Jack Skellington Macaron Recipe: How to Make Tim Burton-Inspired Treats

No need to fear these Jack Skellington macarons! The Pumpkin King may look spooky, but these sweet little treats are anything but scary.

This week on BigBearsWife.com was meant to be full of Disney Halloween treats and crafts — Thomas and I planned an early Halloween celebration at Disney World.

We did get to enjoy a few magical days there, but Hurricane Matthew forced us to cut our trip short and return home. The parks closed, and Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party was canceled the night we were supposed to attend. We were disappointed to miss the party, the parade, and the Hocus Pocus show, but the most important thing is that we made it home safe.

Even though our trip ended early, I still wanted to celebrate Halloween on the blog. So to lift my spirits, I made Jack Skellington macarons — a perfect Disney-themed sweet to finish the week.

Earlier this week I shared Mickey Pumpkin Marshmallow Cereal Treats and a DIY Ursula mouse ears tutorial. For the final Disney treat I wanted something round so Jack’s face would work well — that’s how macarons came to mind.

I love macarons, but I had never made them before and I was nervous. I’d watched countless macaron tutorials and read that they can be tricky, but I figured it was time to try. After a couple of failed attempts — one set that looked a bit freckled from almond meal with skins, and another that burned — the third batch turned out beautifully.

A few things I learned while making macarons for the first time:

Tips from my first macaron attempts

– Use blanched almond flour (very finely ground) if you want bright, smooth, uniform shells. I used almond meal at first and ended up with little brown flecks from the skins. Switching to a finer almond flour gave me smoother, whiter shells.

– Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together to remove any lumps. A smooth dry mix helps the shells form evenly.

– Whip your egg whites to stiff, glossy peaks. Add white granulated sugar slowly, then fold the dry ingredients in gently but thoroughly. The proper macaronage is important — fold until the batter flows slowly off the spatula and “melts” back into the bowl.

– Let the piped shells rest at room temperature for at least an hour before baking. Don’t rush this step — it helps form the characteristic “feet” and prevents cracking.

– Watch your oven closely. I recommend a slightly open oven door method some bakers use, and bake until shells are matte and dry to the touch. Mine baked about 12 minutes at 350°F, but ovens vary so keep an eye on them.

How to draw Jack’s face

For Jack’s face I used a black edible food-color marker. Make sure the shells are completely cool and dry before drawing; I let mine rest overnight. Use a very light hand — apply minimal pressure to avoid cracking the delicate shells. Draw faces on half of the shells, then sandwich them with your filling.

Filling ideas

I filled mine with a smooth chocolate ganache (heavy cream heated, then stirred into chocolate chips until melted). Let the ganache cool until pipeable but still soft — if it’s too firm you’ll need to press hard when assembling, which can crack the shells. You can use any filling you like, but keep it soft and spreadable.

These macarons are delicate but rewarding — perfect for a Halloween party or a special treat at home. Go ahead and make Jack Skellington macarons to celebrate the season!

Happy haunting! Check out the other spooky recipes and crafts on the site for more Halloween inspiration.

Ingredients for Jack Skellington Macarons

For the macarons:

• 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
• White food coloring
• 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
• Pinch of salt
• Egg whites from 3 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 cup (about 4 oz) blanched almond flour

For the chocolate ganache:

• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup heavy cream

Ingredient amounts and full recipe directions are provided in the recipe card below.

How to make

More Nightmare Before Christmas recipes featuring Jack Skellington:

• Jack Skellington Biscuit Donuts
• Jack Skellington Dessert Cheese Ball
• Jack Skellington Chocolate Apples
• Jack Skellington Rice Krispie Treats

More macaron recipes:

• Bananas Foster Macarons
• Pumpkin Spice Macarons
• Robin Egg Macarons
• Orange Chocolate Macarons

Jack Skellington Macarons

Jack Skellington Macarons

Yield:
about 18-20 macarons

Prep Time:
1 hour 30 minutes

Cook Time:
12 minutes

Filling and Piping Time:
15 minutes

Total Time:
1 hour 57 minutes

No need to be afraid of these Jack Skellington macarons! The Pumpkin King might act spooky, but these treats are sweet and fun.

Ingredients

For Macarons:

• 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
• White food coloring
• 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
• Pinch of salt
• Egg whites from 3 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 cup (4 oz) almond flour

For Chocolate Ganache

• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

For Macarons:

• Crack three large eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. Set the yolks aside; you will only use the whites.
• Let the egg whites sit at room temperature.
• Whisk together the almond flour and powdered sugar in a large bowl, sifting if necessary to remove lumps.
• Combine the room-temperature egg whites with a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer and attach the whisk.
• Whip the egg whites until white and foamy, then slowly add the granulated sugar while increasing the speed to high.
• Whip about 15 minutes until stiff, glossy peaks form. Add white food coloring as desired and mix briefly to combine.
• Gently fold the almond flour and powdered sugar mixture into the whipped egg whites using a rubber spatula.
• Fold slowly until the batter is smooth and flows slowly off the spatula, “melting” back into itself. Avoid over- or under-mixing.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Fill a piping bag with the batter, snip the end, and pipe 1-inch circles onto the sheet, leaving space for slight spreading.
• If tips form on each piped cookie, dip a fingertip in water and gently pat the tip down.
• Tap the baking sheet on the counter to release air bubbles.
• Let the piped shells rest at room temperature for about 1 hour until a skin forms.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Bake with the oven door slightly open for about 12 minutes, or until shells are matte and dry to the touch. Watch closely to avoid burning.
• Remove from the oven and let cool completely before filling. I often let shells rest overnight before decorating.

For Chocolate Ganache:

• Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium-high heat until very hot but not boiling.
• Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate chips until fully melted and smooth.
• Allow the ganache to cool until it’s pipeable. If needed, chill briefly to firm up.

To Assemble:

• Pair shells of similar size.
• Draw Jack Skellington faces on half of the shells with an edible black food pen, using a very light touch.
• Pipe ganache onto the other half of the shells.
• Gently sandwich faces and fill together to create Jack Skellington macarons.

If you make this recipe, leave a comment or share a photo on social media with the hashtag #bigbearswife — I love seeing what you make from the blog!