German Chocolate Macarons are the ultimate delicacy! If you follow my foolproof steps, you’ll have the most perfect macarons every time. The shells are crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, while the filling is smooth and rich with chocolate flavor!
German Chocolate Macarons Recipe
I’m a sucker for homemade German Chocolate Cake, but these macarons might be even better! After all, regular chocolate cake doesn’t have the perfectly baked macaron shells that this cake has, and that makes all the difference.
It can be pretty easy to mess up a batch of macarons – we’ve all been there before, and the frustration itself is daunting! However, don’t let a past failure prevent you from trying your hand at homemade macarons again. This recipe is simple, yet super effective at making the best macarons.
I’ve included tons of tips and tricks that always help me bake the most perfect macaron every time. The shells are perfectly light and airy, while still having their wonderfully chewy center and crunchy exterior. And the German chocolate filling made with toasted coconut and pecans? It’s almost too good for words!
Why You’ll Love this Chocolate Macarons Recipe:
- Simplified: While making macarons isn’t exactly easy by nature, I’ve condensed the steps down to only what’s necessary and simple.
- Chocolatey: The chocolate flavor is rich in the filling of these little French cookies. When the chocolatey goodness is paired with coconut and pecans, it tastes just like German chocolate cake!
- Picturesque: After making a batch of homemade macarons, you’re going to want to take a picture of your hard work! Luckily, these macarons always turn out gorgeous.
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How to Make German Chocolate Macarons
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
Start off by making the shells –
- Prepare the sheet pans.
- Heat a saucepan over water and place a heatproof bowl over the pot.
- Add the egg whites and granulated sugar to the bowl. Whisk until fully dissolved.
- Beat the egg whites and sugar mixture with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
- Sift the powdered sugar and almond flour into the mixture. Fold everything together gently so as to not deflate the egg whites.
- Smush and fold the mixture until you have a meringue.
- Transfer the meringue to a piping bag. Pipe the shells onto the prepared sheets.
- Hold the tray above the counter and drop it to release any air bubbles. Do this several times.
- Allow the macarons to rest and form a skin. While you wait, preheat the oven.
- Bake the macarons.
- Allow the macarons to cool, then remove them from the tray.
To make the filling, here’s what you need to do –
- Beat the butter until it’s light and fluffy.
- Mix in the powdered sugar.
- Add the chocolate and mix to combine.
- Beat the mixture until it’s light and airy.
- Transfer the filling to a piping bag.
- Combine the coconut, pecans, and caramel in a bowl.
Assemble and age –
- Pipe a small ring of chocolate buttercream onto the flat side of a macaron. Then, fill the center with the coconut-pecan mixture.
- Gently press another macaron on top of the filled one.
- Transfer the macarons to an airtight container and place them in the fridge to age overnight.
- Bring to room temperature before serving, and enjoy!
A macaron is a French sandwich cookie made from almond flour and egg whites with a meringue-like texture. Macarons are endlessly customizable and fun to make once you get the hang of it!
While the cookies have similar origins and ingredients (hence their similar names), macarons are made with almond flour and macaroons are made with sweetened flaked coconut.
While I’ve provided standard measurements, using a kitchen scale and gram measurements ensures that you’re using the exact right amount of each ingredient. If you use even the slightest bit too much of an ingredient, your German Chocolate Macarons may not come out correctly.
Almond flour is an important ingredient for macarons because it actually provides the unique texture that you know and love! So no, don’t use any other flour besides almond.
If the insides of your macaron shells are hollow, chances are you overmixed the meringue. However, collapsed macarons also occur when you don’t bake the shells for long enough before aging them, which could also cause them to be hollow inside. To avoid hollow shells, don’t over mix the meringue, and always bake for the right amount of time!
Resting these chocolate macarons overnight in the refrigerator does wonders for the texture of the shells. The key to perfectly chewy macarons is to let them age for at least 6 hours before serving.
In an airtight container in the refrigerator, these chocolatey macarons will stay fresh for up to 3 days. The shells, without the filling, will stay fresh for up to 6 days if also kept the same way.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Once you are able to draw a figure 8 with the meringue, it’s ready to be used.
- Although I’m sure your kitchen is already sparkling, make sure everything is really clean as can be for this recipe. Just one tiny bit of oil or water left on a dish can mess everything up!
- When combining the powdered sugar and almond flour with the egg whites, do so very gently. If you’re too rough or fast, the egg whites will deflate and ruin the meringue. Easy does it!
Who needs cake when you can have these delectable German chocolate macarons?!
More Macaron Recipes We Love
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German Chocolate Macarons Recipe
Ingredients
For the Shell
- 3 large egg whites
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅘ cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup almond flour
For the Filling
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened (1 stick)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup chocolate chips melted and cooled
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut toasted
- ¼ cup finely chopped pecans
- 1 tablespoon caramel sauce
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Silpat Mat Optional
- Piping Tip Set
- Kitchen Scale Optional, but recommended!
- Stand Mixer
- Oven Thermometer Optional, but recommended!
Instructions
For the Shell
- Line 2 large sheet pans with Silpat mats or parchment paper. Fit a piping bag with a small, round tip (I like a Wilton #10 or 12) and set aside.
- Heat a small saucepan of water over medium-low heat. Place a heatproof bowl over the pot, making sure it doesn’t touch the water.
- Add the egg whites and granulated sugar to the bowl. Whisk them together continuously until the sugar has fully dissolved, about 4-5 minutes.3 large egg whites, ½ cup granulated sugar
- Transfer the egg whites and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the egg whites on medium-high speed (Kitchenaid #6-8) until they form a stiff peak.
- Sift the powdered sugar and almond flour through a fine-mesh sieve into the egg whites. Fold in the powdered sugar and almond flour gently, making sure not to deflate the egg whites yet. Make sure to scrape all the way to the bottom of the bowl while you fold.⅘ cup powdered sugar, 1 cup almond flour
- Smush the batter against the sides of the bowl and fold it back together until the meringue flows smoothly. When the meringue is ready to pipe, you should be able to draw a figure 8 without the stream breaking.
- Transfer the meringue to the piping bag fitted with the round tip. Pipe 1-inch macarons about 2 inches apart on the Silpat-lined baking sheet.
- Immediately when you’ve finished piping a tray, hold the tray 6 inches off the counter and drop it straight down to release any air bubbles. Repeat 5-6 times, or until it appears that any large air bubbles have popped.
- Allow the macarons to sit at room temperature until they have formed a skin, about 30 minutes. While the macarons rest, preheat your oven to 325°F.
- Bake the macarons one tray at a time for 14 minutes, turning the tray half way through cooking. Repeat with the second tray.
- Allow the macarons to cool fully before removing them from the tray.
For the Filling
- Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.½ cup unsalted butter
- With the mixer on low, slowly add the powdered sugar. Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, add the chocolate and mix to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat until the buttercream is light and airy, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with your choice of tip.2 cups powdered sugar, ¼ cup chocolate chips
- In a small bowl, combine the coconut, pecans, and caramel and set aside until ready to use.½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut, ¼ cup finely chopped pecans, 1 tablespoon caramel sauce
Assembly and Aging
- Place the macarons in similar-sized pairs. Pipe a small ring of chocolate buttercream onto the flat size of one of the macarons. Fill the center with about ½ teaspoon of the coconut-pecan mixture and gently press another macaron on top, just until the icing reaches the edges. Transfer the macarons to an airtight container and place them in the fridge to age overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- Storage: Store any leftover macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Temperature: Your oven must be at 325°F. Use an oven thermometer!
- Shape: To get evenly round macarons, hold the piping bag perpendicular to the tray while you pipe the shells. Don’t try to draw a circle!
- Macaronage: The process of folding the dry ingredients into the meringue is one of the most important steps when making macarons. You should be able to draw a figure 8 with the meringue without the stream breaking. There are lots of great videos online if you aren’t 100% sure what the meringue should look like.
- I recommend using a kitchen scale and gram measurements for this recipe since macarons are a pretty specific recipe.
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