Chocolate French Macarons Recipe

Chocolate French Macarons are a delicate meringue-based sandwich cookie with a smooth shell and a light and chewy texture. The cookies have a decadent chocolate flavor and are filled with a rich and creamy dark chocolate ganache.

Macarons are very special treats to gift to your friends and family—they look so beautiful and impressive on cookie trays or packaged as a thoughtful pick-me-up.

What is a French Macaron?

Macarons were not invented in France as the name suggests, but in Italy. French macaron refers to the method that is used to make the meringue, where you sprinkle sugar into whipped egg whites.

A macaron consists of two shells made with almond meal—they rise in the oven with the help of an egg white meringue. There’s an interesting science that happens with the right ratio of almond meal and meringue that creates what are called feet, little ruffles around the edge of the cookie. It’s the tell-tale sign of a well baked macaron.

The texture of a macaron is soft and perfectly chewy, without being mushy.

The Ingredients You’ll Need

Although you can play with the colors and flavors of macarons, certain key ingredients are specific and cannot be substituted.

• Blanched almond meal: This is different than almond flour. Blanched almond meal is finely ground almonds with their skin removed, which gives it its characteristic pale yellow color and super fine texture. You can use super-fine almond flour made with blanched almonds.
• Egg whites: This key ingredient is whipped to make the meringue, which is what gives macarons their unique look and texture. Only fresh egg whites will work for macarons because they whip up easier and better. If you can find unpasteurized liquid egg whites at your local grocery store, they will work wonderfully. Unfortunately, it may be hard to source in the U.S.
• Powdered sugar gives our cookie just a bit of sweetness!
• Granulated sugar is slowly added to the egg whites as they are whipped to help stabilize them into a stiff meringue.
• Cream of tartar also helps stabilize the egg white meringue.

Macaron Success: Tips and Tricks

Making macarons can be tricky. Follow these simple tips and tricks for a successful bake:

• Never make macarons on a rainy day! A meringue's worst enemy is moisture. This also applies to running your dishwasher or washing dishes in hot water. The steam could break your macaron batter.
• Flip your baking sheet upside down and bake the shells on the bottom (which is now the top!) of the baking sheet. Macarons are sensitive to heat, so flipping your baking sheet upside down will help distribute some of the heat coming from the bottom of the oven and prevent them from baking too quickly.
• Wipe down your mixing bowl with distilled white vinegar. The second thing a meringue does not like is fat. Any traces of fat on the bowl, such as soap that wasn't completely washed off, can mean your meringue doesn't whip up. To prevent this from happening, wipe the bowl with a paper towel soaked with some vinegar.
• Measure the ingredients using a kitchen scale. Although you can have success without it, I recommended weighing the ingredients. This will ensure you have the most accurate measurements possible.
• Make sure the egg whites are at room temperature so the meringue gets the most volume. It's best to separate the eggs while they're cold, then let the egg whites sit out on the counter until they're at room temperature. If you're pressed for time, place the egg whites in a sealable container and place it in a bowl full of hot tap water. Your egg whites will be warm in 5 to 10 minutes!

Ways to Fill and Flavor Macarons

Macarons are extremely versatile, and since the flavor almost always comes in the form of the filling, the variations are endless.

• When making ganache infuse the cream with mint, orange zest, chilies, or rosemary.
• Swap the dark chocolate for milk, white chocolate, bitter-sweet, or semi-sweet chocolate.
• Go beyond chocolate and fill these chocolate macarons with French Buttercream or jam.

Tips for Storing Macarons

Once the macarons have been assembled, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. When you know you're going to enjoy one, take them out of the fridge and let them come to room temperature before eating them as they will be hard straight from the fridge.

To freeze them, place them on a large tray and transfer them to the freezer for one hour. Once frozen layer them between pieces of parchment paper in an airtight container. The filled or unfilled macarons will stay fresh for up to one month.

More Macaron Recipes to Impress Your Guests

• White Chocolate Peppermint French Macarons
• Lemon French Macarons
• Raspberry French Macarons
• Strawberry French Macarons