French Chocolate (Hot Cocoa) Macarons

Hot Cocoa Macarons on a snowman serving board.

French Chocolate (Hot Cocoa) Macarons

These macarons feature a delicate, crisp shell paired with a rich, velvety chocolate ganache filling that melts in your mouth. For a festive variation, turn them into hot cocoa macarons with hints of cinnamon and cayenne and a sweet marshmallow center.

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Keyword adaptable, almond, chocolate, Christmas, cocoa, cookie, dairy free, ganache, goodie tray, holiday, holiday tray, macaron, marshmallow, meringue, sandwich, wheat flour free

Category Cookies

Baking Ambition Show-Stopper

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 18

Resting Time 1

Servings

Calories 131kcal

Equipment

pastry bags (up to 3)
pastry tip (1/2 inch round)
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.sifter (or fine mesh strainer)
whisk
electric mixer (hand or stand)
mixing bowls (large)
spatula
bowl (small, microwave/heat safe)
saucepan (small)
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.thermometer (candy or instant read)
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.kitchen scale (or measuring cups)
measuring spoons
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.silicone mats (macaron template)

Ingredients

Macaron shells:

180 g powdered sugar
125 g almond meal
15 g cocoa powder
1 pinch fine salt
100 g large egg whites from 2-3 large eggs
65 g baker’s sugar
5 g dehydrated egg white powder
½ tsp cinnamon optional
1 pinch cayenne pepper optional

Ganache Filling:

90 ml heavy cream (or dairy free heavy cream)
8 ml light corn syrup
113 g bittersweet chocolate chopped
10 g butter (or dairy free butter)
¼ tsp cinnamon optional
1 pinch cayenne pepper optional

Marshmallow Filling (optional):

100 g sugar
100 ml corn syrup
60 ml water
¼ tsp salt
80 g egg whites from about 2 large eggs
¼ tsp cream of tartar
½ sheet silver leaf gelatin bloomed and melted
10 ml vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the macaron shells:

Have a pastry bag fitted with ½” round tip ready.
Whisk together the powdered sugar, almond meal, cocoa, and salt until they are uniform in color. If you are making the hot cocoa variation, add the cinnamon and cayenne pepper here. Sift the mixture 3 times, discarding any bits that are too large to pass through the sifter, and set aside.
180 g powdered sugar, 125 g almond meal, 15 g cocoa powder, 1 pinch fine salt , 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 pinch cayenne pepper
In a small bowl whisk together the baker’s sugar and dehydrated egg whites, set aside.
65 g baker’s sugar, 5 g dehydrated egg white powder
In a large bowl, beat egg whites until foamy, continue beating, while adding the sugar and dehydrated egg white mixture, until shaving cream consistency.
100 g large egg whites
Carefully fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites in 3 batches. Continue to fold until the batter falls from your spatula in a continuous ribbon and slowly sinks back into itself.
Scrape the batter into the pastry bag and pipe 1” circles onto the prepared baking sheets. Rap the sheets on the counter firmly a few times, then let sit for about 30-60 minutes until a skin forms on the surface and they are no longer tacky to the touch.
Bake 15 – 20 minutes, cool completely before removing from baking sheets.

For the ganache filling:

Heat the cream and corn syrup until just below boiling. Pour over the chocolate and let sit about 30 seconds. If you are making the hot cocoa variation, add the cinnamon and cayenne pepper here.
90 ml heavy cream, 8 ml light corn syrup, 113 g bittersweet chocolate, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1 pinch cayenne pepper
Stir gently until an emulsion forms. Add the butter and stir until fully incorporated.
10 g butter
Let cool completely before using, the ganache should be a spreadable or pipeable consistency.

For the marshmallow filling (if using)

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, water and salt. Heat mixture to 245°F on a candy thermometer.
100 g sugar, 100 ml corn syrup, 60 ml water, 1/4 tsp salt
While the syrup is heating, combine egg whites and cream of tartar in a medium mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer). Using an electric or stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk on medium speed until soft peaks form.
80 g egg whites, 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
With the mixer running slowly drizzle the hot syrup into the egg white mixture. Continue whisking while drizzling in the melted gelatin and finally the vanilla bean paste or extract. Whisk until the mixture is thick, glossy and begins to mound on top of itself like a soft whipped cream. Transfer mixture to a piping bag.
1/2 sheet silver leaf gelatin, 10 ml vanilla bean paste

To assemble:

If you are using the marshmallow filling, transfer the ganache filling to a piping bag. Pipe a thin dam of ganache around the outer edge of the bottoms of half of the macaron shells. Then pipe a small amount of marshmallow cream inside the ganache dam. Sandwich with the remaining half of the macaron shells.
If you are not using the marshmallow filling, pipe or spread a small amount of the ganache filling onto the bottoms of half the macaron shells, enough to just reach the edges when the other half of the macaron shells are pressed gently on top to create sandwiches.

Notes

I often include these macarons as one of the dairy‑free treats on my holiday trays. If you or someone you’re baking for has a dairy sensitivity or allergy, here’s your dairy‑free game plan:
- Swap the heavy cream in the ganache for a plant‑based heavy cream. I’ve personally tested Country Crock Plant Cream, but many grocery stores now carry additional options, including store brands.
- Omit the butter in the ganache. The filling will be slightly less rich and glossy, but still delicious. If you prefer, you can replace it with a plant‑based butter — just choose one sold in solid sticks rather than soft spreads.
- Check your chocolate labels. Look for bittersweet chocolate that explicitly states it is dairy‑free on the packaging, as formulations vary by brand.

Nutrition