These coffee macarons are the best treat to wake up your taste buds! They are full of brewed espresso and sprinkled with bits of cake crumbs to taste just like a slice of coffee cake!
These decadent coffee macarons are one of my favorite flavors ever!
If you haven't guessed yet, I have an obsession with coffee and espresso-flavored desserts. Normally I love to pair it with some kind of chocolate like espresso brownies or cookies but I also just love the taste of it on its own.
If you are a major coffee lover you are going to love this flavor. I know you'll be hooked after one bite!
Jump to:
why you'll love these coffee macarons
- Easy to follow macaron recipe
- Tons of helpful tips and tricks for success
- Ultimate coffee flavor
- They taste just like a piece of coffee cake!
ingredient notes
- Almond meal: I love buying mine in bulk from Costco or Bob's Red Mill as they have the best high-quality meal.
- Sugar: I use cane sugar as it has a fine texture which is perfect for macarons.
- Egg whites: Fresh egg whites are required for successful macarons.
- Espresso grounds: I love opening a pod of Nespresso coffee and using the grounds inside. You can also grind your own or use instant coffee.
A complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below!
helpful equipment & tools
- Kitchen scale: I have this exact scale and it's always less than $10 on Amazon. The ratio of ingredients is the most important key to success!
- Fine mesh sifter: this tool is required for sifting the dry ingredients so your shells are smooth and lump-free.
- Kitchen Aid stand mixer: I have a standard 4-quart mixer, but a 5-quart would work as well. I don't recommend using a hand-mixer but I know some people do have success with them!
- Silicone baking mats: I prefer to bake them on a silicone baking mat to maintain even heat.
- 18-inch piping bag: A large bag will be easier to pipe with and you can fit all the batter inside it!
- #12 Wilton tip: This tip is what I use every single time. It's a small round tip that allows more control over piping the batter.
expert tips for perfect macarons
- Use a kitchen scale- the ratio of ingredients is the most important key to success. I always recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients.
- Wipe your mixing bowl with vinegar- This will ensure it is free from any fat residue which can prevent your eggs from whipping.
- Whip the whites to stiff peaks- not whipping the egg whites long enough can result in a whole bunch of macaron problems.
- Use an upside-down baking pan- my favorite trick for perfect macarons is turning the pan upside down to prevent hollow or exploded shells.
- Make sure your oven is at the right temperature - you don't want the shells rising too quickly or slowly. Chances are, your oven temperature is off by a few degrees so I always keep my oven thermometer on the lower oven rack.
You can learn more about macaron success and watch how-to videos in my macaron course, Macarons at Home!
instructions
Step 1: Sift the powder sugar, almond meal, and espresso grounds together into a large bowl, then set it aside.
Step 2: Add the egg whites to a clean stand mixing bowl and use the whisk attachment to whip the whites to soft peaks. Sprinkle the sugar into the mixing bowl and then continue mixing until stiff peaks form.
Step 3: Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients and fold them together with a rubber spatula, then add the next third. Continue folding until all of the dries are combined into the meringue, then add one small drop of Americolor Brown gel coloring.
Step 4: Scrape the batter against the sides of the bowl until the batter starts looking thinner and glossy. Pick up some of the batter and let it fall off the spatula. If it falls slowly in ribbons and you can draw a figure 8 with it, the batter is ready.
Step 5: Fit an 18-inch piping bag with a #12 round Wilton tip and fill it with the batter. Flip a baking tray upside down and line it with a silicone baking mat. Pipe the batter directly above the tray into 1 ½ inch round shells, spaced two inches apart. Tap the tray on the counter a few times. You can pop any air bubbles that come to the surface with a toothpick, then sprinkle the tops with some of the cake crumbs.
Let the shells rest until a dry skin forms, then bake at 300 F/149 C for 12-13 minutes. Touch the top of the shell to see if it moves while baking. If it doesn't budge from the feet, they are done.
Step 6: Once completely cool, remove the shells and match them up with like sizes. Pipe about one tablespoon of the buttercream on one shell, sprinkle it with cake crumbs, and then sandwich it with the other half.
storage & freezing
- Refrigerator- Once filled, store them in an air-tight container in the fridge overnight to soften. They will stay fresh for 2-3 days at room temperature or 1 week in the fridge.
- Freezer- You can freeze just the shells or the assembled macarons for up to 1 month!
- Make-ahead- I always recommend making macarons the day before you plan to serve them so they have time to mature overnight.
NOTE- Naturally, the macarons will harden in the fridge so before eating, leave them out at room temperature for 30-60 minutes to soften.
recipe notes
- I do not recommend halving the recipe as the amount of egg white is very hard to whip up in the mixing bowl.
- Make and assemble the cookies the day before you plan on serving them so they have time to mature overnight, which will result in a chewier cookie.
variations
- Fill them with a different flavor
- Vanilla buttercream
- Chocolate ganache
faq's
An over-mixed batter will be super runny and flow quickly off your spatula into the bowl. Once piped, they will spread into large pancakes. To prevent over mixing, take your time scraping the batter and check it after every few folds.
It's generally not recommended to make them if the humidity level in your house is more than 60%. If you chose to make them, keep all doors and windows closed and run the air conditioning to help keep the humidity low.
I do not age my egg whites but I know people who live in very humid environments do that makes a huge difference for them!
The shells can be hollow for a few different reasons- the oven temperature is too high or there was too much air in the batter still. Make sure to fold and scrape the batter until it flows in thick slow ribbons.
more macaron recipes you'll love
If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Recipe 📖
Coffee Macarons
Equipment
- Stand mixing bowl with whisk and paddle attachment
- large mixing bowl
- rubber spatula
- 18 inch piping bag
- Silicone baking mat
- baking tray ( SEE NOTES )
Ingredients
Cake Crumb Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
- pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Espresso Shell Ingredients
- 124 grams powdered sugar
- 140 grams blanched almond meal
- 2 teaspoon ground espresso or instant coffee
- 107 grams egg whites, room temperature
- 110 grams granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 small drop Brown gel food coloring
Filling Ingredients
- 10 tablespoon unsalted butter, soft
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon brewed espresso, cooled
Instructions
Making the Cake Crumb
- In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, brown sugar, flour, baking powder, corn starch, salt, oil, and vanilla until a crumb forms. Spread the crumb out onto a parchment lined baking tray and bake at 300 F/149 C for 20 minutes, then let them cool completely. Pour them into a bowl and set them aside.2 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon corn starch, pinch of salt, 1 tablespoon canola oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Making the Macaron Shells
- Line an upside down pan with a silicone baking mat and fit a piping bag with a small #12 Wilton round tip, then set them both aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift the almond meal, powdered sugar, and espresso into a larger bowl and discard any large pieces. Set aside.124 grams powdered sugar, 140 grams blanched almond meal, 2 teaspoon ground espresso or instant coffee
- In a stand mixing bowl, begin whisking the egg whites on medium low speed for 2-3 minutes until foamy, then add the cream of tartar.⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar, 107 grams egg whites, room temperature
- Very slowly, sprinkle the sugar into the mixing whites with a spoon. When all of the sugar is added, increase the speed to medium and whip for about 7-8 minutes or until stiff peaks form.110 grams granulated sugar
- Add ⅓ of the sifted dry mixture to the bowl of meringue. Fold very gently with a spatula until combined. Continue until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated, then add the food coloring.1 small drop Brown gel food coloring
- Scrape the batter against the sides of the bowl. Every few scrapes, pick up the batter and let it fall into the bowl. The batter should flow slowly in a continuous ribbon. Try to make a figure 8 with the batter. If it falls without breaking, it's ready.
- Pipe the batter in 1 ½ inch rounds (spaced 2 inches apart) directly over the baking tray. Drop the pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles which you can pop with a toothpick. Sprinkle the tops of the shells with some of the cake crumbs.
- Let the shells sit to dry and form a skin, at least 30 minutes or until you can touch the tops without leaving an impression. Preheat the oven to 300 F/149 C.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes. The shells are done baking when the top of the shell doesn't budge from the feet. Let the tray cool completely on a wire rack before removing the shells.
Making the Filling
- In a mixing bowl add the butter and use the paddle to mix the butter on low for 1-2 minutes or until smooth. Add the powdered sugar in ½ cup at a time. Mix on low until combined, then increase the speed to medium and whip until light and fluffy. Add the brewed espresso and chai spice and mix on low to combine.10 tablespoon unsalted butter, soft, 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoon brewed espresso, cooled
Assembling the Macarons
- Pipe about 1 tablespoon of buttercream onto one shell, sprinkle them with some of the cake crumbs, then sandwich with the other half. Place the macarons in a sealed container and let them mature in the fridge overnight to soften.
Notes
Tips for Perfect Macarons
- Use a kitchen scale- the ratio of ingredients is the most important key to success. I always recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients for success!
- Wipe your bowl with vinegar- before mixing the egg whites, dampen a paper towel with a bit of white vinegar to ensure it is free from any fat residue which can prevent your eggs from whipping.
- Whip the whites to stiff peaks- not whipping the egg whites long enough can result in a whole bunch of macaron problems.
- Use an upside-down baking pan- my favorite trick for perfect macarons is turning the pan upside down to prevent hollow or exploded shells.
Storage
Once filled, store them in an air-tight container overnight in the fridge to soften. They will stay fresh for 2-3 days at room temperature or 1 week in the fridge! You can also freeze just the shells or the filled macarons for up to 1 month! Naturally, the macarons will harden in the fridge so before eating, leave them out at room temperature for 30-60 minutes to soften.Nutrition
The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.
Lauren says
This is my go-to coffee macaron recipe! I've made it a few times and they are always so good. I appreciate the thorough recipe on how to make macarons, they turn out perfect every time!!