When you think of Father’s Day desserts, you probably think of something like brownies or ice cream sundaes. Well, I think that’s BORING! I’m not about boring desserts over here. Make these special macaron flavors for your guy! I’m not talking vanilla or strawberry. I’m talking BOURBON BLUEBERRY BASIL and LEMON POTATO CHIP MACS!
Unique Father’s Day Treat Ideas
I promise you, these new French macaron flavors will be one of your go-to Father’s day desserts once you try them. Macarons are a totally unique treat and are a fresh new Father’s Day treat idea! Plus, they’re easy to package up and give out to neighbors, family members, or friends.
Now, before I get too carried away.. let me give you a breakdown of the flavors.
French Macarons Flavors
You know that I’m all about amazing flavor combinations. I love to pair unexpected flavors together, and especially flavors that you don’t usually see with macarons. I wanted to add some interesting texture and flavor to these macs, and I came up with Blueberry Basil Bourbon, then Lemon Potato Chip!
Bourbon Blueberry Basil
Blueberry Basil Bourbon is a rustic take on what some might consider a “dainty” treat. The bourbon gives these macs a rich taste that’s like nothing else I’ve ever tried! The blueberry basil is a fun and unexpected combo that tastes so incredible.
Lemon Potato-Chip Crumble
Lemon Potato Chip is an incredible balance of salt and acid. Not too lemony, not too salty! Potato chip crumble is perfect for the salty-sweet lover in your life.
How to Make French Macarons
If you haven’t mastered the macaron, see my step-by-step guide on how to make them. I also have lots of tutorials on my Instagram that are super helpful if you’re a macaron newbie. Don’t be intimidated. You can do it!
Macarons on the Traeger
Step it up and make your macs on the Traeger for a fun and extra Father’s Day-approved flavor. The slightly smoky flavor adds a depth to these classically sweet treats. See this in-depth guide on how to make these amazing cookies on your smoker grill!
My Favorite French Macaron Fillings
Some of my other very favorite French macaron fillings are White Chocolate Ganache Buttercream, Lime Crumble, and Samoa Crumble. I have so many filling recipes, with more coming every single day!
Bourbon Blueberry Basil Macarons
Equipment
- baker's half sheet pans: high quality baking sheets with rimmed edges
- KitchenAid stand mixer
- parchment paper or silpat baking mats (with macaron template)
- oven thermometer
- piping bag
- Wilton Piping Tip #12
- Wilton Piping Tip #3
- food scale that will measure in grams or ounces
- scribe (a sharp, pointed tool), or a toothpick
- digital minute timer
- microwavable bowls
Ingredients
Ingredients for Sweet Mac Shop Macaron Shells
- 160 grams egg whites room temperature
- 88 grams granulated sugar
- 256 grams powdered sugar
- 205 grams almond flour
- 13 drops AmeriColor Moss Green coloring
Ingredients for American Buttercream
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter Let sit on counter for 30 minutes.
- 250 grams powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. Lorann Bourbon Super-Strength Flavoring Oil
- 1 pinch salt
Ingredients for Bourbon Blueberry Basil Crumble (adapted from MILKBAR)
- 40 grams powdered milk
- 50 grams all-purpose flour
- 12 grams cornstarch
- 1 tsp. dried basil seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 55 grams melted salted butter
- 2 tsp. LorAnn Blueberry Bakery Emulsion
- 90 grams Van Leer Compound White Chocolate Snaps
Instructions
Instructions for SweetMacShop Macaron Shells
- Preheat oven to 285 for steel pans, or 300 for aluminum pans. Preheat for at least 10 minutes.
- Measure out your granulated sugar in a small bowl; set aside.
- Measure powdered sugar and almond flour together, then use a sifter to combine. This will make them smooth and lump-free. Set aside.
- Place your bowl on the surface of your food scale. Hit “tare” button to zero out the weight of the bowl. Now measure the room temperature egg whites into the bowl of your KitchenAid stand mixer.
- Add the clear vanilla extract.
- Place bowl on mixer stand (this recipe is for the KitchenAid mixer), and attach the wire whisk beater. Set timer for one minute. Turn mixer to Speed 4, and slowly add sugar to egg whites, shaking it in a little at a time during that first minute.
- When timer goes off, set mixer to Speed 6, and set timer for 2 minutes. When timer goes off, now is the time to add your 13 drops AmeriColor Moss Green.
- Set mixer to Speed 8, and slowly turn on the mixer. Set timer for 1 and 1/2 minutes (90 seconds). Egg whites should look silky, yet stiff enough to hold the peak.
- Now we’ll make the macaronage: blend in dry ingredients, by moving a flexible spatula around the bowl, then cutting down through the middle, making sure to scrape the bottom for the flour and incorporate it into the meringue. You know you are done when the batter rolls off the spatula in a continuous ribbon. Batter will be thick…but can flow like a ribbon.
- BAKER’S NOTE: I have several videos of making macaronage in my Instagram Highlights. Please also follow the instructions on the blog for shaping and making the footballs.
- Insert Wilton #12 tip into the small opening of your piping bag. Scoop the macaronage into the bag, filling only half-way full, leaving room to twist the top closed in order to keep the batter from spilling out the top. Pipe the macrons by applying pressure until the batter flows out and just reaches the inner rim of the marked circle on your mat. Immediately release pressure and swirl tip to incorporate point back into the center of the cookie. See my tips on Instagram Highlights.
- NOTE: if you will be using parchment paper — search for online — then download a template of circles and place underneath your parchment paper. You’ll remove this before baking.
- Once the full pan is piped, gently (or aggressively–no judgment here) bang the pan down onto the counter to release air bubbles. I usually place a towel on the counter before banging the pan. Use your scribe or toothpick to pop any large bubbles, in order to create smooth shells.
- PREP FOR BAKING, METHOD ONE: Place your parchment paper or Silpat mat on the bottom of an upside-down baker’s half sheet. Pipe your circles. Let rest about 5 minutes, bang (see above) then place them to bake in a pre-heated oven.
- PREP FOR BAKING, METHOD TWO: Place your parchment paper or Silpat mat on the inside of a baker’s half sheet (like normal). Pipe your circles. Let rest until your finger can glide across the top of the mac without stickiness, often up to 30 minutes. Bang (see above), then place them to bake in a pre-heated oven.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Once out of the oven, DO NOT — I repeat — do not remove from pan until they are completely cooled.
- This recipe yields 36-42 completed cookies (about 72-84 shells).
Instructions for American Buttercream
- Place butter in bowl of mixer, and attach paddle flat beater. Mix on medium speed until butter breaks up and is starting to look smooth. Add in flavoring and salt; mix for 30 seconds until combined.
- Measure powdered sugar on scale. Slowly add to the mixer, 1 cup at a time. PRO TIP: Start the mixer speed back up slowly after adding the cup of powdered sugar, otherwise, pull out the mop.
- Once ingredients are all mixed, turn the mixer to medium high and set timer for five minutes.
- NOTE: American Buttercream will keep up to two weeks in the fridge, and one day at room temperature.
Instructions for Bourbon Blueberry Basil Crumble
- Heat oven to 250 degree F. Line a baking pan with parchment.
- Mix all dry ingredients together. Add Lorann Blueberry Emulsion to salted butter, mix into dry ingredients until the crumble forms small clusters. Spread out on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Let crumble cool completely.
- Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate snaps in large microwavable bowl. Drizzle melted chocolate over cooled crumble, and toss to completely coat crumble. Let cool again. Can be stored in air-tight container for up to two weeks.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Lemon Potato-Chip Macs
Equipment
- baker's half sheet pans: high quality baking sheets with rimmed edges
- KitchenAid stand mixer
- parchment paper or silpat baking mats (with macaron template)
- oven thermometer
- piping bag
- Wilton Piping Tip #12
- Wilton Piping Tip #3
- food scale that will measure in grams or ounces
- scribe (a sharp, pointed tool), or a toothpick
- digital minute timer
Ingredients
Ingredients for Sweet Mac Shop Macaron Shells
- 160 grams egg whites room temperature
- 88 grams granulated sugar
- 256 grams powdered sugar
- 205 grams almond flour
- 14 drops Wilton Yellow coloring
- 10 drops AmeriColor Gold coloring
Ingredients for American Buttercream
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter Let sit on counter for 30 minutes.
- 250 grams powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp Lorann Lemon Bakery Emulsion
- 1 pinch salt
Ingredients for Lemon PotatoChip Crumble
- 75 grams sugar
- 25 grams brown sugar
- 100 grams cake flour; see note for how to turn GF flour into cake flour
- 2 handfuls rippled or wavy potato chips roughly 2/3 cup crushed chips total
- 2 grams baking powder
- 2 grams salt
- 42 grams vegetable oil
- 12 grams clear vanilla extract
Instructions
Instructions for SweetMacShop Macaron Shells
- Preheat oven to 285 for steel pans, or 300 for aluminum pans. Preheat for at least 10 minutes.
- Measure out your granulated sugar in a small bowl; set aside.
- Measure powdered sugar and almond flour together, then use a sifter to combine. This will make them smooth and lump-free. Set aside.
- Place your bowl on the surface of your food scale. Hit “tare” button to zero out the weight of the bowl. Now measure the room temperature egg whites into the bowl of your KitchenAid stand mixer.
- Add the clear vanilla extract.
- Place bowl on mixer stand (this recipe is for the KitchenAid mixer), and attach the wire whisk beater. Set timer for one minute. Turn mixer to Speed 4, and slowly add sugar to egg whites, shaking it in a little at a time during that first minute.
- When timer goes off, set mixer to Speed 6, and set timer for 2 minutes. When timer goes off, now is the time to add your coloring.
- Set mixer to Speed 8, and slowly turn on the mixer. Set timer for 1 and 1/2 minutes (90 seconds). Egg whites should look silky, yet stiff enough to hold the peak.
- Now we’ll make the macaronage: blend in dry ingredients, by moving a flexible spatula around the bowl, then cutting down through the middle, making sure to scrape the bottom for the flour and incorporate it into the meringue. You know you are done when the batter rolls off the spatula in a continuous ribbon. Batter will be thick…but can flow like a ribbon.
- BAKER’S NOTE: I have several videos of making macaronage in my Instagram Highlights. Please also follow the instructions on the blog for shaping and making the footballs.
- Insert Wilton #12 tip into the small opening of your piping bag. Scoop the macaronage into the bag, filling only half-way full, leaving room to twist the top closed in order to keep the batter from spilling out the top. Pipe the macrons by applying pressure until the batter flows out and just reaches the inner rim of the marked circle on your mat. Immediately release pressure and swirl tip to incorporate point back into the center of the cookie. See my tips on Instagram Highlights.
- NOTE: if you will be using parchment paper — search for online — then download a template of circles and place underneath your parchment paper. You’ll remove this before baking.
- Once the full pan is piped, gently (or aggressively–no judgment here) bang the pan down onto the counter to release air bubbles. I usually place a towel on the counter before banging the pan. Use your scribe or toothpick to pop any large bubbles, in order to create smooth shells.
- PREP FOR BAKING, METHOD ONE: Place your parchment paper or Silpat mat on the bottom of an upside-down baker’s half sheet. Pipe your circles. Let rest about 5 minutes, bang (see above) then place them to bake in a pre-heated oven.
- PREP FOR BAKING, METHOD TWO: Place your parchment paper or Silpat mat on the inside of a baker’s half sheet (like normal). Pipe your circles. Let rest until your finger can glide across the top of the mac without stickiness, often up to 30 minutes. Bang (see above), then place them to bake in a pre-heated oven.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Once out of the oven, DO NOT — I repeat — do not remove from pan until they are completely cooled.
- This recipe yields 36-42 completed cookies (about 72-84 shells).
Instructions for American Buttercream
- Place butter in bowl of mixer, and attach paddle flat beater. Mix on medium speed until butter breaks up and is starting to look smooth. Add in flavoring and salt; mix for 30 seconds until combined.
- Measure powdered sugar on scale. Slowly add to the mixer, 1 cup at a time. PRO TIP: Start the mixer speed back up slowly after adding the cup of powdered sugar, otherwise, pull out the mop.
- Once ingredients are all mixed, turn the mixer to medium high and set timer for five minutes.
- NOTE: American Buttercream will keep up to two weeks in the fridge, and one day at room temperature.
Instructions for Lemon Potato Chip Crumble
- Heat oven to 250 degree F. Line a baking pan with parchment.
- Mix all dry ingredients together. Add extract to oil, mix into dry ingredients until it forms small clusters. Spread out on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Let crumble cool completely.
- Crumble can be stored in air-tight container for up to two weeks.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Hi Barb! I’m wanting to try the lemon crumble and keep it GF, your recipe says to see notes for converting GF to cake flour but I’m not seeing where on this page that note is – is it on a different blog post? Thank you !
Trudy- I am so sorry, yes! Its on a blog post. type in the search “cake flour”