These hot chocolate macarons are inspired by the classic winter drink. They have chocolate French macaron shells, creamy chocolate ganache, fluffy Swiss meringue, and are topped with mini marshmallows so they taste just like hot cocoa in macaron form!
I'll walk you through how to make homemade French macarons and give you all my tips and tricks for success!
If you like these hot cocoa macarons, you might also enjoy these eggnog macarons or these gingerbread macarons!
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Ingredient Notes
You just need a few simple ingredients to make these hot chocolate macarons!
Egg Whites - You need egg whites for both the macaron shells and the swiss meringue filling! 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 baking.
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 using Bob's Red Mill for my almond flour because it's super fine. 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 macaron shells because the acidity has been neutralized. However, you can use natural cocoa if that's all you have.
Cream of Tartar - This helps stabilize the egg whites for the meringue!
Dark Chocolate - For the ganache, use dark chocolate baking bars as opposed to chocolate chips!! Chips contain emulsifiers that help them keep their shape, which also means they won't melt as smoothly as chocolate bars. If desired, you can use milk chocolate instead.
Peppermint Extract - This is optional, but you can add ¼ teaspoon of peppermint extract to the chocolate ganache if you want peppermint hot chocolate macarons!
Mini Marshmallows - I like to garnish the hot cocoa macarons with these mini dehydrated marshmallows!
The complete list of ingredients and amounts is located in the recipe card below.
Special Equipment
These hot chocolate macarons can be tricky so setting yourself up for success is key!
- Kitchen scale - Macarons are incredibly finicky, so weighing all your ingredients is super important!
- Sturdy baking sheet - You want to use a super sturdy baking sheet that won't warp and conducts heat evenly! These Cuisinart baking sheets are my favorite for macarons!
- Oven thermometer - We want our oven as close to 300°F degrees as possible to make perfect macarons but just because your oven says it's 300°F degrees, doesn't mean it actually is. For example, I often have to set my oven to 305°F in order for the thermometer to read 300°F.
- Silicone macaron mats - You can pipe your chocolate macarons on parchment paper, but I highly recommend silicone mats! I love these macaron mats that have small circles printed on them. The guide is super helpful for making sure all your macarons are the same size!
How to Make Chocolate Ganache
Finely chop the dark chocolate and place into a large bowl.
Place the heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1-2 minutes or until hot to the touch but not boiling. Pour over the chopped chocolate and let sit for about two minutes.
Using a spatula, gently mix until the chocolate is fully melted and the ganache is fully combined and smooth.
Let sit at room temperature or in the fridge until is has thickened enough to hold its shape.
If your ganache is too firm, microwave for 10 seconds to soften and then stir until ganache is the desired consistency.
How to Make 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. Once all the sugar is added, turn the mixer to the highest setting and whisk on high 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 large 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 30-45 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 13-15 minutes or when they do not move on their “feet” when touched.
Let the chocolate 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. On the other side, drizzle a small amount of melted dark chocolate over the top and sprinkle with mini dehydrated marshmallows.
Swiss Meringue
I recommend waiting to make the meringue until right before it's time to assemble the macarons for best results!
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the sugar and cream of tartar into the egg whites. Then set the bowl over a saucepan filled with about two inches of simmering water over medium heat. Do not let the bottom of the egg whites bowl touch the water.
Whisk the whites and sugar constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture has thinned out (about 3-4 minutes). If using an instant thermometer, it should read about 160°F.
You'll notice the mixture is lighter in color and increased in volume.
Place the bowl on the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the egg whites on medium low speed for 2-3 minutes and gradually increase the speed until the mixture reaches soft peaks and the bowl is no longer warm to the touch. Then increase the speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form.
Note: Depending on the type of bowl you use, it may take longer for the swiss meringue to cool. A stainless steel mixer bowl is best (they cool the fastest and are the most heatproof)!
Hot Chocolate Macaron Assembly
Once the cocoa macarons are cooled and decorated, pipe a dollop of the firm chocolate ganache in the center of the undecorated shell, leaving a little bit of room on the sides.
Then pipe a dollop of Swiss meringue on top of the chocolate ganache. Then top with the decorated macaron shell.
Put the assembled hot chocolate macarons in an airtight container, then place them in the fridge to mature for 12-24 hours. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. However, for the best taste/texture, let them come up to room temperature for about an hour before eating! [Directly out of the fridge they can sometimes be super hard but at room temperature they're perfectly soft and tender!]
Recipe FAQ's
French macarons can be tricky but they're not impossible, they just take a little practice! It's important to follow the directions carefully but if your first batch doesn't turn out, don't give up!
Unless you have experience baking macarons, I don't recommend making any changes to the chocolate macaron recipe because I can't guarantee results. But you can make substitutions to the chocolate and meringue fillings or toppings, if desired!
Almost all macaron issues can be traced to either having the wrong oven temperature or improper mixing technique. This is why it's so important to use an oven thermometer and only mix your batter until it starts to flow like lava and then stopping.
Tips for Success!
For best results I always recommend using weight measurements (especially when baking) because it's the most accurate. Kitchen scales are super affordable and also reduce the number of dishes you have to do! However, all my recipes also include US customary measurements for convince. Use this chart to convert measurements for common ingredients!
Substitutions: In all my recipes, I've included substitutions that I know will work, but I cannot guarantee results if you substitute ingredients that I have not recommended. [For example, granulated sugar and honey are indeed both sweeteners but they have very different properties so they can not always be swapped 1:1. Using honey in a cookie recipe that calls for granulated sugar will yield a giant mess.] In the recipe card you'll find links to the specific ingredients/brands that I use.
A note on salt: I almost exclusively use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt because it's the best all-purpose salt for cooking and baking. If you're not using kosher salt, consult this handy guide for a conversion chart! When in doubt, if you're using table salt just reduce the amount by half for baked goods. When cooking, I prefer to under-salt because you can always add more! If you've over-salted, adding a little bit of acid (like lemon juice) can help.
More Macaron Recipes You Might Like!
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Recipe Card
Hot Chocolate Macarons
Special Equipment
Ingredients
Dark Chocolate Ganache
- 227 grams dark chocolate, chopped
- 120 grams heavy cream
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
Swiss Meringue
- 66 grams egg whites, room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 133 grams granulated sugar
Topping
- 57 grams dark chocolate, melted
- mini dehydrated marshmallows
Instructions
Dark Chocolate Ganache
- Finely chop the dark chocolate and place into a large bowl.
- Place the heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1-2 minutes or until hot to the touch but not boiling. Pour over the chopped chocolate and let sit for about two minutes.
- Using a spatula, gently mix until the chocolate is fully melted and the ganache is fully combined and smooth.
- Let sit at room temperature or in the fridge until is has thickened enough to hold its shape. If your ganache is too firm, microwave for 10 seconds to soften and then stir until ganache is the desired consistency.
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. Once all the sugar is added, turn the mixer to the highest setting and whisk on high 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 large 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 30-45 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 13-15 minutes or when they do not move on their “feet” when touched.
- Let the chocolate 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. On the other side, drizzle a small amount of melted dark chocolate over the top and sprinkle with mini dehydrated marshmallows.
Swiss Meringue
- I recommend waiting to make the meringue until right before it's time to assemble the macarons for best results!
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the sugar and cream of tartar into the egg whites. Then set the bowl over a saucepan filled with about two inches of simmering water over medium heat. Do not let the bottom of the egg whites bowl touch the water.
- Whisk the whites and sugar constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture has thinned out (about 3-4 minutes). If using an instant thermometer, it should read about 160°F.
- You'll notice the mixture is lighter in color and increased in volume.
- Place the bowl on the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the egg whites on medium low speed for 2-3 minutes and gradually increase the speed until the mixture reaches soft peaks and the bowl is no longer warm to the touch. Then increase the speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form.
Assembly & Storage
- Once the macarons are cooled and decorated, pipe a dollop of the firm chocolate ganache in the center of the undecorated shell, leaving a little bit of room on the sides.
- Then pipe a dollop of Swiss meringue on top of the chocolate ganache. Then top with the decorated macaron shell.
- Put the assembled hot chocolate macarons in an airtight container, then place them in the fridge to mature for 12-24 hours. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. However, for the best taste/texture, let them come up to room temperature for about an hour before eating! [Directly out of the fridge they can sometimes be super hard but at room temperature they're perfectly soft and tender!]
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Abby says
I can't speak to Kyleigh's shell recipe, as I have my own that I follow that has worked really well for me. I will say that her site is my absolute #1 for macaron fillings. I haven't made a single one that has let me down! and there have been a lot of good ones - but this one is hands down the best. I have never written a recipe review, this is my first, that is how good they are. Now I'm debating on saving them all for myself or taking them to the Xmas party I was planning on sharing them at.
Thank you for blessing this world with your amazing macaron filling recipes, Kyleigh!!!
Kyleigh Sage says
This just made my day! Thank you!!