Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Fit a piping bag with a plain round tip. Set aside.  

Sift together the almond flour and icing sugar into a large mixing bowl. Set aside. 

Make a French meringue. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on low speed until they begin to get foamy. Over the course of 60 to 90 seconds, gradually add in the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, while increasing the speed to medium. Mix on medium-high speed until the egg whites hold stiff peaks. 

Using a large rubber spatula, scrape half of the meringue into the almond mixture. Begin folding the mixture together but do not fully incorporate. Scrape in the rest of the meringue. Continue folding with large, deliberate strokes – rotating the bowl as you go.  

Smooth the mixture a few times by smearing it around the sides of the bowl. Stop folding when the batter flows in thick ribbons of the spatula. If you scrape down the center of the bowl, the batter will flow back slowly like lava.  

Fill the piping bag no more than ¾ of the way with the macaron batter.  

Hold the bag straight down and pipe the snowman macarons onto the prepared baking sheets. The top circle should be about 1-inch in diameter, and the bottom one just slightly larger. Make sure they are touching.  

After one full baking sheet is piped, it is time to tap the bottom of the pan by banging the bottom of the pan against your work surface a few times. Continue piping with the remaining batter on the next sheet pan. 

Preheat the oven to 325°F and set the piped macarons aside to rest for about 20 minutes 

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes. The macarons are done when they barely wiggle. To test, gently poke the top of the macaron, if it moves slightly but still feels attached to its “feet,” then it is done. 

Make the buttercream by mixing the butter until smooth and creamy, 1 minute. 

Add the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of cream, vanilla, and peppermint. Begin mixing on low speed until the ingredients come together then turn up the speed to medium-high until the buttercream is fluffy. If needed, add the additional cream.  

To Assemble: 

Match similarly sized shells to create pairs. Pipe the buttercream on the bottom shells, leaving a very small border around the edge.  

Place the matching shells on top of the filling and gently sandwich together. 

Use an edible marker to draw on the eyes, mouths, and buttons. 

Use a small piping tip to make buttercream scarves.