I perfected my Chocolate Macarons Recipe to eliminate hollow shells and cracked tops while consistently producing those coveted perfect feet.

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I obsess over texture, and after many failed batches I finally have a chewy chocolate macaron that reliably gives no hollow shells, no cracks and perfect feet. I love how almond flour and unsweetened cocoa powder make the shells taste deep and almost fudgy, not just sweet.

I call this my Chocolate Macarons Recipe and I still tell people its one of my Easy Macarons because the method forgives small mistakes. When you bite one you might pause, wondering how something so delicate can be so chewy, and then you will want to make them again right away.

Ingredients

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Almond flour: nutty, adds protein and fibre, lower carbs then regular flour, richer fat.
Powdered sugar: gives smooth sweetness, mostly carbs, no real nutrition, way too sweet.
Unsweetened cocoa: deep chocolate, lots of antioxidants, a bit bitter, low sugar.
Egg whites: make structure and chew, almost pure protein, low fat, pale color.
Granulated sugar: stabilizes meringue, pure carbs, helps shells crisp then get chewy.
Heavy cream: makes ganache silky, very high fat, adds rich mouthfeel and sheen.
Dark chocolate: intense, has cocoa solids and antioxidants, bitter balance to sweetness.
Unsalted butter: adds silk and shine to ganache, saturated fat, little savory lift.

Ingredient Quantities

115 g almond flour (ground)

200 g powdered sugar

30 g unsweetened cocoa powder

90 g egg whites about 3 large

65 g granulated sugar

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1/8 tsp fine salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

120 g heavy cream

170 g dark chocolate 60 to 70 percent cocoa chopped

20 g unsalted butter soft

1/4 tsp vanilla extract for the ganache

pinch of fine sea salt for the ganache

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 150C / 300F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. Sift together 115 g almond flour, 200 g powdered sugar and 30 g unsweetened cocoa powder into a bowl, press any lumps through the sieve so the mix is fine.

2. In a clean bowl whip 90 g room temperature egg whites with 1/4 tsp cream of tartar and 1/8 tsp fine salt until foamy, then slowly add 65 g granulated sugar while whipping till you get stiff glossy peaks. Stir in 1/2 tsp vanilla extract at the end, but don’t deflate the meringue.

3. Fold the sifted dry mix into the meringue in 2 or 3 additions using a spatula. Use the macaronage technique: scrape down, fold, rotate the bowl, press the batter against the bowl wall until it flows in a thick lava ribbon and slowly levels itself in about 10 to 20 seconds. Don’t under mix or over mix, you want it smooth and glossy but still holds some structure.

4. Transfer batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip and pipe
3.5 to 4 cm rounds spaced apart. Tap the tray firmly on the counter 2 or 3 times to release big air bubbles, use a toothpick to pop any visible bubbles.

5. Let piped shells rest at room temperature until a skin forms on top and they are not sticky when touched, usually 30 to 60 minutes depending on humidity. This step is important for feet and to prevent cracks.

6. Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack at 150C / 300F for 14 to 18 minutes, rotate half way if your oven is uneven. The shells should be set, have feet and not wiggle. Let cool completely on the tray before peeling off.

7. Make the ganache by heating 120 g heavy cream until just simmering, pour over 170 g chopped dark chocolate (60 to 70% cocoa) in a bowl, let sit 1 to 2 minutes then stir until smooth. Stir in 20 g soft unsalted butter, 1/4 tsp vanilla extract for the ganache and a pinch of fine sea salt, mix until glossy.

8. Let the ganache cool and thicken to a pipeable consistency, you can chill briefly but don’t let it harden completely. Pipe a dollop onto the flat side of one shell and sandwich with a matching shell, press gently to spread the filling.

9. For best flavor and chewy texture store the filled macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for 24 hours to mature, then bring to room temp about 30 minutes before eating. If you want to freeze them you can, just thaw in the fridge then bring to room temp.

10. Tips: weigh everything, use an oven thermometer, age egg whites if you want (left in fridge uncovered overnight helps sometimes), avoid opening the oven while baking and don’t skip the resting step or you’ll get hollow shells.

Equipment Needed

1. Digital kitchen scale, for weighing everything precisely
2. Oven (set to 150C / 300F) and an oven thermometer is handy to check temps
3. Two baking sheets plus parchment paper or silicone baking mats
4. Fine mesh sieve or sifter to get the almond/cocoa mix super fine
5. Electric mixer (stand or hand) for whipping the egg whites to stiff peaks
6. Rubber spatula for folding with the macaronage technique
7. Piping bag fitted with a round tip (about 6 to 8 mm) for neat shells, youll want a coupler if you swap tips
8. Small saucepan and a heatproof bowl (or double boiler) for heating cream and making ganache
9. Cooling rack, a toothpick to pop big bubbles and a timer to keep track while baking

FAQ

Q: Why are my macarons not chewy but brittle? A: Most likely you overbaked them or the batter was overmixed or undermixed; aim for a batter that flows in a slow ribbon, rest shells until they form a dry skin, then bake around 150 C for 12 to 16 minutes. Don't open the oven while baking, and let them cool completely on the tray.

Q: What does "macaronage" mean and how do I know when it's right? A: Macaronage is the folding process that deflates the meringue into the dry mix; stop when the batter runs off the spatula in a thick ribbon and slowly blends back into the mass, and you can draw a loose figure 8 without it breaking. If it's still lumpy it's undermixed, if it's too runny it's overmixed.

Q: Can I use almond meal instead of almond flour? A: Yes but only if it's very finely ground and blanched; pulse it in a food processor and sift well to remove larger bits otherwise shells will be coarse and may crack or not get feet.

Q: How long should I rest the piped shells before baking? A: Rest time depends on humidity but usually 20 to 60 minutes, until a thin dry skin forms on top and a light touch doesn't stick to your finger. If your kitchen is humid let them rest longer or use a fan to speed drying.

Q: How do I make the chocolate ganache and assemble the macarons? A: Heat the cream until just simmering, pour over chopped chocolate, let sit 1 minute then stir until smooth, whisk in butter, vanilla and a pinch of sea salt, cool until pipeable, match shells by size, pipe a small mound of ganache and sandwich; refrigerate a day for flavor to meld if you can.

Q: How should I store finished macarons and can I freeze them? A: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, bring to room temp before serving for best chewiness; you can freeze assembled macarons up to a month, thaw overnight in the fridge then come to room temp before eating.

Chewy Chocolate Macaron Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Almond flour (115 g)
- Superfine blanched almond meal, 1:1 by weight — same texture, sift if a bit coarse
- Hazelnut or pecan flour, 1:1 by weight — stronger nut flavor and a bit more oily, shells may be softer
- Nut free option: superfine oat or brown rice flour blend (about 1:1 by weight) plus 10 to 15% extra powdered sugar and expect a “macaron like” cookie not a true macaron
Powdered sugar (200 g)
- Make your own: granulated sugar blitzed with 1 to 1.5% cornstarch in a high speed blender until very fine, use 1:1 by weight
- Store bought icing sugar/caster sugar substitutes, 1:1 by weight — just make sure it’s very fine so meringue stays smooth
- Erythritol powdered (for low sugar), 1:1 by weight — gives a cooling aftertaste, still works structurally
Egg whites (90 g, about 3 large)
- Pasteurized liquid egg whites, 1:1 by weight — easiest swap, whip same as fresh whites
- Aquafaba (chickpea brine), use about 2 tablespoons aquafaba per egg white (so ~6 tbsp here), whip longer and add cream of tartar to stabilize — makes it vegan but texture may be slightly different
- Dried egg white powder reconstituted per package to equal weight — handy, use same weight as fresh whites
Dark chocolate 60–70% (170 g)
- Semi sweet or bittersweet chocolate, 1:1 by weight — similar structure, flavor will shift with cocoa percent
- Milk chocolate, 1:1 by weight — sweeter and softer ganache, chill longer before piping
- Chocolate couverture or chocolate chips, 1:1 by weight — use high quality chips or couverture for best melt and texture

Pro Tips

1) Weigh everything and trust the scale, not your eye. Small differences in flour or sugar wreck texture, so measure on a digital scale every time, even when you think you know it.

2) Get the batter feel right by practice, not panic. You want it to flow like thick lava and slowly smooth out in 10 to 20 seconds. If it falls apart it was undermixed, if it flattens instantly it was overmixed. Do small test drops first, you will learn faster that way.

3) Control humidity or adjust drying time. High humidity makes shells crack or never form a skin, so dry them longer or use a fan. In very dry kitchens dont wait too long or they’ll over-dry and crack in the oven.

4) Make the ganache more forgiving and glossy. Chop the chocolate finely, warm the cream gently, and if you want a silkier, less firm filling add a teaspoon of corn syrup or glucose. Also let filled macarons rest 24 hours in the fridge for flavor to mature, then bring to room temp before eating.

Chewy Chocolate Macaron Recipe

Recipe by Francis Mead

0.0 from 0 votes

I perfected my Chocolate Macarons Recipe to eliminate hollow shells and cracked tops while consistently producing those coveted perfect feet.

Servings

servings

Calories

284

kcal

Equipment: 1. Digital kitchen scale, for weighing everything precisely
2. Oven (set to 150C / 300F) and an oven thermometer is handy to check temps
3. Two baking sheets plus parchment paper or silicone baking mats
4. Fine mesh sieve or sifter to get the almond/cocoa mix super fine
5. Electric mixer (stand or hand) for whipping the egg whites to stiff peaks
6. Rubber spatula for folding with the macaronage technique
7. Piping bag fitted with a round tip (about 6 to 8 mm) for neat shells, youll want a coupler if you swap tips
8. Small saucepan and a heatproof bowl (or double boiler) for heating cream and making ganache
9. Cooling rack, a toothpick to pop big bubbles and a timer to keep track while baking

Ingredients

115 g almond flour (ground)
200 g powdered sugar
30 g unsweetened cocoa powder
90 g egg whites about 3 large
65 g granulated sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/8 tsp fine salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
120 g heavy cream
170 g dark chocolate 60 to 70 percent cocoa chopped
20 g unsalted butter soft
1/4 tsp vanilla extract for the ganache
pinch of fine sea salt for the ganache

Directions

Preheat oven to 150C / 300F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. Sift together 115 g almond flour, 200 g powdered sugar and 30 g unsweetened cocoa powder into a bowl, press any lumps through the sieve so the mix is fine.
In a clean bowl whip 90 g room temperature egg whites with 1/4 tsp cream of tartar and 1/8 tsp fine salt until foamy, then slowly add 65 g granulated sugar while whipping till you get stiff glossy peaks. Stir in 1/2 tsp vanilla extract at the end, but don't deflate the meringue.
Fold the sifted dry mix into the meringue in 2 or 3 additions using a spatula. Use the macaronage technique: scrape down, fold, rotate the bowl, press the batter against the bowl wall until it flows in a thick lava ribbon and slowly levels itself in about 10 to 20 seconds. Don't under mix or over mix, you want it smooth and glossy but still holds some structure.
Transfer batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip and pipe
5 to 4 cm rounds spaced apart. Tap the tray firmly on the counter 2 or 3 times to release big air bubbles, use a toothpick to pop any visible bubbles.
Let piped shells rest at room temperature until a skin forms on top and they are not sticky when touched, usually 30 to 60 minutes depending on humidity. This step is important for feet and to prevent cracks.
Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack at 150C / 300F for 14 to 18 minutes, rotate half way if your oven is uneven. The shells should be set, have feet and not wiggle. Let cool completely on the tray before peeling off.
Make the ganache by heating 120 g heavy cream until just simmering, pour over 170 g chopped dark chocolate (60 to 70% cocoa) in a bowl, let sit 1 to 2 minutes then stir until smooth. Stir in 20 g soft unsalted butter, 1/4 tsp vanilla extract for the ganache and a pinch of fine sea salt, mix until glossy.
Let the ganache cool and thicken to a pipeable consistency, you can chill briefly but don't let it harden completely. Pipe a dollop onto the flat side of one shell and sandwich with a matching shell, press gently to spread the filling.
For best flavor and chewy texture store the filled macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for 24 hours to mature, then bring to room temp about 30 minutes before eating. If you want to freeze them you can, just thaw in the fridge then bring to room temp.
Tips: weigh everything, use an oven thermometer, age egg whites if you want (left in fridge uncovered overnight helps sometimes), avoid opening the oven while baking and don't skip the resting step or you'll get hollow shells.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.