Published: · by Kyleigh Sage · This post may contain affiliate links.
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There's nothing I love more than macarons with my coffee, so these espresso macarons are the best of both worlds! They have a tender, espresso flavored French macaron shell and are filled with creamy espresso buttercream. They totally count as breakfast, right?
I'll walk you through how to make homemade French macarons and give you all my tips and tricks for success!
You might also like these espresso cupcakes, espresso chocolate chip cookies, or these dark chocolate espresso madeleines!
Jump to:
- Ingredient Notes
- How to Make French Macarons
- Recipe FAQ's
- Tips for Success!
- More Macaron Recipes!
- Recipe Card
- Comments
Ingredient Notes
You just need a few simple ingredients to make these coffee macarons!
- Egg whites- I've recently started "aging" my egg whites and I've found it helps with my consistency. This is absolutely not necessary, but it's super easy to do so I recommend trying it out. Weigh out 100 grams of egg whites into a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and poke a few holes in the top. Place in the fridge for at least 24 hours but up to 3 days. Make sure to remove the egg whites from the fridge at least an hour before baking.
- Almond flour- If you've ever seen macarons that look bumpy, it's usually because the almond flour isn't ground finely enough. I love usingBob's Red Millfor my almond flour because it's super fine. But if you have lumpy almond flour you can also just pulse it in a food processor for a few seconds to break it up further. Sifting your dry ingredients is also super important for ensuring smooth macarons.
- Espresso powder- This is one of my most loved kitchen ingredients!! Since this is the main source of flavor for both the macarons and the buttercream, I recommend using a high quality espresso powder!King Arthuris my favorite brand!
- Note: espresso powder is NOT the same as instant espresso!! Espresso powder is much more flavorful and more finely ground, making it more suitable for baking macarons.
The complete list of ingredients and amounts is located in therecipe card below.
How to Make French Macarons
Sift together almond flour, powdered sugar, and espresso powder into a large bowl and set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on medium speed until they become foamy, then add in the cream of tartar.
Turn the mixer up to medium-high and gradually add in the granulated sugar. Once all the sugar is added, turn the mixer to the highest setting and whisk on high until stiff peaks form.
Using a spatula, gently fold in half of the dry ingredient mixture until fully combined. Then gently fold in the remaining dry ingredients.
Continue to gently fold the batter until it reaches a “flowing lava” consistency. You should be able to make a “figure 8” with the batter before it breaks. As soon as you reach this consistency, stop mixing! If you over-mix the batter, the macarons won’t rise properly in the oven.
Line alarge baking sheetwith a silicone mat or parchment paper.
Scoop batter into a large piping bag fitted with alarge round tip. Hold the piping bag perpendicular to the silicone mat and pipe 1 inch rounds.
Pick up the baking sheet and drop it onto the counter 3-4 times to help bring any air bubbles to the surface of the macarons. Then use a toothpick to pop any visible air bubbles to make a smooth surface.
Let the macarons sit at room temperature for 30-40 minutes or until a skin forms on the surface. You should be able to lightly touch the surface without any batter being disturbed.
While the macarons are resting, preheat the oven to 300°F.
Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack of the oven for 13-15 minutes or when they do not move on their “feet” when touched.
Let the macarons cool completely on the baking sheet before removing them. They should easily peel off when fully cooled.
Match up your shells before filling, and then turn one side over.
Then pipe the espresso buttercream in the center and top with the other shell.
Put the assembled espresso macarons in an airtight container, then place them in the fridge to mature for 12-24 hours. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. However, for the best taste/texture, let them come up to room temperature for about an hour before eating! [Directly out of the fridge they can sometimes be super hard but at room temperature they're perfectly soft and tender!]
Macarons Tips & Tricks
Macarons can be tough so setting yourself up for success is key!
- Buy akitchen scaleif you don’t already have one! Macarons are incredibly finicky, so weighing all your ingredients is super important!
- Clean the mixing bowl and whisk attachment of your stand mixer with lemon juice or white vinegar to make sure there are no trace fats on either (if you don’t, your meringue may not form).
- Use a super sturdy baking sheet that won't warp and conducts heat evenly! TheseCuisinart baking sheetsare my favorite for macarons! I have 6 of them lol.
- Invest in somesilicone macaron mats! They aren’t expensive and they will make your lifesomuch easier!
- Also invest in anoven thermometer! We want our oven as close to 300 degrees as possible to make perfect macarons but just because your oven says it's 300 degrees, doesn't mean it actually is. My oven tends to run hot, so I usually end up having it set to about 290.
Recipe FAQ's
Why are French macarons so hard to make?
Macarons are finicky, but they aren't impossible! It's important to follow the directions carefully but if your first batch doesn't turn out, just keep practicing!
Can I make any ingredient substitutions to the macaron recipe?
Unless you have experience baking macarons, I don't recommend making any changes to the recipe because even small changes can negatively affect the results.
Why did my macarons turn out hollow, cracked, have no feet, etc.
Most macaron issues can be traced to either oven temperature or improper mixing. This is why it's so important to use an oven thermometer and only mix your batter until it starts to flow like lava and then stopping.
Tips for Success!
For best results I always recommend using weight measurements (especially when baking) because it's the most accurate. Kitchen scales are super affordable and also reduce the number of dishes you have to do! However, all my recipes also include US customary measurements for convince. Use this chart to convert measurements for common ingredients!
Substitutions: In all my recipes, I've included substitutions that I know will work, but I cannot guarantee results if you substitute ingredients that I have not recommended. [For example, granulated sugar and honey are indeed both sweeteners but they have very different properties so they can not always be swapped 1:1. Using honey in a cookie recipe that calls for granulated sugar will yield a giant mess.] In the recipe card you'll find links to the specific ingredients/brands that I use.
A note on salt: I almost exclusively use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt because it's the best all-purpose salt for cooking and baking. If you're not using kosher salt, consult this handy guide for a conversion chart! When in doubt, if you're using table salt just reduce the amount by half for baked goods. When cooking, I prefer to under-salt because you can always add more! If you've over-salted, adding a little bit of acid (like lemon juice) can help.
More Macaron Recipes!
- Chai Spiced Macarons
- Salted Caramel Macarons
- S'mores Macarons
- Tiramisu Macarons
If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating at the bottom of the page! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. And if you want more delicious, scratch-made recipes you can subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!
Recipe Card
Espresso Macarons
5 from 110 votes
These espresso macarons have a tender, espresso flavored French macaron shell and are filled with creamy espresso buttercream.
Print Pin
Prep Time: 45 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Resting Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 30 filled macarons
Author: Kyleigh Sage
Need Metric Measurements?Use the options below to toggle between cups and grams!
Ingredients
Espresso Macarons
- 100 grams egg whites, room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 60 grams granulated sugar
- 110 grams almond flour, sifted
- 200 grams powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder, sifted
Espresso Buttercream
- 113 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
- 180 grams powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Espresso Macarons
Sift together almond flour, powdered sugar, and espresso powder into a large bowl and set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on medium speed until they become foamy, then add in the cream of tartar.
Turn the mixer up to medium-high and gradually add in the granulated sugar (make sure to add the sugar in very slowly so that the meringue doesn’t deflate). Once all the sugar is added, turn the mixer to the highest setting and whisk on high until stiff peaks form.
Using a spatula, gently fold in half of the dry ingredient mixture until fully combined. Then gently fold in the remaining dry ingredients. Continue to gently fold the batter until it reaches a “flowing lava” consistency. You should be able to make a “figure 8” with the batter before it breaks. As soon as you reach this consistency, stop mixing! If you over-mix the batter, the macarons won’t rise properly in the oven.
Line a large baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Scoop batter into a large piping bag fitted with a round tip. Hold the piping bag perpendicular to the silicone mat and pipe 1 inch rounds. Pick up the baking sheet and drop it onto the counter 3-4 times to help bring any air bubbles to the surface of the macarons. Then use a toothpick to pop any visible air bubbles to make a smooth surface.
Let the macarons sit at room temperature for 30-40 minutes or until a skin forms on the surface. You should be able to lightly touch the surface without any batter being disturbed.
While the macarons are resting, preheat the oven to 300°F.
Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack of the oven for 15 minutes or when they do not move on their “feet” when touched.
Let the macarons cool completely on the baking sheet before removing them. They should easily peel off when fully cooled. Match up your shells before filling, and then turn one side over.
Espresso Buttercream
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter, powdered sugar, espresso powder, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
Beat the buttercream for 3-4 minutes on high speed until light and fluffy.
Once the macarons are cooled, pipe a dollop of buttercream into the center of the shell. Then top with the other shell.
Put the assembled espresso macarons in an airtight container, then place them in the fridge to mature for 12-24 hours. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. However, for the best taste/texture, let them come up to room temperature for about an hour before eating! [Directly out of the fridge they can sometimes be super hard but at room temperature they're perfectly soft and tender!]
Notes
Tip: Clean mixing bowl and whisk attachment of your stand mixer with lemon juice to make sure there are no trace fats on either (if you skip this step, your meringue may not form).
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 107kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 14mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 94IU | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Category | Dessert
Cuisine | French
Diet | Gluten Free
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