Dreamy Coffee Macarons Recipe: Sweet Treats in 5 Simple Steps

Delicate coffee macarons represent a sophisticated French confection that dances between crisp and creamy textures.

Sweet almond meringue shells infused with robust espresso notes create an elegant dessert experience.

Mastering these delicate treats requires precision and patience in the kitchen.

Precise measurements and careful technique reinvent simple ingredients into a gourmet delicacy.

Soft, airy shells with perfectly smooth surfaces showcase your baking expertise.

Professional pastry techniques blend together to create these intricate little cookies.

French patisserie skills will elevate your dessert repertoire with these sophisticated confections.

Coffee Macarons with Delicate Crunch

• Craft Cafe-Inspired Delicacy: These coffee macarons transform a classic French pastry into a rich, espresso-powered treat that brings café vibes right to your kitchen.
• Master Delicate Baking Technique: Creating macarons requires precision and skill, offering bakers a chance to develop advanced pastry-making techniques through a challenging yet rewarding process.
• Indulge Sophisticated Flavor Profile: The combination of deep coffee notes with smooth chocolate ganache creates a complex, elegant dessert that balances bitter and sweet in every delicate bite.
• Impressive Presentation Potential: These visually stunning cookies with their perfect ruffled edges and glossy tops make an incredible centerpiece for dinner parties, brunches, or afternoon tea gatherings.

Macaron Ingredients with a Coffee Kick

• Almond Flour: Fine ground almonds that create a smooth, delicate macaron texture with rich nutty flavor.
• Powdered Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps create the signature macaron shell structure.

• Egg Whites: Essential for creating the light, airy meringue base of the macaron.
• Granulated Sugar: Stabilizes the egg whites and adds sweetness to the macaron shell.
• Cream of Tartar: Helps stabilize and strengthen the egg white meringue.
• Salt: Enhances overall flavor and helps balance the sweetness.

• Espresso Powder: Adds intense coffee flavor to the macaron shell.
• Chocolate Chips: Creates a rich, smooth ganache filling for the macarons.
• Heavy Cream: Helps create a creamy, smooth ganache for filling.
• Coffee Grounds (Optional): Provides a decorative and additional coffee accent on top of the macaron shells.

Instructions to Make Coffee Macarons at Home

Step 1: Prepare Dry Ingredients

Grab a fine-mesh sieve and gently sift almond flour and powdered sugar into a mixing bowl. Softly blend the ingredients until they’re perfectly combined. Set the mixture aside for later use.

Step 2: Whip Egg Whites

• Espresso powder
• Salt
• Cream of tartar

Continue mixing for another minute. Gradually add granulated sugar and beat for 4-5 minutes until stiff, glossy peaks form.

Step 3: Create Macaron Batter

Carefully fold the dry ingredient mixture into the whipped egg whites. Use gentle, deliberate strokes. Aim for about 80 turns with your spatula, creating a smooth batter that flows like thick lava.

Step 4: Prepare Piping Setup

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a Wilton 1A tip with the macaron batter. Pipe 1-inch circular mounds onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Tap the sheets firmly against the counter to release trapped air bubbles. Optional: Sprinkle a pinch of coffee grounds on top of each macaron.

Step 5: Rest and Dry Macarons

Allow macarons to sit at room temperature for 30-50 minutes. They should develop a slightly tacky surface when touched. Preheat oven to 300°F on conventional setting.

Step 6: Bake Perfectly

Bake one tray at a time for exactly 18 minutes. Monitor closely and adjust baking time for subsequent batches as needed.

Step 7: Craft Chocolate Ganache

Heat heavy cream in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it reaches a gentle boil. Pour hot cream over chocolate chips in a separate bowl. Let sit for a few minutes, then stir until silky smooth.

Step 8: Assemble Delicate Macarons

Transfer ganache to a disposable piping bag. Carefully flip cooled macaron shells. Pipe a small ganache mound on one shell, then gently sandwich with another shell.

Tips for Coffee Macarons

• Measure Precisely: Use a digital kitchen scale for accurate ingredient measurements, ensuring consistent macaron texture and appearance.
• Control Humidity: Avoid making macarons on rainy or very humid days, as moisture can prevent proper shell formation and create uneven surfaces.
• Master Macaronage Technique: Fold the dry ingredients into egg whites gently but confidently, stopping when the batter flows like ribbon and forms a figure-eight without breaking.
• Rest and Dry Shells: Allow piped macarons to form a skin before baking, which creates the signature smooth top and prevents cracking during baking.
• Temperature Matters: Use room temperature egg whites and let ingredients sit out for 30 minutes before starting to ensure better meringue stability and smoother shells.

Storage and Freshness Tips for Macarons

• Storing and Reheating Leftovers
• Refrigerate macarons in an airtight container layered between parchment paper to prevent sticking. Store up to 5 days in the refrigerator, where the filling maintains its creamy texture and shells stay crisp. Bring to room temperature before serving to enjoy optimal flavor and texture. Freeze extra macarons in a sealed freezer-safe container for up to 3 months, placing wax paper between layers to protect delicate shells. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying, ensuring the macaron's signature delicate crunch remains intact.

Foods and Drinks That Go with Coffee Macarons

• Boost Coffee Flavor: Pair these delicate coffee macarons with a rich, smooth espresso or a creamy cappuccino to intensify the coffee notes and create a harmonious taste experience.
• Chocolate Companion: Serve alongside dark chocolate truffles or a slice of chocolate mousse cake to complement the ganache filling and enhance the dessert's deep, indulgent flavors.
• Nutty Contrast: Enjoy with a small glass of almond liqueur or a handful of toasted almonds to bring out the subtle nuttiness of the almond flour and add a delightful textural element.
• Sweet Sidekick: Complement the macarons with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream to balance the intense coffee and chocolate flavors with a light, creamy touch.

Perfect Variations of Coffee Macarons

• Mocha Macaron Magic: Enhance the coffee flavor by adding cocoa powder to the shell mixture, creating a rich mocha-inspired treat with deeper chocolate undertones.
• Espresso Caramel Crunch: Incorporate a layer of salted caramel between the ganache and macaron shells, then sprinkle crushed coffee beans on top for an extra texture and intense coffee kick.
• Cappuccino Cream Fusion: Replace chocolate ganache with a light mascarpone cream filling infused with cinnamon and a hint of vanilla, mimicking the classic cappuccino flavor profile.
• Hazelnut Coffee Sensation: Mix ground hazelnuts into the almond flour base and create a hazelnut-coffee buttercream filling to add nutty warmth and complexity to the traditional macaron.

Coffee Macarons Recipe

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4.8 from 9 reviews

• Total Time: 33 minutes
• Yield: 20 1x

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Description

French elegance meets sweet coffee charm in these delicate coffee macarons. Crisp almond shells filled with rich espresso buttercream create a perfect balance of delicate texture and intense flavor, inviting you to savor each sophisticated bite.

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Ingredients

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Main Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour
• 4 egg whites (room temperature)
• 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar

Coffee and Flavoring Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 pinch salt

Filling and Topping Ingredients:

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream (36% milkfat)

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Instructions

1. Meticulously sift almond flour and powdered sugar through a fine-mesh sieve into a mixing bowl, ensuring a uniform blend. Set the mixture aside for later use.
2. Whip egg whites at high velocity until they transform into a frothy texture. Introduce espresso powder, salt, and cream of tartar, continuing to mix for approximately one minute.
3. Gradually incorporate granulated sugar into the egg white mixture, aggressively beating for 4-5 minutes until stiff, glossy peaks emerge.
4. Gently fold the flour and sugar combination into the egg white mixture, utilizing a delicate technique. Aim for approximately 80 spatula rotations, achieving a molten lava-like consistency without overmixing.
5. Transfer the macaron batter into a pastry bag fitted with a Wilton 1A piping tip. Carefully pipe 1-inch circular mounds onto parchment-lined baking sheets, maintaining consistent spacing.
6. Tap the baking sheets firmly against the counter surface to eliminate potential air bubbles. Optionally, sprinkle finely ground coffee over each macaron mound for enhanced visual and flavor complexity.
7. Allow macarons to rest at room temperature for 30-50 minutes, developing a slightly tacky surface texture. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C) using a conventional setting.
8. Bake a single tray at a time for precisely 18 minutes, monitoring subsequent batches and adjusting baking duration as necessary.
9. Create chocolate ganache by heating heavy cream (236 milliliters or 8 fluid ounces) in a saucepan until it reaches a gentle boiling point. Pour the hot cream over chocolate chips, allowing them to melt completely.
10. Stir the chocolate mixture until achieving a smooth, glossy consistency. Let the ganache cool and slightly thicken before filling.
11. Prepare a disposable piping bag with the prepared chocolate ganache. Carefully flip the baked macaron shells, pipe a small ganache mound onto one shell, and delicately sandwich with a matching shell.
12. Refrigerate assembled macarons for optimal flavor melding and textural development before serving.

Notes

• Precise sifting is crucial for achieving smooth, crack-free macaron shells with no lumps.
• Egg white technique determines the success of your macarons, requiring careful beating to create stable, glossy meringue.
• Folding technique demands gentle movements to maintain the delicate air bubbles, stopping exactly at the molten lava consistency.
• Resting time allows macarons to develop a protective skin, ensuring beautiful, crisp tops during baking.
• Chocolate ganache filling should be completely cooled and slightly thickened for perfect sandwich consistency.
• Temperature control is critical; use a conventional oven setting and bake one tray at a time for consistent results.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 18 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: French

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 20
• Calories: 130 kcal
• Sugar: 15 g
• Sodium: 25 mg
• Fat: 8 g
• Saturated Fat: 3 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 14 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 2 g
• Cholesterol: 10 mg