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and microwave an additional 30 seconds. If chocolate is still lumpy, microwave an additional 15 seconds. Stir rapidly until smooth.
  2. Add vanilla extract in and stir to combine.
  3. Set aside in fridge while cupcakes continue to bake. You’ll want a pour-able, but thick consistency. See notes below for making ahead.

For the frosting and decoration:

  1. Cream the butter in a mixer until light and fluffy; about 1 – 2 minutes.
  2. Add in powdered sugar and mix until all the sugar is incorporated.
  3. Pour in vanilla and cream/milk and beat again for an additional 30 seconds. You want a stiffer buttercream to pipe the sharp edges of the leaf and flower petals. If buttercream seems too wet (flops off your spoon), beat in an additional 1-2 tablespoons of powdered sugar.
  4. Once desired consistency has been reached, scoop out 1/4 of the buttercream and put in a bowl big enough to mix it around in. Add in 2 drops of green food coloring for the leaves. Mix the frosting until no white remains and then transfer to a piping bag fitted with the leaf tip. Set aside.
  5. Grab your fudge and spoon a small circle of fudge in the center of each cupcake, leaving room to pipe frosting on the outside (about a 1/4″).
    African Sunshine Sunflower Cupcake // magicaltreatsathome.com
  6. Then, pipe 3-4 leaves on each cupcake starting from the fudge and moving to the edge of the wrapper, set aside. Remove piping tip, clean it, and fit onto a new piping bag.
    African Sunshine Sunflower Cupcake // magicaltreatsathome.com
  7. To the remaining white frosting, add in 2-3 drops of the yellow food coloring. Mix well until there are no longer any white streaks. Transfer the yellow buttercream to the new piping bag.
  8. Pipe sunflower petals around the edges of the fudge in 2-3 layers, piping over the leaves until desired number of petals have been created. You’ll want a small well to pour in the crisp pearls so keep that in mind when building your layers.
  9. Finish your cupcakes by spooning about a tablespoon of chocolate crisp pearls into the center of each cupcake. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days.

Notes

  • The remaining cupcakes can be tightly wrapped in clingwrap and frozen for up to 6 months or crumbled and saved for cake pops.
  • If fudge is made ahead of time, remove from the refrigerator at least an hour to hour and a half prior to cupcakes being cool for decoration. If fudge is still stodgy, scoop out a small ball and warm between your hands, forming a disc to top cupcake with.
  • If petal or leaf tips are not available, you can make a DIY tip with just a pastry bag. Cut an inverse V in the tip of the bag and continue with the same piping movements.
  • Any extra buttercream can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator the day before needed and rewhip until spreadable.
African Sunshine Sunflower Cupcake // magicaltreatsathome.com

Raspberry Rose Mickey Macarons

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Raspberry Rose Mickey Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

Where can I find the original treat?

  • This treat can be found at the Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe in Disneyland.

Right now I’m missing so many Disneyland treats being stuck at home during this quarantine. Although I love the specialty treats, some of the perennial treats are those I long for the most. One of those treats is the Raspberry Rose Mickey Mouse Macaron, and that’s what we’re making today.

Raspberry Rose Mickey Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

I received a package of raspberries in my grocery delivery this past week and finally made that extra step to stick them in a vinegar bath to make them last longer. I wanted them to last a few days so I could try out a few techniques for making macarons during this bizarre food shortage, although this week I’ve been happy to report that eggs seem to be plentiful on the grocery shelves, at least here in LA. So perhaps the panic buying is starting to slow down now.

And let’s talk about replacing egg whites here! The good news is that if you don’t have fresh eggs you can make a macaron. The bad news is that many issues can arise and that I never really got them looking perfect. The first substitute I considered was aquafaba. Aquafaba is a fancy name for the liquid of cooked chickpeas. I’ve written extensively about using aquafaba in place of egg whites in cocktails on my other site and have also found this a great substitute for meringues. However, when making macarons I found them to be less stable than egg whites. I had instances of macaron batter leaking and tops cracking. And then I tried using pasteurized carton egg whites. Again, many wrinkled tops and unstable shells. They were definitely edible and held their shape, but did not have the smooth, risen tops I would have like to see. So, if you just want some cookies and aren’t too picky about how they look, and don’t have fresh eggs, you can consider one of these subs. I’ve included all the substitutions in the recipe below.

Raspberry Rose Mickey Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

Now on to the flavor of these. Raspberry is definitely the most dominant flavor with these macarons. The rose I’ve always found so faint it was hardly detectable. At home though, you can adjust to your own liking. I wouldn’t though go too overboard with the rose water as it can overpower the whole treat. If fresh raspberries are hard to come by right now, sub in some raspberry jam in the center, or mix right in to the buttercream.

Raspberry Rose Mickey Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

Kids can help pipe the macarons (even if they don’t do Mickey Mouse they can make some shapes). They can also help assemble the cookie as well.

One last note I’ll leave here is the glittery decoration on the outside of the macaron; this is called luster dust (or edible glitter). First, I only had silver so that’s what ended up on the macarons today. It is usually gold but I wasn’t doing an Amazon order just for one tiny container. Second, decorating works best with a high proof alcohol. I know that some states don’t allow certain high proofs, so use what you got. I happened to have a bottle of Everclear from another project and that is 95 proof. You want a higher proof to quickly evaporate and just leave the glitter on the macaron without leaving the cookie soggy. Remember, this is totally optional too! The cookie tastes great without the glitter.

Raspberry Rose Mickey Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

I’ve highlighted these notes in the notes section below. Also, if you are having lots of issues with the macarons not looking like how you’d expect, I’d highly suggest you YouTube some real time macaron making videos to see techniques. Sometimes seeing is better to understand than reading.

Icon

3 inch mickey macaron template

1 file(s) 86.41 KB
Download

Ok, let’s bake!

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Raspberry Rose Mickey Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

Raspberry Rose Mickey Macarons

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Yield: 3 Raspberry Rose Mickey Macarons 1x
Print Recipe

Description

These Mickey Mouse shaped macarons are filled with sweet-tart raspberry buttercream and a hint of rose. A Disneyland-inspired treat.

Ingredients

Scale

For the macarons:

  • 130 g (1 cup plus 3 tablespoons) almond flour
  • 130 g (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) powdered sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 90 g egg whites (about 3 large egg whites)
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 100 g (6 tablespoons) superfine sugar
  • 2 drops red food gel (Americolor Super Red used here)

For the filling and decoration:

  • 114 g (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup or 2 medium egg whites
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon raspberry extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon rose water, optional
  • 9–12 whole raspberries
  • gold luster dust
  • Everclear or neutral high proof spirit

Specialty Tools:

Instructions

For the macarons:

  1. First sift the almond flour, powdered sugar, and salt back and forth four times between two bowls using a mesh strainer. Set aside.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Using a pencil, trace 6 Mickey Mouses uses the cutter as a guide, leaving at least an 1″ between shapes. Flip parchment over so that you can still see outlines, but the graphite will not transfer to macarons. Set aside. Or print out our free template linked above and slip under the parchment. Pipe on parchment and remove template gently before baking.
    Mickey Mouse Mummy Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add in the egg white and whisk until slightly foamy. Add in the cream of tartar and whisk until soft peaks appear. Then slowly pour in the sugar. Whisk on high until stiff peaks form, adding in the food gel right at the end.
    Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com
  4. Sift a third of the dry mixture into the egg whites and fold until barely incorporated, about 10 turns. Repeat twice with remaining dry mix. Mix gently until all of the almond mixture has been absorbed and there are no visible lumps in batter. Then continue to fold the mixture, pushing the batter against the sides of the bowl and scraping until it falls off your spoon in ribbons like cake batter. (This technique for mixing is called macaronage and I highly suggest looking up some videos on this if you’re serious about getting a great macaron.)
  5. Add batter into a piping bag and pipe shapes onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Let the batter sit about 30 minutes to 1 hour. You want the macarons to form a skin, so that when you touch them, no batter comes off on your finger.
  6. Preheat your oven to 350°f. Place cookies in oven to bake, and then lower the temperature to 320°f. Cook for 17-18 minutes.
  7. Let the macarons cool at least 20-30 minutes before decorating.

For the filling and decoration:

  1. In a mixing bowl, combine egg whites, sugar, and salt over a medium saucepan filled with 1/2″ of water.
  2. Bring the water to a simmer while constantly whisking the mixture. Once the mixture reaches 160°f, remove the bowl from the pan.
  3. Using a hand mixer, beat the mixture until it forms stiff peaks.
  4. Then, add chunks of the butter in, one at a time, until incorporated into the mixture, scraping down the bowl a few times during mixing.
  5. Add in the raspberry extract and rose extract if using and beat an additional 30 seconds.
  6. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag. Cut off the tip and pipe on one side of the macaron in three circles. Set aside and repeat with remaining macaron halves.
  7. Next, place 3-4 fresh raspberries into the buttercream and top with the other half of the macaron. Set aside.
  8. Mix together 1/2 teaspoon of a neutral high proof spirit (like Everclear, or a high proof unflavored vodka) and a 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of the luster dust. Mix together with a clean paintbrush and tap off any excess liquid and then paint a stripe across the top of the macaron. Repeat with the others.
  9. These can be eaten straight away, or sealed in an air tight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

Notes

  • Sifting the almond flour and powdered sugar together is necessary for the absorption of oils and to prevent clumping of batter.
  • As mentioned in the copy above, aquafaba can be subbed 1:1 for egg whites however macarons are not as stable. Carton pasteurized egg whites may also be used, but make sure they are solely egg whites and be aware that some brands add water in which will weaken the meringue and you may not reach stiff peaks or also have issues with stability in baking.
    Raspberry Rose Mickey Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com
  • Using gel based food coloring will give a much deeper, and vibrant color, than standard food dye.
  • Any left over macaron batter can be piped into smaller cookies and baked off for 15 minutes.
  • Swiss buttercream heats the egg whites to 160°f to kill off any bacteria.
  • Leftover buttercream can be stored in the fridge up to two weeks, brought to room temperature, and whipped before using. It can also be stored in the freezer up to 3 months.
  • Cookies can be stored in an airtight container up to one week.
Raspberry Rose Mickey Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

Valentine Heart Macaron

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Heart Macarons for Valentine's Day // magicaltreatsathome.com

Where can I find the original treat?

  • This seasonal treat is available at Clarabelle’s in Disney California Adventure Park.

This past week, Disneyland released a bevy of pink and red treats in anticipation of Valentine’s Day and their after hours Sweethearts’ Nite. But what summed up this holiday the most for me (in treat form) was the oversized red and white heart macarons. And that’s what we’re making today!

Heart Macarons for Valentine's Day // magicaltreatsathome.com

It’s a giant macaron heart, with a surprise strawberry jam filled center surrounded by strawberry buttercream and decorated with tiny candy hearts. I think it would make a sweet gift for a loved one (and you bet I’m gifting myself a few of these too..).

These use the classic macaron base (with a little food coloring), store bought or homemade strawberry jam, and a Swiss meringue buttercream frosting flavored with that same strawberry jam. Using a Swiss meringue buttercream, as opposed to an American style buttercream, yields a light and slightly sweet frosting that pipes beautifully and softens quickly out of the fridge. Yes, you need to whip out a double boiler to warm your egg whites here, but American buttercream would be much too sweet alongside the jam and the cookies. Trust me, it’s worth dirtying a few extra pans.

Heart Macarons for Valentine's Day // magicaltreatsathome.com

You could freehand pipe the hearts out, however, to make it easy on you all, I’ve gone ahead and created another FREE printable sheet you can download below to make the hearts. You’ll need to print two as this recipe yields around 8 heart macarons. Or you can enlarge on your printer and make bigger cookies. That would also work!

Icon

3 inch heart template

1 file(s) 88.45 KB
Download
Heart Macarons for Valentine's Day // magicaltreatsathome.com

More experienced kid bakers can help pipe out shapes, mix batters, weigh out ingredients by themselves, and younger hands can plop jam and decorate with the sprinkle hearts.

Heart Macarons for Valentine's Day // magicaltreatsathome.com

Lots of notes after the recipe as macarons can sometimes be a bit finicky, but you’ll get through this and create something awesome! Now let’s make some sweets for our sweets!

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Heart Macarons for Valentine's Day // magicaltreatsathome.com

Valentine Macaron

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Yield: 8–10 Heart Macarons 1x
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Description

Oversized heart-shaped macarons filled with strawberry Swiss buttercream and strawberry jam are a special sweet for your valentine. A Disneyland-inspired treat.

Ingredients

Scale

For the macarons:

  • 180g (2 cups) almond flour
  • 240g (2 cups) powdered sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 140g egg whites, from about 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 80g (6 tablespoons) granulated sugar
  • red gel food coloring, like Americolor

For the filling:

  • 35g egg whites, from about 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup (67 g) sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 4 tablespoons strawberry jelly or jam, divided

For the decoration:

Special Tools:

Instructions

  1. First sift the almond flour, powdered sugar, and salt back and forth twice between two bowls using a mesh strainer. Alternatively you can pulse a few times in a food processor as well. Set aside.
  2. Line two baking sheets with parchment and place the templates underneath if using. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add in the egg white and whisk until slightly foamy about 30 seconds on medium speed. Add in the cream of tartar and whisk until soft peaks appear. Then slowly pour in the sugar. Whisk on high until stiff peaks form, about 1-2 minutes more.
    Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com
  4. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
  5. Sift half of the dry mixture into the egg whites and fold until barely incorporated, about 10 turns. Repeat with remaining dry mix. Fold until batter forms a ribbon when dropped into bowl.
  6. Add 1/2 of the batter into a piping bag and pipe out the white heart shapes, banging the sheet pan on the counter 2 or 3 times to remove any air bubbles.
  7. Next add two drops of red food coloring into the batter still in the bowl. Mix until no white streaks remain. (Batter will look light red in color but will bake bright red when finished.)
  8. Pour the red batter into a new piping bag and cut the tip off the bag. Pipe out the red hearts, banging the sheet pan on the counter 2 or 3 times to remove any air bubbles.
  9. Let both sheets of hearts rest 45 minutes on the counter. Do not cover.
  10. Preheat your oven to 350°f. Place cookies in oven to bake, and lower the temperature to 300°f. Cook for 17-18 minutes.
    Heart Macarons for Valentine's Day // magicaltreatsathome.com
  11. Let the macarons cool at least 20-30 minutes before filling.

For the buttercream:

  1. First make the Swiss strawberry buttercream frosting by whisking the egg whites, sugar, and salt together over a double boiler (or bowl set over simmering water on the stove), until temperature reaches 160°f.
  2. Pour heated egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until stiff peaks form.
  3. When the bowl is cool to the touch, add the butter, one piece at a time, whipping between pieces to incorporate butter, but not fully mixing it in.
  4. Next, add in vanilla and strawberry jam. Whip everything on high until smooth.

To decorate:

  1. Place the frosting in a piping bag and pipe out along inside edges of the white macarons, leaving a center well to fill with the jam. *You may have leftover frosting. Storage instructions in notes below.
  2. Fill the wells with a small amount of jam.
    Heart Macarons for Valentine's Day // magicaltreatsathome.com
  3. Place red hearts on top of the filled white hearts.
  4. Then, over a bowl, sprinkle heart decorettes on the outside of the macarons where the frosting is. Set aside and repeat until all macarons are decorated. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Sifting the almond flour and powdered sugar together is necessary for the absorption of oils and to prevent clumping of batter.
  • Using gel based food coloring will give a much deeper, and vibrant color, than standard food dye.
  • Any left over macaron batter can be piped into smaller cookies and baked off for 15 minutes.
  • Swiss buttercream heats the egg whites to 160°f to kill off any bacteria.
  • Leftover buttercream can be stored in the fridge up to two weeks, brought to room temperature, and whipped before using. It can also be stored in the freezer up to 3 months.
  • Cookies can be stored in an airtight container up to one week.
Heart Macarons for Valentine's Day // magicaltreatsathome.com

Hot Cocoa Macaron

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Hot Cocoa Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

Where can I find the original treat?

  • This holiday treat was part of the Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure Park.

Welcome back and Happy New Year! Are you in need of a comforting treat? Me too. Sometimes January can feel like someone let the air out of the balloon. There’s the big let down after all the holiday food and decorations have been put away for the year. And yeah, maybe there’s still a little of that, but now January marks the cozy season for me. Also, my youngest celebrates a birthday at the end of the month…. so I’m still party planning even after I put away the Christmas decorations.

Hot Cocoa Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

Our first treat of 2020 is like a warm sweater by the fire in cookie form: the Hot Cocoa Macaron! This oversized cookie was part of the Festival of Holidays celebration at DCA and you could have found this at the Making Spirits Bright kiosk.

It really did remind me of the flavors of a cup of hot cocoa, I think part of that was the combination of chocolates, especially the milk chocolate filling with semisweet ganache center. The mound of mini marshmallows on top didn’t hurt either.

Hot Cocoa Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

I love making macarons. (We have two other recipes on the site if you’re looking for more after this too!) They require a little patience and technique but honestly, they’re pretty quick to put together and they definitely wow people when you tell them you made them. If you’re looking ahead towards Valentine’s Day presents, these would be a pretty special gift (I might just gift myself another batch…).

I have a whole new set of tips and tricks with these, as the addition of cocoa powder to the macaron mix changes the consistency and texture a bit. So please read through all those before starting the recipe. They will ensure you will have a good batch (and not need to make them 4 times to be perfect… like some people I know *coughcough*).

Hot Cocoa Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

BONUS! As a special gift to all of you who want to try this recipe, first, thank you, and second, I’ve made a printable template for perfectly shaped macarons. You really need both halves to match up in order to sandwich the filling, and this template will help you make sure that happens.

Icon

3 inch circle template

1 file(s) 86.61 KB
Download

I’m so excited to kick off a whole new year of treats with all of you! If there’s anything at the parks you’d like to see made on here, drop us a line in the comments below or shoot us an email!

Hot Cocoa Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com
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Hot Cocoa Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

Hot Cocoa Macaron

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Yield: 3 Oversized Hot Cocoa Macarons 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Cozy up with this oversized hot cocoa inspired Macaron filled with two kinds of chocolate filling and topped with a mound of mini marshmallows and dusted with peppermint. A Disneyland-inspired recipe.

Ingredients

Scale

For the macarons:

  • 85g (1 cup minus one tablespoon) almond flour
  • 120g (1 cup) powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon (8g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 70g egg whites, from about 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 40g (3 tablespoons) granulated sugar

For the chocolate ganache:

For the milk chocolate buttercream (adapted from Epicurious):

  • 1/3 cup whole milk, or milk substitute (this worked with almond milk)
  • 2 whole egg yolks
  • 2 teaspoons all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1–1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
  • 4 ounces milk chocolate, melted and cooled
  • 1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled

For the topping:

Special Tools:

Instructions

For the macarons:

  1. First sift the almond flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt back and forth four times between two bowls using a mesh strainer. Alternatively you can also pulse in a food processor 7-8 times. Set aside.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Using a pencil, trace six 3″ circles using the cutter as a guide leaving at least an 1″ between shapes. Flip parchment over so that you can still see outlines, but the graphite will not transfer to macarons. Alternatively,  place the free downloadable template (see notes above recipe for download) under the sheet of parchment. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add in the egg white and whisk on medium-low until slightly foamy, about 30 seconds. Add in the cream of tartar and whisk on medium until soft peaks appear. Then slowly pour in the sugar. Whisk on high until stiff peaks form, about 2-3 minutes.
  4. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Sift the entire dry mixture into the egg whites. Fold them until all the dry ingredients are incorporated and no egg whites remain. Egg whites will deflate and mixture should be the consistency of cake batter when they are ready. See notes below.
  5. Add batter into a piping bag. Cut the tip off about 1/2″, and pipe shapes onto the parchment lined baking sheet keeping the tip in the center and squeezing out until about 1/4″ before the outside of the circle. Then, pick up trays about 2″ from counter and let them fall down. Repeat. This helps to remove air bubbles from the batter. Let the batter sit about 45 minutes.
  6. Preheat your oven to 350°f about 15 minutes before the rest time is finished. Place cookies in oven to bake, and then lower the temperature to 300°f. Cook for 18-20 minutes.
  7. Let the macarons cool at least 20-30 minutes before decorating.

For the ganache:

  1. In a small sauce pan, heat the heavy cream until hot (about 181°f). Turn off the heat and add in the chocolate and stir to combine.
  2. Next, add in the butter and continue to stir until everything is incorporated and smooth.
  3. Transfer to a heat proof bowl and let cool to room temperature. Then cover and refrigerate until firm (about 30 minutes).

For the milk chocolate buttercream:

  1. Heat milk in a small saucepan over moderate heat until hot. Whisk together yolks, flour, 1/4 cup confectioners sugar, and a pinch of salt in a bowl, then add hot milk in a stream, whisking. Transfer custard to saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat while continually whisking (about 30 seconds to one minute). Reduce heat and simmer, whisking, until mixture becomes very thick, about 30 seconds more, then transfer to a medium sized bowl. Cover surface of custard with plastic wrap and cool completely, about 45 minutes.
    Hot Cocoa Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com
  2. Add vanilla and remaining confectioners sugar to custard and beat at medium speed until combined well, then increase speed to medium-high and beat in butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, until smooth. Buttercream will look broken when mixing in butter but keep mixing and it will come together eventually!
  3. Scrape down bowl. Add chocolates and beat until combined well.

Assembly:

  1. Using a #100 disher or melon baller, scoop out small circle of ganache and place in the center of the macron bottom. Repeat with remaining macarons. See notes below for storing leftover ganache.
  2. Fill a piping bag 1/2 with frosting, cut about 1/2″ from the tip of the bag, and pipe circles of frosting around in a spiral until you hit the ganache center. Repeat with remaining macarons. See notes below for storing leftover frosting.
    Hot Cocoa Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com
  3. Place macaron tops gently to form cookies sandwiches. Set aside.
  4. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave inside a microwave safe bowl, like glass, for 30 seconds. Stir and microwave again for an additional 30 seconds. Keep stirring and microwaving in short bursts of 15-20 seconds until melted and smooth. Spoon a small mound in the center top of each macaron. Place the mini marshmallows on top to set. Drizzle a small amount of the white chocolate on top and then sprinkle crushed peppermint on the tops of each macaron.
  5. Wait about 10 minutes for the chocolate to set and then enjoy!

Bonus! Making the white flames:

  1. Any left over melted white chocolate can be thinly spread on a sheet of parchment in the shape of a flame. Refrigerate 5 to 10 minutes to set. Remove from refrigerator and gently remove from the parchment. These can be placed on top of the macarons to resemble the decorations at DCA.
    Hot Cocoa Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com

Notes

  • Sifting the almond flour and powdered sugar together is necessary for the absorption of oils and to prevent clumping of batter.
  • When mixing the macaron batter, you want to push the batter against the side of the bowl to help mix and deflate the egg whites. The cocoa powder will dry out the mixture and you will want to keep mixing more than a normal batch of macarons.
  • Do not pipe all the way to the edge of the circle as the batter will spread a bit while resting.
  • If you want a smooth top to the macaron, besides dropping the sheet pan to get out air bubbles, how you pipe is also important. Position your piping bag over the center of the circle and continually squeeze out batter until you fill 3/4 of the circle. If you pipe in a spiral, you will have noticeable lines on the top. You can use a damp, not wet, finger to push down any batter that sticks up. See below.
    Hot Cocoa Macaron // magicaltreatsathome.com
  • Any additional air bubbles that are not removed from the drop onto the counter can be poked with a scribe or toothpick before resting.
  • Any left over macaron batter can be piped into smaller cookies and baked off for 15 minutes.
  • If you are having any technical issues still with your macarons, I highly suggest looking up some tutorial videos on YouTube (that is until we have some of our own up!).
  • Leftover buttercream can be stored in the fridge up to one week, brought to room temperature, and whipped before using. It can also be stored in the freezer up to 3 months.
  • Leftover ganache can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks.
  • Macarons can be stored in the refrigerator up to one week. Let them sit 10-15 minutes to come to room temp before enjoying.

MSEP Ladybug Macarons

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Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

Where can I find the original treat?

  • This treat can be found at the Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe in Disneyland.

This past summer, Disneyland brought back the beloved Main Street Electrical Parade (MSEP) for a short run, ending September 30th. Besides the thousands of glittering lights, they also brought out a slew of tasty treats to commemorate the event. Like the giant Ladybug Macaron.

Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

This treat is not new to the park, and was last seen in 2017 during a longer run of the MSEP, and I’m sure will be ending its run at the Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe when the parade closes. But now that we’ve recreated the recipe, you can enjoy it again until the next (hopefully longer) run of the parade returns!

Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

This oversized ladybug-shaped macaron is filled with strawberry buttercream, strawberry jelly, and freeze dried strawberry pieces. These are also gluten free, as the cookies are made using ground almonds and no gluten containing flour if that’s an issue.

Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

I’ve included some additional notes below the recipe, so please read all the way through before making these. However, I will point out that sifting the almond flour and the powdered sugar together is a must. It might seem crazy to sift it four times, but you need that amount of sifting to make sure the sugar has absorbed the oils from the almonds otherwise it will be clumpy. Also, working with egg whites means you need to have a gentle hand when folding in the mix, or even pouring in the sugar. Patience and steadiness will result in great puffy macarons.

Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

BONUS: Download our printable template for these Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons below! Perfectly shaped and spaced, with outlines for both colors. Never worry about mismatched macaron halves!

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4 inch MSEP ladybug template

1 file(s) 89 KB
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Questions? Leave them in the comments below and you’ll probably be helping out another reader! Now let’s bake!

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Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

MSEP Ladybug Macarons

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  • Author: Elana Lepkowski
  • Yield: 3–4 large macarons 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Oversized ladybug shaped macarons with three kinds of strawberry filling to commemorate the Main Street Electrical Parade. A Disneyland-inspired treat.

Ingredients

Scale

For the black macarons:

  • 67g (apx. 3/4 cup) almond flour
  • 90g (apx. 3/4 cup) powdered sugar
  • 52g egg whites, from about 1–1/2 eggs
  • 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 30g (1–1/2 heaping tablespoons) granulated sugar
  • gel based black food dye

For the red macarons:

  • 645g (apx. 1/2 cup) almond flour
  • 60g (apx. 1/2 cup) powdered sugar
  • 35g egg whites, from about 1 large egg
  • 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 20g (1–1/4 heaping tablespoons) granulated sugar
  • gel based red food dye

For the filling:

  • 35g egg whites, from about 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup (52 g) sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon of strawberry extract (or bakery emulsion)
  • 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 2 tablespoons strawberry jelly or jam
  • 1 teaspoon freeze dried strawberry pieces

Special Tools:

Instructions

For the black macarons:

  1. First sift the almond flour, powdered sugar, and salt back and forth four times between two bowls using a mesh strainer. Set aside.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add in the egg white and whisk until slightly foamy. Add in the cream of tartar and whisk until soft peaks appear. Then slowly pour in the sugar. Whisk on high until stiff peaks form.
    Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com
  4. Add in four drops of the black food coloring to the egg whites and slowly whisk to combine. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
  5. Sift a third of the dry mixture into the colored egg whites and fold until barely incorporated, about 10 turns. Repeat twice with remaining dry mix. Fold until batter forms a ribbon when dropped into bowl.
  6. Add about 1/4 of the batter into a piping bag and set aside. Pour remaining batter into a new piping bag and cut the tip off the bag. You want it large enough to pipe out the large ladybugs.
  7. Pipe the bottom lady bug shape onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Let the batter sit about 1 hour.
  8. Preheat your oven to 350°f. Place cookies in oven to bake, and lower the temperature to 300°f. Cook for 17-18 minutes.
  9. Let the macarons cool at least 20-30 minutes before decorating.

For the red macarons:

  1. Follow steps 1-5 above, adding in RED food coloring instead of the black.
  2. Place all the batter into a piping bag, cut the tip of the bag, and pipe out the top ladybug halves as circles.
  3. Using the black macaron batter that was set aside, pipe heads and spots on the red batter to represent ladybugs.
  4. Again, let batter sit for one hour and follow cooking directions from above.
    Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com

For the filling:

  1. First make the Swiss strawberry buttercream frosting by stirring the egg whites, sugar, and salt together over a double boiler (or bowl set over simmering water on the stove), until temperature reaches 160°f.
  2. Pour heated egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until stiff peaks form.
  3. When the bowl is cool to the touch, add the butter, one piece at a time, whipping between pieces to incorporate butter, but not fully mixing it in.
  4. Next, add in vanilla and strawberry extracts. Whip everything on high until smooth.
  5. Place the frosting in a piping bag and pipe out along inside edges of the black macarons, leaving a center well to fill with the jam. *You may have leftover frosting. Storage instructions in notes below.
  6. Fill well with strawberry jelly/jam and sprinkle freeze-dried strawberry pieces on top.
  7. Attach top and enjoy!

Notes

  • Sifting the almond flour and powdered sugar together is necessary for the absorption of oils and to prevent clumping of batter.
  • Using gel based food coloring will give a much deeper, and vibrant color, than standard food dye.
  • Any left over macaron batter can be piped into smaller cookies and baked off for 15 minutes.
  • Swiss buttercream heats the egg whites to 160°f to kill off any bacteria.
  • Leftover buttercream can be stored in the fridge up to two weeks, brought to room temperature, and whipped before using. It can also be stored in the freezer up to 3 months.
Main Street Electrical Parade Ladybug Macarons // magicaltreatsathome.com