Beginner Macaron Shapes to Try: Christmas Tree

Why Christmas Tree Macarons Are Great for Beginners

• You only need one color of batter
• The shape is built from circles, not freehand drawing
• The “tree” is naturally textured, so mistakes blend in
• Decorating can be as easy or detailed as you want
• They’re adorable on cookie trays, gift boxes, and holiday dessert boards

If you’re brand new to macarons, you’ll love starting with fun shapes like this. And if you’re ready to go deeper, I created a step-by-step Macaron Guide that covers my recipe, mixing technique, and beginner tips so you can bake with confidence.

Download Free Christmas Tree Templates

I made my template using small circles arranged in a pyramid. The circles keep everything even and help beginners avoid over-piping. The final shape has dimension and height because each circle becomes a slightly domed “branch” rather than a flat triangle.

There are two different sized tree templates. First is my fatcaron size which is the size I currently use at my bakery. Next is slightly smaller, more traditional size Christmas tree macarons.

Pipe the Christmas Tree

Pipe directly onto each circle in your template. Instead of aiming for a perfect sphere, I naturally pipe an oval shape for each one. This creates:

• A little lift
• A rounded shape
• A tree that doesn’t bake flat

When piping start from the bottom and work your way up. As you work your way up, when you are piping you will be lightly piping on to the row below. Follow my guide:

• Instead of piping a perfect circle, follow the guided arrows and almost pipe an oval. This is giving the feeling of branches.
• Where it says rest, I let the piped oval settle for a few seconds – I usually am piping multiple trees at once bouncing back and fourth. When you do this, the macaron batter won’t just bleed into each other. Letting it settle and slightly dry gives that definition between each oval or “branch”
• You know how a Christmas tree’s branches layer on top of each other. We’re going to almost do the same when piping. So when you pipe the next row above, it will slightly be piped on top of the row below. For example, when piping circle 5, it’s going to be piped slightly on to circle 1.

Once all circles are piped, you’ll see the full tree come together — layered and dimensional.

Tap the tray lightly to release air bubbles, but don’t tap too hard or you’ll lose the height that makes the tree look cute and full.

Add Decorations Before Baking (Optional)

This is where the fun begins. You can decorate the trees before or after baking depending on the look you want.

Option A: Sprinkle Before Baking

Lightly sprinkle:

• White nonpareils → looks like falling snow or classic white Christmas lights
• Rainbow nonpareils → instant rainbow Christmas lights

This is the quickest and most beginner-friendly option because the decorations melt slightly into the shell and look naturally festive.

Option B: Decorate After Baking

Bake the shells plain and decorate with royal icing. This works beautifully for:

• Colorful string lights
• Festive garland
• Tiny ornaments
• Stars at the top of the tree

I like using pastel pink, yellow, blue, and white royal icing to make delicate holiday designs.

Fill, Stack, and Enjoy

Pair the shells just like you would with round macarons. These macaron trees look stunning filled with:

• Pistachio <- My favorite because of green
• Vanilla bean buttercream
• Crushed peppermint buttercream
• Cinnamon sugar buttercream
• Eggnog buttercream
• Chocolate ganache

They instantly elevate any holiday dessert table or gift box.

Tips for Beginners

• Keep your circles small — oversized trees can spread.
• Don’t overfold your batter. Shapes need slightly thicker consistency.
• Pipe confidently and don’t worry about perfection. The tree shape is very forgiving.
• If adding sprinkles, add them immediately after piping so they stick without sinking.
• Let shells rest fully so the shape doesn’t crack during baking.

How to Use Christmas Tree Macarons

• Add to holiday gift boxes
• Arrange on a macaron grazing board
• Use as toppers for cakes
• Sell limited-edition holiday sets
• Make them part of a beginner holiday baking class

They always get a reaction — people LOVE shaped macarons!

Final Thoughts

Christmas Tree Macarons are the perfect mix of easy, adorable, and festive. Whether you sprinkle them with tiny rainbow lights or decorate them with royal icing after baking, they’re guaranteed to steal the show.

If you’re following along with my Beginner Macaron Shapes to Try series, this is one of the easiest shapes to start with — and one you’ll want to make every December.