Chocolate macarons, drizzled with chocolate and filled with toasted marshmallows – ultimate summer dessert in an elegant French pastry form!!! (1-ingredient filling!!!)
Once you master chocolate macarons, you’ll definitely want to try this ultimate summer flavor!
Why you’ll love this macaron recipe:
With these s’mores macarons, you’ll get everything you love in classic s’mores:
- Crispy cookies
- Rich chocolate
- And of course, toasted marshmallows
You’ll get the chocolate and graham cracker taste and texture from the macaron shells.
And the best part of this recipe is the MARSHMALLOW filling!
Forget about messing with homemade marshmallow, or marshmallow fluff frosting, etc!
We’re straight up using regular marshmallows, melted!! And it works like a charm!
By the way, sprinkle of graham cracker is simply for looks here. But I absolutely adore it!
How to make these macarons:
Prepare the macaron shells:
- Start with making the macarons shells. You can make them days (or even weeks) in advance! They store well in the fridge for a few days, or freezer for a few months.
- Then pair the shells and arrange them on a tray. Drizzle melted chocolate and sprinkle crushed graham crackers. And let the chocolate set. You can pop them in the fridge to expedite the process.
- Once the shells are all ready, melt the marshmallows.
How to melt marshmallows:
- Place the marshmallows with a touch water in a double-boiler. Make sure the top bowl with marshmallows doesn’t touch the simmering water.
- Melt the marshmallows, stirring frequently with a silicone spatula.
- Once it’s completely melted and smooth, remove from heat and let it cool slightly, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Then transfer the melted marshmallow into a piping bag with a round tip.
- Immediately, pipe the filling on macaron shells. The marshmallow filling is very stringy and it may seem it’s impossible to detach it. Here’s what I do: Once you piped enough filling, lift the piping bag without squeezing the filling, then swirl it around the top of the filling and lift.
Tip
You’ll have a small window of time to fill macarons after you melt the marshmallows. The melted marshmallows is a bit runny right off the heat, but it quickly sets as it cools.
That’s why it’s important to have your shells ready for filling before you start melting the marshmallows.
Assembling and maturing macarons:
- Once you pipe all the fillings, toast it with a torch. I highly recommend toasting the marshmallows, as it gives the filling amazing texture! Then place the top shell to assemble the macarons.
- Now, it’s really important to let the filled macarons mature in the fridge for about 48 hours. That’s right, these macarons require a bit longer time to mature, as the filling isn’t very wet! If you need the macarons sooner, you can brush on some milk on the bottom of the macaron shells. This will help the shells soften sooner. But I personally love slightly crispy shells to imitate the graham crackers.
If this is your first time making macarons, please read my basic macarons for beginners for much more in-depth tutorial on making macarons. I promise, it’s really not that difficult to make perfect macarons.
S’mores Macarons
Chocolate macarons, drizzled with chocolate and filled with toasted marshmallows – ultimate summer dessert in an elegant French pastry form!!! (1-ingredient filling!!!)
Prep: 1 hour
Cook: 18 minutes
Total : 1 hour 20 minutes
Ingredients
For macaron shells:
- 100 g super fine almond flour Note 1
- 75 g powdered sugar Note 2
- 10 g unsweetened cocoa powder Note 3
- 75 g egg whites at room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar Note 4
- ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 75 g granulated sugar Note 5
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For marshmallow filling:
- 85 g marshmallows Note 6
- 1 tablespoon water
For decoration:
- 55 g semi-sweet chocolate
- 1 graham cracker
Helpful Equipment:
- Pastry bag with Wilton Extra Large Round Tip #1
Note: I test all my recipes with both measurements for the most precise and accurate result!
Instructions
To make macaron shells:
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, or teflon sheet, or silicone mat.
- To prepare dry ingredients, sift together almond flour, powdered sugar and cocoa powder 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 Artisan 5qt stand mixer.)
- When egg whites are foamy, add cream of tartar and salt and continue to whisk.
- Then slowly add granulated 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. (Watch this meringue video for more information.)
- To make batter, sift almond flour mixture 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: 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. 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 completely on the baking sheets. Then gently peel them off the parchment paper, or baking mats.
To decorate the shells:
- Pair the macaron shells by size and arrange them on a baking sheet lined with wire rack.
- Melt the chocolate in a microwave according to package directions. Transfer the melted chocolate into a pastry bag with a small round tip.
- Drizzle the chocolate all over the shells in desired pattern. Then sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs. Let the chocolate set completely. You can pop it in the fridge to expedite the process.
To make the marshmallow filling
- Place the marshmallows with a tablespoon of water in a double-boiler. Make sure the top bowl with marshmallows doesn't touch the simmering water.
- Melt the marshmallows, stirring frequently with a silicone spatula.
- Once it's completely melted and smooth, remove from heat and let it cool slightly, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Note: You'll have a small window of time to fill macarons after you melt the marshmallows. The melted marshmallows is a bit runny right off the heat, but it quickly sets as it cools.)
- Then transfer the melted marshmallow into a piping bag with a round tip.
- Immediately, pipe the filling on macaron shells. The marshmallow filling is very stringy and it may seem it's impossible to detach it. Here's what I do: Once you piped enough filling, lift the piping bag without squeezing the filling, then swirl it around the top of the filling and lift.
- Once you pipe all the fillings, toast it with a torch. I highly recommend toasting the marshmallows, as it gives the filling amazing texture! Then place the top shell to assemble the macarons.
- Now, it's really important to let the filled macarons mature in the fridge for about 48 hours. That's right, these macarons require a bit longer time to mature, as the filling isn't very wet! If you need the macarons sooner, you can brush on some milk on the bottom of the macaron shells. This will help the shells soften sooner. But I personally love slightly crispy shells to imitate the graham crackers.
- Store the filled macarons in airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the filled macarons in airtight container for up to 3 months.
- To serve, bring the macarons out about 30 minutes prior to serving. Macarons are the best when served at room temperature!
Tips & Notes:
Note 1: It’s best to use super fine almond flour to ensure smooth tops. Weigh the ingredients before sifting.
Note 2: I don’t recommend making your own powdered sugar, because commercial powdered sugar has cornstarch in it. And it helps with texture of the cookies.
Note 3: I recommend Hershey’s natural cocoa powder. However, you may use any brand or type, even Dutched cocoa powder instead. In case your macarons come out wrinkly or your batter is too thick, I recommend removing 1-2 tablespoons of almond flour on your next try.
Note 4: 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 5: 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 6: You can use either large or mini marshmallows.
Note 7: You can easily double this macaron recipe.
Got macaron trouble? Check out my visual troubleshooting guide post.
Nutrition Facts:
Serving: 1filled macaron Calories: 75kcal (4%) Carbohydrates: 11g (4%) Protein: 1g (2%) Fat: 3g (5%) Saturated Fat: 1g (6%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 1g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 1mg Sodium: 35mg (2%) Potassium: 30mg (1%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 9g (10%) Vitamin A: 1IU Calcium: 11mg (1%) Iron: 1mg (6%)
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full disclosure here.
Did you make this?Show me your creation! Tag me @shineshka and hashtag it #sweetandsavorybyshinee!
This recipe was originally published on August 4th, 2016, and updated on September 5th, 2021.
Mackenzie says
I’m looking to make a s’mores macaron where you actually add the graham cracker to the shells. I’m unsure of the ratios though. Instead of using the cocoa powder in the shells, how much graham cracker would you use without totally ruining the shells?
Shinee says
Hi, Mackenzie. Unfortunately, I’ve never tried making macarons with other crushed powders. But I know people make the shells with crushed cereal etc, so I’m sure you can. But I just can’t give an advice on ratios.
Crystal escamilla says
When do you add the vanilla extract?
Shinee says
Hey, Crystal. Thanks for your comment, and I apologize for confusion. I removed the vanilla extract from my base macaron recipe and missed to update the ingredients list. If you choose to add it, it goes into the meringue at soft peak stage. Thanks again!
Mackenzie says
Thank you for the reply! I was looking to keep the main ingredient almond flour and powdered sugar. I was just adding the graham cracker for slight flavoring and visual similarity to an actual graham cracker. Even by doing that would you still be unsure about ratios?
Shinee says
As you may know, macarons are pretty finicky. Small changes affect the final results. Even adding 5-10g powdered fruit complicates things, causing thick batter issue, soft wrinkled shells, etc. So yes, I can’t give a proper advice without testing.
Kathleen Flutur says
Hi! Total newbie! What do your measurements mean when it comes to the almond flour, powder sugar and marshmallow? For example, 1 cup 100 gr?
Shinee says
Hi, Kathleen. Sorry for confusion, and thank you for reaching out.
I just updated the recipe, so it’s visually more clear. Basically, 1 cup of almond flour is 100g by weight. Hope that makes sense.
Kathleen says
Yes! Thank you for clarifying!
Jenn says
Omg I made these today and they were so good! It was so easy and I can’t believe it the feet came out perfect and it wasn’t hallow! Thank you so much my kids loved it.
Vanessa says
Thanks for sharing! Do you use this macaron base for any other recipes?
Shinee says
Hi, Vanessa. Yes, I use the same base recipe for all of my macarons. You can check out my other macaron recipes here.
Suzanne says
These look so good! What a perfect little treat when you don’t want to indulge too much!
Kristin says
I tried to make these but the chocolate I drizzled on top is not setting and I can’t fill them with chocolate stickiness on both sides. How did you get yours to set?
Shinee says
Hi, Kristin. What kind of chocolate did you use? Was it dark chocolate, like semi-sweet or bittersweet, or milk chocolate? And did you mix the chocolate with anything to melt? I use semi-sweet chocolate without anything added. I melt it and drizzle it over the macarons, and it hardens on its own.
Kristin says
I used semi sweet Bakers chocolate. I got it to harden by sticking it in the fridge but it still felt a little sticky on top.
Claire says
Hi! I was just wondering if there was anything we can substitute for cream of tartar, or if we can leave it out entirely.
Shinee says
Hi, Claire. Yes, you can omit cream of tartar, if you don’t have it. It helps to stabilize the egg whites, but it’s not crucial ingredient.
Claire says
Okay! Thank you.
Faith says
Why lemon zest and lemon juice
Shinee says
Oops, sorry for confusion. I forgot to remove that extra sentence. There’s no lemon zest or lemon juice required in this recipe. I now updated the recipe. And thanks for bring it to my attention, Faith.
Debby says
Can you use marshmallow fluff for the filling?
Shinee says
Hi, Debby. Believe it or not, I’ve never had marshmallow fluff, so I don’t know it’s consistency. But if it’s spreadable, it’ll definitely work.