Mocha Macarons with Chocolate Caramel Filling

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: With our Mocha Macarons with Chocolate Caramel Filling recipe, you’ll learn how to craft these iconic melt-in-your-mouth goodies. In just two hours (with only one hour of active cooking time), you’ll be savoring  ethereal marshmallow-like cookies sandwiching decadent, creamy filling.

• You’ve got this! Our straightforward step-by-step recipe and foolproof trouble-shooting tips give you the expertise and confidence to whip up these mocha macarons like a pro. When I first started making macarons, it took me a few tries to nail them, so I simplified the methods and steps to ensure you can get perfect macarons, even if you’re a beginner.
• Macarons are known for their wide variety of flavors, but you’ll agree that our heavenly combination of chocolate, caramel, and coffee is a dream flavor medley of sweetness, a touch of saltiness, and an enticing tinge of bitterness that keeps these cookies from being cloying. It’s an addictive combination.

At Bigger Bolder Baking, we have easy-to-follow recipes that demystify the art of creating fancy bakery treats. There’s nothing like the satisfaction you get (and the money you save) when you learn how to make your own macarons, Homemade Eclairs, Classic Opera Cake, and Croquembouche!

Table of Contents

• What are Mocha Macarons with Chocolate Caramel Filling?
• Tools You Need
• Key Ingredients and Why
• How to Make Mocha Macarons with Chocolate Caramel Filling
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• Make Ahead Instructions and Storage Tips
• FAQs
• More Filled Cookie Recipes

• Mocha Macarons with Chocolate Caramel Filling are coffee meringue cookies filled with caramel-chocolate ganache. The meringue shells, made from almond flour, egg whites, sugar, and flavorings, are known for their light texture, slightly crisp exterior, and soft interior with a subtle chew. The smooth, creamy ganache sandwiched between the macaron shells is the ideal complement.
• Our macaroons are characterized by their enticing mocha taste. Deeply flavored espresso macaron shells are enhanced by the harmonious flavors of bittersweet chocolate and caramel, which combine to make a deliciously complex filling.
• Although macarons are now an iconic French dessert, the original macarons–made with ground almonds, sugar, and egg whites–originated in Italy in the 8th century. They arrived in France via Florence’s Catherine de Medici’s pastry chefs when she married King Henry II. Modern macarons filled with buttercream or ganache were first made at Ladurée in Paris in the 19th century.

Tools You Need

• Mixing bowl
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Glass measuring jug
• Kitchen scale (optional)
• Large baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Mesh sieve
• Stand mixer with whisk attachment (optional) or electric hand mixer
• Large metal spoon
• 1 1/2-inch (3.81 cm) macaron template (or download our free template)
• Large piping bag with a large, round tip (.4 inch/ 9 ½ mm/ #1 nozzle)
• Small, high-sided saucepan
• Whisk
• Offset spatula

Key Ingredients and Why

Blanched almond flour

• Almond flour gives macaron shells their light texture. Because almond flour doesn’t contain gluten, the cookies remain tender.
• Blanched almond flour is made by finely grinding blanched almonds.
• Alternatively, you can use regular almond flour, almond meal, or ground almonds. However, I do not recommend making your own almond flour for this recipe because you won’t get it fine enough with a home food processor.

Powdered sugar

• Using powdered sugar (confectioners sugar), which is granulated sugar ground into a powder, in this recipe makes the cookies lighter and airier.
• Because there’s no grittiness in powdered sugar, it also contributes to the smooth, shiny look of the cookies.

Espresso powder

• Instant espresso powder gives the batter a deep coffee flavor without throwing off the recipe by adding the liquid coffee.
• It’s vital that you use instant espresso or coffee powder (essentially freeze-dried, brewed espresso), which will dissolve with the liquid in a recipe. Do not use ground coffee beans as they will stay granular and unpleasant in a recipe.

Egg whites

• The protein in egg whites provides the structure for these mocha macarons.
• Always use room-temperature egg whites, as they whip up better than cold whites. Our guide to How Long to Whip Egg Whites is an excellent resource for meringue making.

Cream of tartar

• Cream of tartar helps loosen the proteins of the egg whites, allowing them to whip up faster and with more volume. Although a very tiny amount of cream of tartar is needed, its role is of the utmost importance!
• Additionally, cream of tartar creates elasticity in the bubbles of the whipped whites, making the foam stronger and less brittle. That means the bubbles will stretch instead of pop, keeping the whites from deflating when folded into the yolks.

Granulated sugar

• In the macaron shells: Granulated sugar not only adds sweetness, but using a small amount of granulated sugar with powdered sugar acts as a stabilizer when whipping egg whites.
• In the ganache filling:
  • Cooked granulated sugar is the base of the caramel in the filling.
  • When sugar caramelizes, its flavor changes from sharply sugary-sweet to a warmer, more complex flavor similar to butterscotch or toffee.
  • Set yourself up for success by checking out How to Make Caramel (Troubleshooting Guide and Video), for pro tips.

Bittersweet chocolate

• Bittersweet chocolate, with 60 to 72% cocoa solids, is less sweet than milk chocolate and gives the filling an intensely deep flavor that blends wonderfully with the caramel.

Butter

• Butter gives the cookie filling creaminess and silky mouthfeel.
• Importantly, butter contributes to the thickness of the filling, making it pipable and stable.

Heavy cream

• Heavy cream gives the filling its lush, smooth consistency.
• Adding heavy cream to caramelized sugar transforms it from a candy-like texture into a satiny sauce.
• Heavy cream has a fat content of around 36%. This is important because the high-fat content makes a stable ganache mixture that won’t split.

How to Make Mocha Macarons with Chocolate Caramel Filling

Prepare to bake

1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Slide your macaron template underneath the paper on one side.

Make the batter

2. Put the almond flour, powdered sugar, and espresso powder through a fine mesh sieve. Repeat the sifting three times.

3. Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or an electric hand mixer, whip the egg whites and the cream of tartar at low speed for two minutes until it becomes foamy.

4. Increase the speed to medium/high and whip for three to four minutes until soft peaks form.

5. Slowly add the granulated sugar, one spoonful at a time, while continuing to whip for two to three more minutes until the whites are stiff and glossy and hold stiff peaks.

6. With a large metal spoon, fold one-third of the whipped egg whites into the sifted almond flour mixture. Once mixed, fold in the additional egg whites. Fold until the mixture is smooth, shiny, and has the consistency of lava.

Pipe the macaron shells

7. Assemble your piping bag and tip, and fill it with the macaron batter. With the tip about ¼ inch (6 mm) from the center of each circle on the template, carefully pipe to fill two-thirds of the visible circles. Then, move the template to the other half of the pan and continue piping.

8. After piping the batter, bang the tray on the counter to remove any air bubbles. This process is called rappé, and it’s crucial to do so that air bubbles won’t expand while baking and crack the macaron shells.

9. Allow the piped macaron shells to rest for 45 to 60 minutes until they’re dry to the touch and have almost formed a skin (during this resting time, you can make the macaron filling).

Bake the macaron shells

10. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).

11. Bake the macaron shells for 17 to 20 minutes until the feet (the raised edge that should form at the base of the macarons) are dry. Let the macaron shells cool completely.

Make the macaron filling

12. Combine the chopped chocolate, butter, and salt in a bowl.

13. Add the sugar and water to the saucepan and cook over low heat to dissolve the sugar. Raise the heat to medium-high and gently cook without stirring until the sugar turns medium-dark amber and begins to smell slightly smokey, about six to seven minutes.

14. Immediately stir in the cream. Take care, as the mixture will bubble furiously. Turn heat to low and stir for one minute until the mixture is smooth.

15. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the caramel sauce over the chopped chocolate mixture.

16. Let the mixture sit for five minutes to let the chocolate melt, and then stir until smooth.

17. Set the filling aside to let it cool and thicken to a pipeable consistency.

Assemble the macarons

18. Using an offset spatula, release the macaroon shells from the parchment. Turn half of the shells over so that the bottoms are facing up.

19. Assemble a piping bag and tip and load with filling. Pipe a generous amount onto an upturned shell and top with another shell.

20. For the best flavor, refrigerate the mocha macarons overnight and then let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.

• You can leave out the espresso powder to create a neutral-flavored macaron and then use a buttercream or jam flavor of your choice for the filling. If you want to add color to the macaron, use powdered or gel food coloring (mix it into the egg whites when they are almost done whipping) so the added liquid does not throw off the recipe.
• Be sure to sift the almond flour mixture three times. Not only will this remove any lumps, but sifting also aerates the dry ingredients, giving you lighter cookies.
• Most of these ingredients can be found in any well-stocked grocery store, but if you can’t find instant espresso, you can use instant coffee. Your cookies will just have a milder coffee flavor.
• Overmixing can result in flat macarons. After the dry ingredients and meringue are fully incorporated, macronage is the folding technique that ensures the proper batter consistency. Slowly fold the mixture using a thin metal spoon until it loosens a little and becomes smooth.
• Resting the piped macarons allows skin to develop on top of the cookies. Depending on your kitchen, resting time can range from 30 to 60 minutes. You’ll know your macarons are ready to bake when you lightly press the surface and they’re dry and not sticky. After resting, they should look matte and not shiny like when you first piped them.

Make Ahead Instructions and Storage Tips

• Make ahead:
  • The chocolate caramel filling can be made two weeks in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Bring the filling to room temperature overnight to soften to a pipeable consistency.
  • The macaron shells can be made two days in advance and held at room temperature in an airtight container until ready for assembly. 
• How to store leftovers:
  • The assembled macarons can be stored in the refrigerator for a week.

FAQs

Why don’t my baked macarons don’t have feet?

• Missing feet (the raised edge at the base of the macaron) can be caused by a few reasons:
  • You under-whipped your egg whites, and they were too wet when you folded them into the almond flour mixture.
  • If you live in a humid climate, the moisture in the air can add too much moisture to the batter. When making macarons, try to pick a dry day.
  • You may not have let your macarons rest long enough to form a skin before baking. Make sure the macarons are dry to the touch before you bake them.

Why did my macarons crack?

• This could be due to under-mixing, which may result in too much air in the batter that expands while baking and can crack the tops.
• To avoid this, tap the pan on the counter a few times after piping, and this will eliminate any air bubbles.
• If the macaron shells don’t rest long enough to form a proper skin, this can also result in cracking.

How do I prevent my baked macarons from sticking to the parchment?

• If your macarons are sticking, they may need a few more minutes in the oven.
• If they still stick after that, let them cool completely, then peel away the parchment carefully or gently use an offset spatula to release them from the paper.

Why does my chocolate caramel filling look separated and greasy?

• This can happen when making a truffle filling using a high-cocoa chocolate like 72%.
• If your filling is still warm, try warming up a few tablespoons of low-fat milk and whisking it in a few drops at a time until the filling comes back together.
• If you notice that the filling has separated once it has cooled, try gently rewarming the mixture over very low heat until melted, and then whisk until it comes back together. I’ve also used an immersion blender to bring the mixture back together safely. 

More Filled Cookie Recipes

• Orange Shortbread with Chocolate Orange Truffle Filling
• Austrian Linzer Cookies
• Homemade Oreo Cookies
• Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Cookies
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