Screenshot showing the Makefile target selection for drunkenfall. Notice how the $(BINARY) part is calculated to it's value in the minibuffer selection.

Install the makefile-executor package from MELPA!

Using use-package:

(use-package makefile-executor
  :config
  (add-hook 'makefile-mode-hook 'makefile-executor-mode))

• Interactively selecting a make target and running it. Bound to C-c C-e in makefile-mode when makefile-executor-mode is enabled.
• Re-running the last execution. We usually run things in Makefiles many times after all! Bound to C-c C-c in makefile-mode when makefile-executor-mode is enabled.
• Running a makefile target in a dedicated buffer. Useful when starting services and other long-running things! Bound to C-c C-d in makefile-mode when makefile-executor-mode is enabled.
• Calculation of variables et.c.; $(BINARY) will show up as what it evaluates to.
• If projectile is installed, execution from any buffer in a project. If more than one Makefile is found, an interactive prompt for one is shown. This is added to the projectile-commander on the m key.

• makefile-executor-execute-target: Bring up a selection of all the possible targets in the current Makefile, and execute the chosen one. .
• makefile-executor-execute-project-target: Bring up a selection of all the Makefiles in the current project. The selected one is executed as per makefile-executor-execute-target above.
• makefile-executor-execute-last: Execute the last makefile target for the project. If none has been run, this executes makefile-executor-execute-project-target.

This project is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 3, or (at your option) any later version.