Painted Thanksgiving Macarons

These Painted Thanksgiving Macarons are painted with the words "Give thanks" and "thankful" using black food coloring gel. They are a decorative addition to a fall gathering and can be made with gluten free and nut free macarons.

After having made Nut Free French Macarons for most major holidays, I wanted to do something special for Thanksgiving. I came up with the idea to do two flavors inspired by my favorite Starbucks fall drinks: the Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato and the Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Since the macarons had fall flavors inside, I wanted to decorate the outside. I decided on two designs for the Thanksgiving macarons. I painted the words "Give thanks" on some and "thankful" on others with a decorative border at the top and bottom of each.

I also made some Painted Fall Macarons featuring pumpkins and leaves.

I served the macarons on a 3-tiered server as guest were arriving at Thanksgiving. This was a fun way to kick off our annual meal. Everyone loved the flavors and the decorations!

Jump to:

• Supplies
• Macarons
• Paint the Macaron Shells
• Storage
• Gluten Free Option
• 📖 Recipe

Supplies

• 1 batch orange or red macarons, such as Nut Free French Macarons
• black food coloring gel, such as AmeriColor Super Black
• food dedicated paint palette
• thin food safe paintbrush

Macarons

You can use store bought or homemade orange or red macarons. Almond flour is required for traditional French macarons. Due to my nut allergy, I cannot bake with or consume almond flour, so I must make homemade Nut Free French Macarons using certified gluten free oat flour.

For these Thanksgiving macarons, I made two flavors: orange Nut Free Pumpkin Spice Latte Macarons and red Nut Free Apple Macchiato Macarons. My oldest daughter made this adorable label for the table.

Paint the Macaron Shells

Place some black food coloring gel in the well of a food dedicated paint palette.

Place a macaron in the center. Dip a thin food safe paintbrush into the gel and then paint the words "Give thanks" or "thankful" in the center.

For the cookies with "Give thanks," paint a curved line above and below the text and add little sideways v-shapes on top of the line to create a decorative border resembling harvest branches or wheat.

You can do these designs on both the orange and red macarons.

Allow the food coloring gel to dry completely before storing.

Storage

I recommend storing these macarons in a single layer in an airtight container to ensure that the food coloring gel does not smear or transfer.

Macarons should be stored in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before enjoying to mature and improve in texture. Allow them to come to room temperature before serving so the buttercream can soften.

Gluten Free Option

Traditional French macarons are made with almond flour and are naturally gluten free. I make Nut Free French Macarons with certified gluten free oat flour. Some brands of oat flour are not gluten free, so check your packaging to be sure.

Many brands of food coloring gel are gluten free. Please check the particular brand before purchasing or using the black gel.

📖 Recipe