Coffee Macarons with Coffee Ganache

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If you’ve been wanting to drink your coffee and eat it too, you’ve come to the right place. My delicately chewy Coffee Macarons have the bold aroma of espresso and are stuffed with a luscious chocolate coffee ganache for a barista-approved cookie recipe that just so happens to be gluten-free. ☕🍪😉

Coffee Macarons with Coffee Ganache on the counter.

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⭐ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
🍴Ingredients
⏲️ Substitutions & Variations
📖 How To Make Coffee Macarons: Step-by-Step Instructions
👩🏻‍🍳 Expert Tips/Expert baking tips
❄️ Storing
💭 Recipe FAQs
More Macaron Recipes You’ll Love
Coffee Macarons with Coffee Ganache
💬 Comments

If you’re familiar with the blog, you know that I’m a big fan of coffee. From cold brew to coffee soda, hot chocolate coffee to cortados, ol’ Java Joe and I are tied at the hip. Heck, I even have recipes for coffee cookies, coffee milkshakes, and coffee donuts, for goodness’ sake! #CoffeeCoDependent.

And if you’ve poked around a bit beyond the drinks section, you might also know that I’m a serious fan of the delicate French cookies known as macarons. Made by sandwiching two almond flour meringues with some kind of creamy filling, these naturally gluten-free treats are as picture-perfectly precious as they are palatable.

This coffee macaron recipe is the newest addition to the hallowed halls of pastry perfection. It seamlessly blends my love of café-style drinks with my penchant for patisserie, all in one chewy, chocolatey, caffeinated bite.

Looking for more coffee recipes to try? Look no further than my spiced mocha orange coffee, hot chocolate coffee or coffee donuts!

⭐ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Aside from being the toothsome, chewable embodiment of your favorite Starbucks order, these mocha macarons are also:

Made With Only 10 Ingredients - Don’t let their simplicity fool you, though. The flavor of these espresso macarons is simply extraordinary.
Allergen-Friendly - If you have loved ones who are gluten-sensitive or celiac, macarons are an ideal cookie choice! Since they’re traditionally made with almond flour, they are naturally gluten-free. It’s also super easy to make a few simple ingredient swaps to make them dairy-free and lactose-free, too!
Company-Worthy - Take it from me: if you bust out a platter of these homemade coffee and chocolate ganache macarons at your next book club meeting or dinner party, your friends are sure to be seriously wowed. And, while they’re super impressive-looking, I’ve got you covered with all the tricks and tips you need to ensure these notoriously finicky treats come out perfectly every single time. 🥳

🍴Ingredients

As promised, you only need a few simple ingredients to make this coffee macarons recipe. To make the Coffee Macaron Shells, you’ll need:

Granulated Sugar - White sugar is neutral-flavored, low-moisture, and has an almost neutral pH of 7, all of which are ideal for making perfectly smooth macarons.
Room Temperature Egg Whites - In total, you’ll need about 3 egg whites. Make sure you opt for whites that come from fresh, whole eggs rather than the kind that comes in a carton!
Almond Flour - To achieve a perfectly smooth exterior, it’s important to reach for blanched almond flour, which means the rough skins have been removed prior to grinding into flour.
Confectioner’s Sugar - Also known as powdered sugar, this sweetener is super quick to dissolve and has the added benefit of including either cornstarch or potato starch, which helps improve the texture and structure of these gluten-free treats.
Instant Espresso Powder - To make your macarons coffee-flavored without affecting their structure, you’ll need to reach for a quick-to-dissolve flavoring powder like instant espresso.
Gel Food Coloring - For a more robust coffee color on your macaron shells, consider adding a few drops of gel food coloring.

⏲️ Substitutions & Variations

Lactose-Free/Dairy-Free Macarons - The macaron shells themselves are free from dairy, so you only need to worry about the coffee macaron filling. To make a dairy-free ganache, simply swap in the vegan butter and whipping cream alternatives of your choice. You can also opt to use different dairy-free fillings (e.g. jam or vegan buttercream) if you prefer.
White or Milk Chocolate Coffee Ganache - I personally love the deep, dark bitterness of chocolate blended with coffee’s natural boldness. However, if you prefer your sweets on the sweeter side, try swapping in white or milk chocolate to make the ganache! Check out my eggnog macarons, bailey's macarons or birthday cake macarons for alternative filling options!

📖 How To Make Coffee Macarons: Step-by-Step Instructions

I’m not going to lie here - this is a moderately difficult and somewhat lengthy recipe. Don’t lose faith, though! Simply follow along with the steps below and you’ll end up with a gorgeous plate of coffee French macarons.

Make Macaron Shells

As with many baking recipes, you’ll have both wet and dry ingredients to work with. Don’t try to rush or combine any of these steps.
First, prep your materials. Line each baking sheet with your prepared parchment templates and prepare your piping bags along with your piping tips. I like to use a small, round piping tip for piping.
Pro Tip: Use a tall glass to assist you in filling your piping bag.

Dry ingredients and espresso powder in a bowl.

Sifting dry ingredients to make macarons in a bowl.

Prepare Egg Whites and Dry Ingredients

Place egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer and start whisking on medium speed. Once they start to foam, slowly add your sugar and bring up your speed to medium for about three to four minutes to whip for best results on the counter.
While your meringue is whisking away in your mixing bowl, grind together your measured powdered sugar, espresso powder and almond flour using a food processor for one minute. Sift these dry ingredients into a medium bowl or a large bowl with a fine sieve, removing any large pieces and set aside.
Your meringue is complete when it holds stiff peaks - add desired brown gel food coloring and gently whisk for a few additional seconds to incorporate.

Macronage

Now it’s time for the ever so important Macaronage! This is the act of mixing your dry ingredients into your French meringue - the trick is to fold it well enough without overmixing.
To start, pour your dry mixture onto the meringue and slowly start to fold with a spatula. While rotating the bowl, continue to fold ingredients together. Your mixing is done when the batter flows off your spatula rather slowly and smoothly.
You should see the batter that has dripped back into the bowl rest on top for a moment before slowly sinking back into the mixture. One too many folds and your batter could be over-mixed (which makes it impossible to work with), so be careful not to overmix!

Pipe and Rest

Pour your macaron batter into the prepared piping bag or ziploc bag and pipe in circles or one inch rounds onto your templated parchment paper. Add a touch more espresso powder on top If desired!
Tap your baking sheet firmly on a flat surface to remove air bubbles and ensure a smooth top. You can always use a toothpick to gently pop any extra air bubbles that you see hovering on top of your shells.
Allow the shells to rest for approximately 30 minutes - this is non-negotiable. You want a sort of skin to form on the surface of the macarons; once the top of your shells are dry to the touch they are ready to bake!

Piped coffee macarons on parchment paper with espresso powder sprinkled on top.

Bake

Place your macarons in your oven that has been preheated to 310 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 9 minutes, then rotate the baking tray and bake for an additional 2 minutes.
When you gently touch the upper shell and it barely moves, and the developed foot of the macaron stays set to the parchment paper, the macarons are done. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before removing shells from the parchment paper.

Make Ahead Tip: Macaron shells that have been baked and fully cooled can be placed in an airtight container and frozen for up to a month with no discernible change in quality! Simply allow them to defrost for 10-15 minutes at room temperature before filling and eating.

Piped coffee ganache on coffee macaron shells.

Coffee macarons drizzled with chocolate.

👩🏻‍🍳 Expert Tips/Expert baking tips

Opt for finely chopped bar chocolate instead of chocolate chips for the best ganache texture. Why? Chocolate chips are designed to hold their shape when exposed to heat, whereas bar chocolate is not. The looser consistency of melted bar chocolate results in a better mouthfeel!
Use high-quality, ethically-sourced chocolate. Seriously. Just try tasting Hershey’s chocolate side-by-side with a high-quality chocolate like Guittard. They’re basically apples and oranges!
Separate your eggs while they’re cold to help prevent the yolks from breaking, then let them rest at room temperature while you gather your other ingredients.
Waste not, want not. Put those leftover yolks to good use in my homemade hollandaise recipe, which is a perfect pairing for these delicious mocha macarons!

❄️ Storing

To store your homemade macarons, you'll want pop them in the fridge, especially if they've got fillings like ganache or buttercream. Just make sure they're completely cooled down to room temp to avoid any condensation in the container causing a soggy situation. Keep them snug in an airtight container, preferably with a layer of parchment paper in between to prevent sticking.

When you're ready to dig in, give them about 10-15 minutes at room temperature to get back to their prime soft and chewy deliciousness. And if you're thinking of saving them for a while, the freezer is your friend – just remember to thaw 'em in the fridge before bringing them back to room temp. Easy peasy!

💭 Recipe FAQs

Are there any common pitfalls I should avoid the second time around?

Absolutely, making the perfect macaron requires precision and a lot of patience. Ensuring you sift your dry ingredients like almond flour mixture and icing sugar can prevent lumps, and carefully folding the macaron batter can help avoid air bubbles, which are common pitfalls for beginners.

I'm a coffee lover and want to infuse rich coffee flavors into my macarons. Any suggestions besides the basic macaron shell?

Indeed! Consider incorporating ground coffee beans or espresso powder into the almond meal for an added coffee touch. Additionally, you can opt for a coffee buttercream or espresso buttercream as your filling, or even a white chocolate ganache infused with coffee extract for a delightful coffee twist.

How does the French method for making macarons differ from the Italian method?

Both methods yield beautiful macarons, but they differ mainly in how the meringue is made. The French method involves a direct whisking of egg whites (often with a hand mixer or whisk attachment on medium speed) until soft peaks form, while the Italian method uses a sugar syrup (created on medium heat) that's gradually added to the egg whites as they're whipped, resulting in an Italian meringue.

How does humidity affect making macarons?

Humidity can indeed affect the outcome of your macarons. One great way to combat this is to let your piped macarons sit on the baking sheet for a longer time before baking, ensuring they form a skin. This extra step can make a huge difference in achieving the iconic macaron feet even in more humid conditions.

How to Make Perfectly Circular Macarons

Want to make sure that you have perfectly circular macarons? Use a template! Before I pipe my macaron batter, I like to draw identical circles onto a piece of parchment paper that I will then flip over before piping.

You can use a cookie cutter, small lid, salt shaker – anything that is about 1 inch in diameter that you can then trace onto your parchment. Save your templates to make Coconut Macarons, Plum Macarons, London Fog Macarons, or Shamrock Macarons with ease!

Coffee Macarons with Coffee Ganache

⭐ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

🍴Ingredients

⏲️ Substitutions & Variations