Mint Oreo Macarons

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Sandwich a layer of Mint Oreo ganache in between two green macaron shells for a fun St. Patrick's Day dessert. These macarons have the perfect touch of chocolate and mint.

If you're looking for a fun and easy St. Patrick's Day macaron recipe, you should try these macarons filled with Mint flavored Oreo ganache. When paried with a green shell, they make for a festive treat!

I promise you're going to love this macaron flavor!

If at any point you are having trouble with baking up the macaron shells, check out my online course that will walk you step-by-step through the whole process with helpful tips and tricks.

What You'll Learn In This Recipe

How to make green colored macaron shells with a mint Oreo ganache filling.
The qualitites of a well-made macaron shell.
Troubleshooting steps to try if your macarons aren't turning out correctly.

Enjoy learning tips about making macaron shells? Sign up for my free macaron template and email series. You'll learn my favorite tricks for achieving perfect macarons.

Ingredients You Need

mint Oreo macaron ingredients with labels.

Egg whites: Egg whites are mixed with granulated sugar to create a meringue. To set yourself up for a successful meringue, use fresh egg whites (not ones from the carton), and allow them to come to room temperature before you begin.
Almond flour: It's best to use a super fine almond flour that is blanched (meaning there are no almond skins). I prefer to use Blue Diamond almond flour, but any brand should work as long as you sift the almond flour before making macarons.
Confectioners' sugar: Also called powdered sugar or icing sugar, this ingredient also need to be sifted with the almond flour.
Cream of tartar: Cream of tartar is an acid that's added to the egg whites at the beginning of the whipping process. This ingredient helps to stabilize the egg white foam as well as prevent an overwhipped meringue.
Granulated sugar: Don't be tempted to add less granulated sugar than is called for in the recipe. This ratio helps to ensure you have a sturdy meringue, which is important for perfect macaron shells.
Gel food coloring: For light green shells, mix green and yellow gel food coloring. Don't use liquid food coloring as it could mess up the macaron batter.

How To Make This Recipe

Here's a step-by-step guide, with photos, to help you make the macaron shells and mint Oreo ganache.

four numbered photos showing how to make green macaron batter.

1. Before you begin, there is some prep work that you'll want to complete to set you up for success. First, separate the egg whites from the yolks, wipe down your mixing bowl with some white vingar, and line light-colored baking sheets with the macaron template and parchment paper.

Next, it's time to get started by adding the egg whites and cream of tartar to a stand mixer bowl fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip them on medium-low speed until the eggs are very foamy.

2. Then, to make the French meringue, begin adding the granulated sugar in small batches. Allow the mixer to beat in each batch of sugar for about 45 seconds before adding in another batch.

3. Once all the granulated sugar is incorporated, turn the mixer speed to medium-high and allow the egg whites to continue to whip until stiff peaks form. You'll want to add in the green and yellow gel food coloring once the egg whites reach soft peaks stage.

4. To double check that your meringue is properly whipped to stiff peaks, pull the whisk out. A stiff peak should stand straight up (no curl at the tip).

four numbered photos showing how to make green mint Oreo macarons.

5. Pour the sifted almond flour and confectioners' sugar into the meringue and fold them together.

6. Next, begin working the batter until everything is fully incorporated (this is called the macaronage process). Spread the mixture along the side of the bowl, then wipe it back down. You'll want to repeat this process until the mixture has reached a smooth, shiny, flowing consistency. You can test this by lifting your spatula and seeing if the batter drops almost like lava. Once the batter drops back into the bowl, it should take about 10 - 15 seconds for the ribbon that formed to "disappear" back into the rest of the batter.

7. Pipe 1.5 inch (3.8 cm) circles with the macaron batter. To release any air bubbles that might have gotten caught in the shells while piping, tap the sheet pan down the counter a few times, then pop any large bubbles with a toothpick.

Allow the batter to sit on the counter and dry for 60+ minutes until a thin "skin" develops, and you can touch the tops without ruining the macaron, then you can bake the macaron in the oven oven for 19 - 23 minutes.

8. Up next, it's time to start making the mint flavored Oreo ganache. Heat heavy cream in the microwave for 1 - 2 minutes, until the heavy cream begins to steam and bubble but doesn’t boil over. Immediately, pour the heavy cream over the chocolate.

two numbered photos showing how to make mint Oreo ganache.

9. Make sure all of the chocolate is submerged under the cream and allow the mixture to sit, without stirring, for 3 minutes. After this time, the chocolate and cream can be whisked together.

10. Add crushed Oreos and fine sea salt to the chocolate, and whisk until the mixture is smooth and fully blended. Optionally, to make the ganache a smooth texture, use an immersion blender to thoroughly mix and break up any larger pieces of Oreo.

Transfer ganache to a shallow container, and press plastic wrap against the surface of the ganache (to prevent a skin from forming on top). Place the ganache in the fridge, and allow the mixture to cool until it’s firm enough to pipe, about 1 - 2 hours.

Finally, match up macaron shells so they are paired with a similar size/shaped shell. Pipe the filling on one side of the macaron shell then place the matching shell on top of the filling.

Expert Tips

In order to achieve perfect macaron shells, here are some qualities your macarons should have:

A shell with a firm (not too soft) top. The top shouldn’t crack when you lightly push on it. And, when you bite into the shell, your teeth shouldn’t immediately sink into the shell (there should be some give).
The macaron shells should have small feet with a slight vertical rise. You don't want lopsided or ruffled feet that are spread out on the sides.
The interior of the shells should be full, and slightly chewy. Excessive chewiness can indicate a problem with the macaron. You also don't want a large hollow gap (air pocket) between the top and the interior of the macaron shell.
Work to achieve equal-sized, circular top and bottom shells. This is a skill you can work on while piping the macarons.

Macaron FAQs

Are you having trouble with your macaron shells turning out correctly? Don't worry! Use this troubleshooting guide or check out the frequently asked questions below.

How do I store my macarons?

Store the filled Oreo ganache macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Allow the macarons to come to room temperature before eating.

Why are my macarons flat?

Here are a few common causes of flat macarons:

1. The oven is too hot or too cold: If your oven is too low, you'll notice that the macarons won't properly rise. Not only will they be flatter than a normal macaron, but the feet will be short (under 2 millimeters), and the tops will likely be wrinkly or indented.

On the other hand, if your oven is too hot, the shells will be flat because proper feet will not form. The macarons will bake too quickly on the outside, leaving a moist interior that doesn't properly rise.

2. You under whipped the meringue: You didn't whip your meringue to stiff peaks. Under whipped meringue won't be strong enough to properly rise in the oven. It can lead to flat, wrinkled, or weak macaron tops.

3. You over macaronaged your batter: Another common issue that results in flat macarons is over macaronaged batter. Macaronage is a term that refers to folding the dry macaron ingredients (almond flour and confectioners' sugar) into the meringue. This process smooths the mixture and helps the macarons bake with proper structure.

When you over macaronage, you'll notice the batter is very thin and easily falls off the spatula. You'll also notice that the batter spreads really easily when piped. It might even fall out of your piping bag when transferring from one circle to the next on your piping template.

If you're still having trouble, check out my troubleshooting guide for flat macarons.

Why are my macarons cracked?

Here are a few common causes of cracked macarons:

1. Your oven is too hot: Most likely, cracked macarons are related to oven temperatures that are too hot. To fix this issue, you'll first want to purchase an oven thermometer.

This inexpensive cooking tool will allow you to see if your oven is heating to the temperature you're setting it to. Oftentimes, home ovens are known for heating hotter or colder than you set the temperature to.

2. Your meringue is under or over whipped: Both under-whipped and over-whipped meringue can result in cracked shells. This is because the meringue needs to have the proper structure in order to rise in the oven.

Weak meringue will not be strong enough to withstand the heat of the oven when baked, causing a cracked top. Alternatively, meringue that has been over-whipped won't have enough air incorporated to properly expand in the oven.

3. You didn't rest your macarons long enough: It's important to allow your macarons to rest on the counter until they've formed a skin.

Typically, you'll need to allow the shells to rest for about 45 - 60+ minutes on the counter until a skin has formed on top. If you live in a humid climate, this may take up to 90+ minutes.

4. You have air bubbles in the macarons: Did you put your macarons in the oven without banging them on the counter? Oftentimes, air bubbles are trapped in the macaron batter. Air bubbles occur naturally in the batter during the macaronage and piping process.

In order to avoid cracked macaron shells, you need to release and pop these air bubbles, otherwise, they will burst in the oven and ruin the shells.

If you're still having trouble, check out my troubleshooting guide for cracked macarons.

Why are my macarons wrinkled?

Here are a few common causes of wrinkled macaron shells:

1. You used too much cocoa powder: Using too much cocoa powder can cause your macarons to bake up wrinkled. Even 10 grams more can have a huge impact on the macaron shells. Be sure to follow the specific measurements listed in the recipe card below.

2. Your oven temperature is too low: To remedy this, you'll first need to purchase an oven thermometer, and place it in the center rack of your oven to double-check the temperature reading before baking the macarons.

Next, you'll need to play around with your temperature settings. I usually recommend heating your oven to 300°F (150°C) and adjusting from there. Pipe a set of 4 - 6 macarons on a baking sheet and test just a few macarons at a time (so you don't ruin a whole batch).

3. You over or under whipped the meringue: One of the most important techniques to learn, especially when making macarons, is how to whip egg whites to stiff peaks.

Egg whites that are under whipped or over whipped can result in wrinkled shells, weak tops, and macarons that will not properly rise.

4. You over macaronaged the batter: Another common issue related to wrinkly macaron shells is over macaronaging.

Macaronage is a term that refers to folding the dry macaron ingredients (almond flour and confectioners' sugar) into the meringue. This process smooths the mixture and helps the macarons bake with proper structure.

To properly macaronage, you should fold the batter until it reaches a lava-like consistency. You can test this by lifting your spatula and seeing if the batter drops almost like lava. Once it drops off the spatula, the batter that was dripped should fade back into the batter within 10 - 15 seconds.

If you're still having trouble, check out my troubleshooting guide for wrinkly macarons.

Why are my macarons soft?

Here are a few common causes of weak/soft macaron shells:

1. Your meringue is under whipped. French meringue needs to be properly beaten in order to form a strong macaron. Make sure that you're beating the meringue to stiff peaks.

To test the meringue stiffness, pull the whisk out. A stiff peak should stand straight up (no curl at the tip). Signs that you're ready to test the stiffness include seeing lines left from the beaters in your eggs. In addition, the meringue starts to almost ball up inside the whisk attachment. You'll also know it's ready because you can fully flip the bowl over and nothing moves or falls out.

2. The macaron shells are underbaked. If you don't give your macaron shells enough time to bake in the oven, a sturdy outside will never develop. Make sure to check that the macarons are done before pulling them out of the oven. If you touch the shell and it wiggles or is still sticky/wet, you know they need to bake longer.

Chocolate macarons in particular need to be baked for a longer time in the oven compared to regular macarons. If you notice your chocolate macarons are fragile or have speckled tops after they cool, you likely need to bake them longer.

Why are my macaron feet messed up?

Here are a few common causes of small feet, no feet, or feet that have ruffled/spread too far:

1. Your oven temperature is too high or too low: Work on dialing in your oven temperature. You may have to try a few different oven temperatures in order to find the perfect temperature for your home oven. You can read more about my experiments with oven temperature if you're curious to learn more.

2. You didn't rest the macarons long enough: Typically, you'll need to allow the shells to rest for about 45 - 60+ minutes on the counter until a skin has formed on top. If you live in a humid climate, this may take up to 90+ minutes.

3. You over or under macaronaged the batter: If you've over macaronaged your batter, it will be too thin and runny. This will cause your macarons to fall flat with small feet or even no feet. An overworked batter can also cause the macarons to spread out horizontally, rather than rising up vertically.

If you're still having trouble, check out my troubleshooting guide for macaron feet.

Why are my macaron shells hollow?

Here are a few common causes of hollow macaron shells:

This is the last troubleshooting problem you should worry about. Before perfecting your macarons so they don't have hollows, make sure all the other properties are correct:

1. The meringue is over and under whipped: In order to prevent hollows, you need the perfect consistency of meringue before starting the macaronage process. Oftentimes, adding in acid, like cream of tartar, can help stabilize your meringue and allow more time for the air to get incorporated.

2. The batter was over or under macaronaged: The macaronage stage, which refers to working your batter to the proper consistency, is a technique that takes a while to master. If you've worked the batter to a lava-like consistency and you're still getting hollow shells, try working it a tad less.

3. Your oven temperature is too high or low: Oven temperature plays a big role in hollow macarons. Unfortunately, due to the capabilities of home conventional ovens, you have to test and play around with the temperature to get your macaron shells perfect. Most recipes suggest baking macarons anywhere from 275°F (135°C) - 325°F (163°C). Test these temperature ranges out with your home oven and an oven thermometer to see what works best.

If you're still having trouble, check out my troubleshooting guide for hollow macarons.

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