Chocolate Hazelnut Macarons

With charming speckles of hazelnut flour, these chocolate hazelnut macarons are not only beautiful, but they’re also incredibly delicious!

And we’re taking a little shortcut with the filling, because one word – Nutella!

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Can I use different nut flour to make macarons?

Yes, we can totally make macarons with different nut flours besides almond flour! For example, I often use hazelnut flour, pistachio flour to make my macarons.

And today, I’m sharing my chocolate hazelnut macarons made with combination of hazelnut flour and almond flour.

The reason we’re not using all hazelnut flour is because of higher fat content of hazelnut flour! Excess fat doesn’t play in our favor when it comes to macarons.

How to Make Chocolate Hazelnut Macarons:

In my basic macaron recipe, I’ve shared detailed step-by-step instructions with in-depth explanation of the technique. So we’re not going too much into the technique here.

1. Sift dry ingredients 3 times. Discard any large chunks of nut flour, but make sure it’s no more than 1 tablespoons. If you end up with more than 1 tablespoon of chunky mixture, add more hazelnut/almond flour to compensate. This typically doesn’t happen with finely ground nut flour, but I’m mentioning this just in case.
2. Make French meringue by whipping egg whites in a clean, grease-free bowl (glass or stainless steel bowls are the best!). Add cream of tartar and salt when egg whites are foamy. Then slowly add sugar one tablespoon at a time, beating the mixture continuously on the same speed until it reaches stiff peaks. (Watch my Meringue 101 video for more tips on how to make the most stable meringue, which a foundation to perfect macarons!)
3. Add dry ingredients into the meringue. And gently fold the mixture with a rubber spatula until dry ingredients are fully incorporated. Then continue to fold the batter until it flows slowly off the spatula into a ribbon and the edges melt back into the batter within 10 seconds. Be sure to check the consistency of the batter often to avoid over-mixing it.
4. Transfer the batter into a piping bag, fitted with a round tip. I prefer 2A round piping tip. Pipe about 1.5-inch circles on 2 baking sheets, lined with parchment paper. (Download my FREE template here.) Now, let the macaron shells dry on the counter until skin forms on top. When lightly touched, it shouldn’t stick to your finger.
5. Bake the shells in preheated 300°F oven for about 18 minutes, one tray at a time. Once cooked, cool the shells completely and then peel them off the parchment. Pair each macaron by the size and fill them with Nutella.
6. Let the macarons mature for at least 8 hours, and preferably 24 hours before serving. This process is called “maturing”. It allows macaron shells to absorb moisture and flavor from the filling, soften and become one complete cookie.

Troubleshooting Macaron issues

Got wonky chocolate hazelnut macarons? No problem. Check out my comprehensive macaron troubleshooting guide with visuals and suggested fixes!

Hope you’ll try these chocolate hazelnut macarons soon. And please let me know if you do!

Chocolate Hazelnut Macarons

With charming speckles of hazelnut flour, these chocolate hazelnut macarons are not only beautiful, but they're also incredibly delicious! And we're taking a little shortcut with the filling, because one word – Nutella!

4.75 from 4 votes

serves: 20 filled macarons

Total : 1 hour 20 minutes

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Ingredients

For macaron shells:

• ▢ 60 g finely ground hazelnut flour Note 1
• ▢ 40 g finely ground almond flour
• ▢ 75 g powdered sugar Note 2
• ▢ 70 g egg whites at room temperature
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar Note 3
• ▢ 75 g fine granulated sugar Note 4

For filling:

• ▢ ½ -1 cup Nutella

Note: I test all my recipes with both measurements for the most precise and accurate result!

Instructions

• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, or teflon sheet, or silicone mat. (TIP: For even air circulation, flip the baking sheets upside down.)
• To prepare dry ingredients, sift together hazelnut flour, almond flour and powdered sugar twice. Note: If you have up to 2 tablespoons of chunky dry ingredients left in the sifter, you don't have to replace it. Simply discard those chunky bits.
• To make meringue, in a clean mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium low speed until foamy. (I set it to speed 2 or 4 on my KitchenAid stand mixer.)
• When egg whites are foamy, add cream of tartar and salt and continue to whisk.
• Then slowly add sugar one tablespoon at a time, while mixer is still running. Allow the sugar to dissolve after each addition.
• Continue beating the egg whites on the same medium low speed until hard peaks form. Visual cues: Meringue should ball up inside the whisk, and when you lift the whisk, the meringue should hold a pointy end and have sharp ribs.
• To make batter, sift dry ingredients into the meringue. Using a silicone spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the meringue until fully incorporated. Then continue to fold the batter until it’s runny enough to draw a figure eight. To test, take a small amount of batter and drop it into the bowl. If the small peaks dissolve into the batter on its own in about 10 seconds, the batter is ready. If not, fold couple more times and test again. Be careful not to over-fold the batter. (TIP: Making french macarons is all about the technique. This is one of the most crucial step. Let me try to describe the folding motion as best as I can: run the spatula clockwise from the bottom, up around the sides and cut the batter in half. If you’re beginner macaron-baker, I suggest to count every fold. It takes roughly about 50 folds to reach the proper consistency. After 50 folds, start testing the batter, and continue testing after every couple folds.)
• To pipe macaron shells, transfer the batter into a pastry bag, fitted with a round tip. (I used this Wilton 2A tip.)
• Hold the pastry bag at straight 90° angle and pipe about 1.5-inch rounds about an inch apart on prepared baking sheets. (TIP 2: I made a perfect macaron template for you. Simply pipe the batter to fill inner circle.)
• Tap the baking sheets firmly on the counter (or using your hand) a few times to get rid of any air bubbles. You can also use a toothpick to burst some large air bubbles. This step ensures smooth tops.
• Let the macarons sit out on the counter for at least 15-30 minutes, maybe up to couple hours, depending on humidity. When you lightly touch the macarons and the batter does not stick to your finger, then it’s ready to go into the oven.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Note: I don't use convection settings. I set my oven to heat from top and bottom.
• To bake, working one baking sheet at a time, place one tray with macarons on the middle rack. (TIP: To prevent browning, place an empty baking sheet on top rack to shield the heat.) Bake for about 15-18 minutes. It’ll take longer for larger macarons. To test for doneness, touch a macaron lightly and try to move it. If it slides and wobbles, bake a minute or so longer. The cooked macarons should be firm to touch and the base shouldn’t move. (TIP: It’s always better to slightly over-bake macarons than under-bake them!)
• Cool the macarons on the sheet for 10-15 minutes, and then transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• To assemble macarons, pair the macaron shells by size and arrange them on a wire rack.  Line them up so that bottom shells are upside down.
• Pipe a thick layer of Nutella on bottom shells. Place the top shell over the filling and press lightly so the filling spreads till the edges.
• Store the filled macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for at least 8 hours, or preferably 24 hours to mature, which allows the filling to soften and flavor the shells.
• To serve, bring the macarons out about 30 minutes prior to serving.

Tips & Notes:

Note 1: It’s best to use super fine hazelnut and almond flours to ensure smooth tops. Weigh the ingredients before sifting.

Note 2: I don’t recommend making your own powder sugar, because commercial powdered sugar has cornstarch in it. And it helps with texture of the cookies.

Note 3: Cream of tartar is optional and can be omitted. However, it helps to stabilize egg whites and create sturdier meringue. It’s just an extra insurance!

Note 4: It’s important to use fine granulated sugar for meringue, as it dissolves quicker. You can also use caster sugar, aka baker’s sugar.

Note 5: Read this post for must-have macaron tools.

Got macaron trouble? Check out my visual troubleshooting guide.

Nutrition Facts:

Serving: 1macaron Calories: 27kcal (1%) Carbohydrates: 4g (1%) Protein: 1g (2%) Fat: 1g (2%) Saturated Fat: -2g (-13%) Sodium: 3mg Potassium: -18mg (-1%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 4g (4%) Vitamin A: 1IU Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) Calcium: 2mg Iron: 1mg (6%)

* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full disclosure here.

Author: Shinee

Did you make this?Show me your creation! Tag me @shineshka and hashtag it #sweetandsavorybyshinee!

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This recipe was originally published on July 23rd, 2015, and last updated on March 9th, 2021.