Unleash Your Inner Monster with Purple People Eater Macarons
Some say the Purple People Eater Macarons are too pretty to eat…but we say they’re too delicious NOT to eat!
I love making French macaron. Once you figure out how to trouble shoot making them, like all things, then you can make them successfully almost every time. I say almost because sometimes the extract messes things up for me. I made the cinnamon toast macaron and it took three tries to figure out the butter extract was not going to work for me. I had to try another one and voila! Perfect macaron.
Most people are hesitant to try making them. I was not. I jumped in feet first and tried some banana macaron. Some had little feet, but I was determined to keep trying. Then I took a class where I learned some tips and tricks to make them perfect. Ironically, the ones in class didn’t turn out perfectly. But we learn from our mistakes, as with all things.
What is a purple ube?
Purple ube, also known as purple yam, is a vibrant root vegetable with a naturally deep purple color and a subtly sweet flavor. They’re commonly used in Asian desserts and dishes to add a pop of purple color and unique taste. For this recipe, I added ube powder to the shells to give them a lovely purple color. I didn’t want to use food coloring but wanted to use the ube for a natural purple color.
What is a French macaron?
French macarons are delicate cookie that consists of two cookies made from almond flour and meringue sandwiched together with a filling. These iconic treats are known for their smooth, shiny shells, chewy interiors that practically melt in your mouth, and the classic pied or feet. That is what the ruffled part of the bottom of each cookie is called.
French macaron are a versatile dessert option for any occasion because you can make them in an infinite number of colors and flavors. And they don’t have to be sweet, either. I’ve made beet macaron with goat cheese and even pizza macaron with tomato powder in the shells, and whipped ricotta with pepperoni in the middle.
Ingredients for Purple People Eater Macarons
There are not a lot of ingredients needed for this macaron recipe. You might have everything in your pantry already. Minus the purple ube powder, of course.
- Pantry – almond flour, powder sugar, cream of tartar, granulated sugar, white chocolate chips
- Refrigerator – egg whites, heavy whipping cream
Instructions for making macaron shells
These are high level steps for making macaron shells. There are more thorough instructions in the recipe below.
First is to put the powdered sugar, almond flour, and ube powder in the bowl of a food processor and process until well combined and there are not large bits of almonds visible. I sift my dry ingredients through a fine mesh sifter at least 3 times.
Next I make the meringue by combining the egg whites with the cream of tartar. The cream of tartar stabilizes the meringue and produces more consistent cookies. I beat the egg whites until they’re foamy then I sprinkle in the granulated sugar. If you’re making savory macaron, ship the granulated sugar. Then I beat the meringue until they have super stiff peaks. Not even the very tip of the meringue moves when I turn the whisk upside down.
Making the macaronage batter
Using a rubber spatula, fold a third of the almond mixture into the meringue until it’s combined. Then add another third, fold, and then final third and fold again. You’re not trying to keep the airiness of the meringue. To make the macaronage you have to stir a little heavier than you’d think.
Continue to stir the batter. This is the tricky part because if you over mix they won’t turn out and if you under mix they won’t turn out right. They shells be hollow or crack. Watch the sheen of the batter. When it turns from a dull batter to a shiny batter you’re there.
Piping the macaron
I use a half inch tip in a piping bag for mine. I have a mat that has circles on it for a guide. I place a silpat on top of the guide, pipe using the straight up and down method. I haven’t mastered the little swirl at the end to prevent the bump on the top of the shell.
After piping the purple people eater macaron, bang the sheet pan on the counter to release any air bubbles that could affect the smoothness of the tops. If you see larger air bubbles that won’t pop, then grab a toothpick and carefully pop those. If you have a little nub on the top, lightly wet your finger and tap the bump down. Now, we rest. Let the shells sit on the counter. The tops have to be dry to the touch to make the pretty feet. You can speed this process up by turning the vent on your stove to circulate the air and make them dry faster. I use this trick when it’s humid, too.
Baking macaron shells
I bake mine at 325 for 9 minutes. Then I rotate the pans and bake for another 9 minutes. Then I do the wiggle test where I grab the top of the shell and move it side to side. If it moves easily, then I bake them for 2 more minutes. If they don’t move, then I take them out and let them cool completely.
Decorating your purple people eater macarons
These are filled with a white chocolate ganache with a hint of match in there. I was hoping the matcha would make the ganache greener than it did. So, I decided to put eyes around the edges. Because they’re purple peeper eater macaron. They have to have eyes. And I couldn’t find good teeth to make the edge of the cookie the mouth.
You could put the eyes on top of your purple people eater macarons and make some teeth from fondant. Or you could draw a mouth on top of the cookie. You could ditch the purple people eater idea altogether and decorate them however you want. Stripes of purple and green would also work well for wicked witch macaron.
Omit the purple ube powder and color them however you want. Black shells with red buttercream. Orange shells with white or green buttercream. For a Beetlejuice theme, black and white cookies would work well.
As you can see, these are not picture perfect. But they’re perfect for Halloween. Sometimes you have to embrace the imperfections and make it look like they were on purpose. And these sort of were on purpose. I ran out of steam and didn’t bake them the day I made the batter. I knew that would make them less than perfect.
Then I didn’t let them dry enough. That meant it was questionable whether I would get feet. And they didn’t spread enough so the shells were a little hollow. I knew all of these things going into this, but purple people eaters are not perfect. They’re rough around the edges and sometimes a little cracked on top.

Purple People Eater Macarons
Get ready to experience the magic of Purple People Eater Macarons! These sweet treats are the perfect combination of taste and color.
Ingredients
For the macaron shells:
- 4 ounces almond meal
- 7 ounces powdered sugar
- 1 ounce ube powder
- 4 ounces egg white, room temperature
- Pinch cream of tartar
- 40 grams sugar
For the ganache:
- 1 1/4 cups white chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the macaron:
- Pulse the 7 ounces powdered sugar, 4 ounces almond flour, and ube powder together in a food processor to form a fine powder. Sift three times into a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer (or large, metal mixing bowl). Sprinkle the cream of tartar over the eggs and hand mix the two together with the whisk attachment for the stand mixer (or hand mixer). Fasten the whisk attachment and beat the mixture on medium speed until foamy. Slowly add the granulated sugar and continue to beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Increase the speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Add 1/3 of the almond mixture into the meringue. Continue folding and adding the almond mixture until all of it is incorporated into the meringue and the mixture should drip slowly off the spatula; like lava flowing. (Think conditioner dripping out of a bottle. That works for me.) The mixture will have a sheen to it when it’s ready to pipe.
- Transfer the batter to large piping bags fitted with a 1/2 inch tip and pipe 1 1/3 inch rounds onto a silpat covered baking sheet. There are several different templates out there. Two that I like are here and here.
- You’re going to LOVE this next part! Once all the batter has been piped or your sheets are full, grab the edges of the pan, secure the silpat with your thumbs (or any extra batter) and rap the pans on the counter. That’s right! You heard me! Bang them on the counter!! This releases any remaining air bubbles in the meringue.
- Continue rapping the sheets, turning occasionally, until no more air bubbles surface. Allow the macaron to rest on the counter at least 30 minutes or more depending on the humidity level of your kitchen.
Once they’ve rested and the tops are no longer sticky to the touch (anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes depending on humidity in the air), bake at 325 for 7 to 9 minutes. - Rotate the pans front to back and top to bottom and bake an additional 7 to 9 minutes. Do the wiggle test to see if the meringue is cooked; carefully grab the top of the shell and see if it moves easily from side to side when wiggled. This indicates that the meringue isn’t completely cooked. Continue to cook in 2 to 3 minutes intervals until they wiggle just slightly. They will continue to cook as they cool.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before filling.
For the ganache:
- Heat the cream in the microwave 1 to 2 minutes until bubbly but not boiling over.
Place the chocolate chips and butter in a heat proof bowl and pour the cream over the chips. Let them rest for about 3 minutes before adding in the vanilla, salt, and spices and whisking until well blended. - Pour the ganache into a shallow dish. Cover with plastic wrap making sure the wrap touches the top of the ganache to prevent a skin from working. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before putting it into a piping bag. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Nutrition Information
Yield
24Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 140Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 9mgSodium 72mgCarbohydrates 16gFiber 1gSugar 15gProtein 2g
Welcome to 2024’s #HalloweenTreatsWeek event!
If you’re new here, Welcome! If you’re a returning haunt, welcome back!
#HalloweenTreatsWeek is a yearly Halloween blogging event that is hosted by Angie from Big Bear’s Wife . This spooky event is an online, week-long event that is filled with some frightfully fun Halloween treats and recipes from some fantastic Halloween loving bloggers!
For this year’s 7th annual #HalloweenTreatsWeek event we have 12 hauntingly talented bloggers who are sharing their favorite Halloween recipes throughout the week! You can follow the hashtag #HalloweenTreatsWeek on social media to collect all of these frightful recipes to use at your own Halloween parties and events!
- Mozzarella Skull Caprese Pasta Salad from Big Bears Wife
- Hocus Pocus Spell Book Rice Krispie Treats from Semi-Homemade Recipes
- Vanilla Citrus Cider from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
- Sally’s Worms Wort Nightmare Before Christmas Soup from The Spiffy Cookie
- Purple People Eater Macaron from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Mini Pizza Skulls from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Halloween Candy Chocolate Pie from Sweet ReciPEAs
- Halloween Bark from Art of Natural Living
- Mummy Pizzas from Jen Around the World
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Bread from A Day in the Life on the Farm
These are a great beginner macaron since if they crack it’s okay! And now I know what to do with my ube powder!
Thank you! I still have more powder. I’m thinking cake or cupcakes? Maybe quick bread?
Love that purple peeking through! Gotta love a dessert that provides stress relief while baking it and is also delicious!
Thank you! I hoped they would be more purple in the shells, but no luck. They were still fun to make!
I’m turning my imperfect macarons into monsters from now on!!
YES! Embrace the cracks and make them look intentional.
You are the macaron queen, for sure.
Thank you!