1-First, preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. This sets the stage for even baking. Next, sift the almond flour and powdered sugar twice to remove any lumps that’s key for a smooth batter, don’t skip it!

2-Making the Meringue: Beat the egg whites, granulated sugar, cream of tartar, and a pinch of salt on medium speed until soft peaks form. Add the peppermint extract and green gel food coloring, then keep going until stiff peaks form. You’ll know it’s ready when the meringue balls up in the whisk and holds a pointy end it’s like magic happening right there!

3-Folding and Piping the Batter: Fold the sifted dry ingredients into the meringue using a silicone spatula until fully incorporated. Do about 50 folds, going clockwise from the bottom up and cutting through the middle, until the batter draws a figure eight and peaks dissolve in 10 seconds. Once it’s just right, transfer to a pastry bag with a round tip and pipe 1.5-inch rounds about 1 inch apart on the sheets.

Tap the sheets firmly to remove air bubbles and pop any large ones with a toothpick. Let them rest for 15 minutes before baking one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 15 to 18 minutes. The shells should be firm and not move when touched cool them completely afterward.

4-Assembling with Ganache: For the ganache, heat the heavy cream (and Irish cream liqueur for option 2) to a simmer, then pour over the white chocolate chips and let it sit for 2 minutes. Mix until smooth, blend with an immersion blender for silkiness, and chill for about 1 hour. Pair the shells, pipe the filling on the bottoms, add the tops, and press lightly.

Finally, refrigerate the filled macarons for at least 24 hours to mature them it’s essential for the best texture and flavor. For more tips on getting perfect shells, check out our basic baking guide. Oh, and the total prep time is 1 hour, cook time 18 minutes, for a grand total of 1 hour 30 minutes!