These chocolate macarons are filled with a creamy peanut butter buttercream and then dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with crushed peanuts. I think these are my favorite macaron flavor yet!
french macaron tips & tricks
Making macarons from scratch can be tough so setting yourself up for success is key!
- Buy a kitchen scale* if you don’t already have one! Macarons are incredibly finicky, so weighing all your ingredients is super important!
- Clean the mixing bowl and whisk attachment of your stand mixer with white vinegar to make sure there are no trace fats on either (if you don’t, your meringue may not form).
- Invest in some silicone macaron mats*! They aren’t expensive and they will make your life so much easier!
- Also invest in an oven thermometer*! We want our oven as close to 300 degrees as possible to make perfect macarons but just because your oven says it’s 300 degrees, doesn’t mean it actually is. My oven tends to run hot, so I usually end up having it set to about 290.
special ingredient notes
- Egg Whites - I've recently started "aging" my egg whites and I've found it helps with my consistency. This is absolutely not necessary, but it's super easy to do so I recommend trying it out. Weigh out 100 grams of egg whites into a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and poke a few holes in the top. Place in the fridge for at least 24 hours but up to 3 days. Make sure to remove the egg whites from the fridge at least an hour before
- Almond Flour - If you've ever seen macarons that look bumpy, it's usually because the almond flour isn't ground finely enough. I love Bob's Red Mill for my almond flour because it's usually fine enough. But if you have lumpy almond flour you can also just pulse it in a food processor for a few seconds to break it up further. Sifting your dry ingredients is also super important for ensuring smooth macarons.
- Cocoa Powder - I highly recommend using Dutch processed cocoa powder for macarons because the acidity has been neutralized. However, you can use natural cocoa if that's all you have.
- Peanut Butter - Creamy peanut butter works best for this buttercream! I haven't tested the recipe with other types of nut butter but I imagine they would be delicious with almond butter too!!
If you make these chocolate peanut butter macarons, please leave us a star rating at the bottom of the page! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. Happy baking!
Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Macarons
These chocolate macarons are filled with a creamy peanut butter buttercream and then dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with crushed peanuts.
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Servings: 30 filled macarons
Ingredients
Chocolate Macarons
- 100 grams egg whites, room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 60 grams granulated sugar
- 110 grams almond flour, sifted
- 190 grams powdered sugar, sifted
- 10 grams unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- dark chocolate, melted
- crushed peanuts
Peanut Butter Buttercream
- 57 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
- 65 grams creamy peanut butter
- 180 grams powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
Macarons
- Sift together almond flour, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder into a large bowl and set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on medium speed until they become foamy, then add in the cream of tartar.
- Turn the mixer up to medium-high and gradually add in the granulated sugar (make sure to add the sugar in very slowly so that the meringue doesn’t deflate).Once all the sugar is added, turn the mixer to the highest setting and whip until stiff peaks form.
- Using a spatula, gently fold in half of the dry ingredient mixture until fully combined. Then gently fold in the remaining dry ingredients. Continue to gently fold the batter until it reaches a “flowing lava” consistency. You should be able to make a “figure 8” with the batter before it breaks. As soon as you reach this consistency, stop mixing! If you over-mix the batter, the macarons won’t rise properly in the oven.
- Line a large baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Scoop batter into a large piping bag fitted with a round tip. Hold the piping bag perpendicular to the silicone mat and pipe 1 inch rounds.
- Pick up the baking sheet and drop it onto the counter 3-4 times to help bring any air bubbles to the surface of the macarons. Then use a toothpick to pop any visible air bubbles to make a smooth surface.
- Let the macarons sit at room temperature for 30-40 minutes or until a skin forms on the surface. You should be able to lightly touch the surface without any batter being disturbed.
- While the macarons are resting, preheat the oven to 300°F.Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack of the oven for 15 minutes or when they do not move on their “feet” when touched.
- Let the macarons cool completely on the baking sheet before removing them. They should easily peel off when fully cooled.
- Match up your shells before filling, and then turn one side over. Dip the top of one side in dark chocolate and garnish with chopped peanuts. Let the chocolate harden before filling.
Peanut Butter Buttercream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the unsalted butter and peanut butter until smooth.
- Add in the powdered sugar and mix on low until fully combined. Then slowly drizzle in the milk while the mixer is on low.
- Once combined, turn the mixer up to medium high speed for 3-4 minutes or until the buttercream is light and fluffy.
- Once the macarons are cooled and decorated. Pipe the filling in the center of the undecorated shell, leaving a little bit of room on the sides. Then top with your chocolate covered shell.
- Put the assembled macarons in an airtight container, then place them in the fridge to mature for 12-24 hours before eating for the best taste/texture.
Notes
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 106kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 16mg | Potassium: 30mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 48IU | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg
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