The flavor of this cookie is dead on for a Cinnabon! I have always loved Cinnabon. I remember going there as teenager with my mom and getting a giant Cinnabon every time we went to the Mall of America. It was such a gooey messy doughy delight. I was OBSESSED! Well, now-a-days I live in sweet Moorhead, MN. We don’t have a Cinnabon and I don’t eat that many calories in a sitting anymore. The main difference is that I’ve added a little bourbon…as far as I know the trademarked Cinnabon does not have bourbon in it, but I love the flavor it adds and the more grown up feel it gives to the cookie. I over beat my merengue this time around unfortunately. I was a little distracted… My sweet little 5 year old wanted to help and he was amazing! He helped with every step. He piped the pan of cookies in the photos below! It’s so important when you’re making macarons to take your time and follow the instructions precisely. Also having the right tools is so important. Check out my post on basic macaron supplies to help get you started.
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If you try this sweet little number at me in your instagram comments @chakablanford or comment below or email me! I love seeing how your bakes turn out!
Cinnabon Macarons
Equipment
- Stand Mixer with Whisk Attachment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Hand Mixer
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Pastry Bag or Plastic Bag with ½" Round Tip
- 2 Cookie Sheet
- 2 Macaron Silpats
Ingredients
Meringue
- 3 Egg Whites
- 25 g Granulated Sugar
- 25 g Brown Sugar
- ¼ tsp Cream of Tartar speeds process for stiff peaks
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp Bourbon
- 1-2 drops Butter Extract optional
Dry Ingredients
- 96 g Almond Flour
- 242 g Powdered Sugar
- 1 pinch Salt
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
Cinnamon Butter
- 2-3 tbs Butter
- 2 tbs Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp Cinnamon more or less to taste
Cream Cheese Icing/Frosting
- 4 oz Cream Cheese ½ of the package
- 8 tbs Butter 1 stick
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar add more for if you desire a sweeter taste
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
Bourbon Cinnamon Cookie Shell
- Three days prior to baking separate yolks from egg whites. Age egg whites for 3 days in a sealed container in the fridge. Separate eggs when cold.
- One hour prior to mixing remove egg whites from fridge and allow to come to room temperature. Room temperature eggs will give a better meringue.
- Measure dry ingredients on a kitchen scale. Measuring cups can be used, but as macarons are notoriously fussy it is best to measure by weight.
- In a large mixing bowl combine dry ingredients and sift 3 times. Discard any small clumps that remain in the sifter after each sifting. Sifting helps ensure a smooth shell.
- In a stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, whisk eggs until foamy.
- Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, cream of tartar, vanilla extract, butter extract, and bourbon to egg whites to form stiff peaks. You should be able to hold the bowl upside down without any of the meringue pouring out. Don't over or undermix. Under mixing=Cracked Top // Over mixing=No Ridges and a Domed or Empty Shell
- Fold in sifted dry ingredients to the meringue in 3 parts with a spatula. Scrape the bottom center of the bowl and fold to the side of the bowl. Continue folding until all dry ingredients are combined and batter resembles smooth moving molten lava.
- Transfer batter to a pastry bag.
- Place silpat on cookie sheet and pipe onto macaron silpat.
- Rap cookie sheet on counter top 3 times. This release air bubbles and ensures a smooth top.
- Let sit 45 minutes before baking. Baking immediately will cause the cookie to spread.
- After 30 minutes pre-heat oven to 300°.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until legs are well formed. (Only bake one sheet at a time)
- Remove silpat from cookie sheet and carefully transfer too cooling rack, without disturbing the cookies.
- While cookie shells cool work on the filling.
Brown Sugar Spread and Cream Cheese Icing (can be done while resting shells)
- Cook 2-3 tbs of butter in a saucepan on low heat with the brown sugar. When sugar and butter is melted immediately remove from heat and add the cinnamon.
- Immediately spoon or baste onto inner sides of cookie shells.
- In a bowl mix together 1 stick of butter and 4 ounces of cream cheese.
- Add the vanilla extract and 1 cup powdered sugar to butter and cream cheese mixture.
- Mix until desire texture is reached.
- Spoon into pastry bag.
Finishing the Cookie
- Pipe the icing into the center of the macaron shells. Filling so that when top is placed the icing expands to the edges of the cookie. The ideal amount of filling is equivalent to the height of the "legs" or half of the height of one cookie shell.
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