Completely Crazy About Chocolate Macarons

Chocolate macarons are amazing simply because they combine the flavors of meringue, almonds and cocoa. They remind you of brownies, chocolate silk pie and almond candy bars all at once. They are the perfect treat for chocolate lovers. We are all crazy about chocolate macarons. This recipe is probably one of the easier macaron recipes you’ll see out there. But keep in mind, they are meringues and finicky little jerks at times.

Before my back injury this summer, I was obsessed with making macarons. I went through a lot of trial and error, six weeks of almost daily baking until I finally cracked the code on making macarons. I found they were the one thing that gave my frozen shoulder any form of relief so I would sometimes spend days making them.

I’m telling you all this, because you can see here and other posts that these aren’t easy cookies to make. They are known as the worlds most difficult cookie. So if you make these the first time and fail, keep trying. You’ll get there eventually. And if you make them the first time and succeed, you are welcome for the tips I’m sharing. It’s all about the meringue. Too many recipes tell you to over-beat the meringue. You simply can’t do this for French meringue based macarons and expect good results. Now that you have learned how to make them, tell me. Are you crazy about chocolate macarons, too?

Whip egg whites to soft peaks, sift dry ingredients.
Mix
If the ribbons disappear into the batter like this, it is ready. If not, fold one more time and check again. Repeat one fold at a time to avoid over mixing batter.
crazy about chocolate macarons
Pipe 1.5″ (3 cm) circles onto silicone or parchment paper. Allow to sit until dry to the touch.
crazy about chocolate macarons
Bake 300F (150C) 18 – 20 minutes.
crazy about chocolate macarons
Fill and enjoy!

Chocolate Macarons

If you like almonds and chocolate, be prepared for a delicacy.
Print Recipe
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Rest Time1 hour
Servings12 macarons
Calories 118.7

Ingredients

French Macarons

  • ¾ cup (90g) powdered sugar
  • 2 large (60g) egg whites
  • ½ cup (50g) almond flour
  • cup (30g) granulated sugar
  • 2 tbs (10g) cocoa powder

Chocolate Buttercream

  • ¾ cup (100g) powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup (56g) softened butter
  • 2 tbs (10g) cocoa powder
  • 1 – 2 tsp (5-10mL) milk

Instructions

  • Sift powdered sugar, cocoa and almonds together. Set aside.
  • In a 2 quart bowl or larger, use a hand mixer and beat eggs for 30 seconds, add sugar. Continue beating until soft peaks form. If desired, add food coloring at this stage. Beat until just combined.
  • Add the dry ingredients into the meringue. Using a spatula, gently fold in the ingredients until batter becomes shiny and drips smoothly off the spatula. It should ribbon off and sink back into the batter within 30 seconds. If it doesn’t do this, fold until you see the change. Do not over mix or you will have flat cookies.
  • Place in a piping bag with a 1/4" (6mm) tip. Squeeze onto parchment paper or a silicone mat until 1 1/2″ (3.8cm) circles form, spacing 2″ (5cm) apart.
  • Let sit until a skin develops. This step will depend on the humidity in your environment. On dry days, it can take as little as 15 minutes. When it hits above 75% humidity, expect it to take 2 – 3 hours. Failure to dry the cookies will often result in cracks and cookies without feet. (Feet are the little ruffles that develop at the bottom of your cookies.)
  • Once the skin forms, preheat the oven to 300F (150C.) Bake 18 – 20 minutes.
  • Let rest 5 minutes and remove to a rack to cool completely before filling.

Buttercream Instructions

  • Blend sugar, cocoa, and butter together. You can use a mixer or mix by hand.
  • Add in milk if desired for a softer buttercream.

Notes

Cost savings tip: Want to learn how to make macarons and not waste expensive almond flour? You can substitute the almonds with regular flour. They will taste absolutely bland, but will let you learn how the process of macaronage cheaply.
If you do not have a piping bag, you can use a plastic sandwich bag and snip off an end about 1/3″ (1 cm) wide.
The peaks should be firm enough that the bowl can be tipped upside down without falling out. If they start to slide out of the bowl, continue beating. Do not over mix as you will get hollow cookies.
When resting macaron shells, please be aware of egg safety guidelines and do not set out longer than their recommendations.

Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Macarons
Serving Size
 
1 macaron
Amount per Serving
Calories
118.7
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
4.8
g
7
%
Saturated Fat
 
2.3
g
14
%
Carbohydrates
 
18
g
6
%
Fiber
 
0.5
g
2
%
Protein
 
1.1
g
2
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
* Calories provided as a courtesy and not guaranteed.

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