Hot Cocoa Macarons Recipe – with Caramel Bits

Thank you for sharing!

If you like chocolate and macarons, then these chocolate-rich Hot Cocoa Macarons are something you will LOVE. Sweet, decadent and epically scrumptious.

Hot Cocoa Macarons

Not all hot cocoa is meant to be a warm chocolatey drink. I love a good cup, but to enjoy cocoa as macarons?! Then add-in some caramel bits?! Heavenly!

You know I love macarons. Each one of them has its own specialties. I can’t say this is better, or that another macaron is the best. Because all of the macarons I make are my favorite…it’s a real problem. But I love it.

I spent some time learning how to make macarons, and now the ones I make are really good. If you also love macarons, then, but maybe you’re not sure how to make them yourself…well, these tips are really going to make you swoon.

Hot Cocoa Macarons

How to make a No-Fail Hot Cocoa Macarons

These are my favorite tips and tricks that I always follow when making macarons.

  • Don’t over-mix. When combining the wet and dry ingredients together, only mix until you reach the ribbon stage. Do not keep mixing if you can make a figure 8 with a spoonful of batter – that’s the magic point in time. If you’re not to the ribbon stage, you have to keep mixing, but if you have reached magic-ribbon-state, STOP!
  • If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can use a hand mixer, but like with everything, you’re going to spend a little bit more time putting elbow grease into these cookies.
  • Always weigh all of the macaron ingredients. Because macarons are a finicky recipe, this is a necessity! It’s all about moisture, and density combining to create weight – not volume.
How to make the macaron

To measure my macarons, I’ve been using this simple, flat digital scale (paid link) which works REALLY well and it’s easy to clean (because I’m a terribly messy chef).

Then, if you’re having trouble with macaron size, use this template.  That way you’ll know about how much batter to put down on your silicone mat (paid link)–and thus how big your French macaron cookies will be.

Also, I strongly suggest taking a quick look at these 12 Tips for Perfect Macarons. There is so much more to learn there, that can also help you.

Hot Cocoa Macarons

If you’re enjoying these Hot Cocoa Macarons, be sure to Pin this recipe–because you will definitely want to be able to find it next time and make more batches of deliciousness. I’m sure the first batch will not take long to disappear.

Hot Cocoa Macarons
Yield: 24 Hot Cocoa Macarons

Hot Cocoa Macarons

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Additional Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

If you like chocolate and macarons, then these chocolate-rich Hot Cocoa Macarons are something you will absolutely LOVE.

Ingredients

COOKIES

  • 4 oz. confectioners sugar minus 2 tbsp
  • 2 oz. almond flour I recommend Bob’s Red Mill
  • 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder Hershey’s is the best!
  • 1 oz granulated sugar
  • 2 oz. egg whites roughly two eggs at room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla optional, or you can use your favorite extract
  • 1/4 tsp salt

BUTTERCREAM FILLING

  • 1 stick butter at room temperature
  • 1-1/2 cups confectioners sugar
  • 1 tbsp of your favorite caramel bits
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract.

Instructions

COOKIES

  1. First, weigh out all of your ingredients.
  2. Next, sift together your almond flour, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder in a large bowl and set aside.
  3. Add your egg whites to the bowl of your mixer and start mixing on a medium speed until they get frothy. Add in the salt.
  4. Gradually add in your sugar to the egg whites and mix at a medium speed until you get a soft peak consistency. (see photo about, VERY important).
  5. After the egg whites are the right consistency, add about 1/3 of the dry mixture to the egg whites and fold in until there are no dry spots left.
  6. Add in the remaining dry mixture to the meringue and fold in until there are no dry spots.
  7. Begin to check for the “ribbon” stage, where the batter falls off in ribbons and you can make a figure 8 without it breaking off. Once you get to this consistency stop folding.
  8. Prepare your piping bag with a medium round tip. Place your bag in a large cup to make it easier to add your batter. Slowly add in your batter.
  9. Place the macaron template under a silicon mat on a baking sheet.
  10. Hold your piping bag completely vertical when piping and lift straight up. Making about 1 1/2 to 2-inch circles.
  11. After you have piped all the batter, bang the baking sheet on the counter 10-20 times (seriously) to remove all air bubbles. Use a toothpick or something sharp to pop them.
  12. Now it is time to let them dry. Leave them sitting on the counter for 30-60 minutes until you can touch them and you can feel a “shell” form over them. No batter should come off on your finger.
  13. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. and bake your macarons for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned. When you touch the top of the macaron it should not wiggle around on the “feet”.
  14. Allow them to cool COMPLETELY before taking them off the baking sheet.

BUTTERCREAM FILLING

  1. Place the butter in the bowl of your stand mixer with a paddle attachment and cream until light and fluffy.
  2. Add in the confectioner’s sugar and mix until combined.
  3. Add in the caramel bits and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
  4. Place in a piping bag with a star tip, and pipe a generous amount on half of the macarons.
  5. Sandwich them with the remaining macaron shells.
  6. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours to allow them to “mature”.
  7. Enjoy!

Notes

TOOLS

  • Digital Weighing scale (something like this)
  • Template.
  • Silicone Mat
  • Piping bag with a medium round tip ( you may use a ziplock bag and cut off a corner)
  • Piping bag with a star tip

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 111Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 69mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 0gSugar: 12gProtein: 2g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

For more macarons you will need to enjoy, check these out, too.

Thank you for sharing!

Leave a Comment

Skip to Recipe

Sharing is Caring

Help spread the word. You're awesome for doing it!