Peppermint Mocha Macarons
Peppermint mocha macarons are chocolate espresso macarons shells filled with a dark chocolate peppermint ganache and topped with a drizzle of melted chocolate and crushed peppermint candies.
First, is there a more festive flavor for Christmas than peppermint and chocolate?! Some could argue cranberry or gingerbread but whatever, chocolate peppermint is where we’re at right now!
If you’re here for the chocolate peppermint, I have the the BEST peppermint marshmallow brownies, the fudgiest chocolate peppermint cookies and a chocolate cake peppermint sheet cake.
What’s in peppermint mocha macarons?
So these little beauties are composed of four different layers. First, the mocha macaron shell, which is made with:
- Almond flour
- Powdered sugar
- Cocoa powder
- Espresso powder
- Egg whites
- Granulated sugar
The chocolate ganache is made up of chocolate (or milk or dark chocolate), heavy whipping cream and a tiny bit of peppermint extract. Then there’s another layer of the mocha cookie shell, followed by a drizzle of melted chocolate and crushed candy canes! & there you have it, peppermint mocha macarons.
How to make macarons
I make my macarons the Swiss meringue method, which is basically the beginning of a Swiss meringue buttercream. Make sure to use my vanilla macaron post as a reference for step-by-step photos on how to make these macarons. The only difference is that I sub a little bit of the dry ingredients for some cocoa powder and espresso powder to make these mocha flavored.
How to make peppermint chocolate ganache
I wanted these pretty dark so I used dark chocolate chips with heavy whipping cream to make the ganache and then I added just a tiny bit of peppermint extract to it. Pro tip: don’t add mint extract, it’s not the same.
Make sure to let the ganache cooled enough until it’s pipe-able but not super runny or it will all leak off of the cookie shell.
For the topping, I just melted some chocolate and placed it into a piping bag with a tiny tip and drizzle it on the cookie shells. Make sure to stick the crushed candy canes on the chocolate before it dries.
How to store macarons
Macarons are best served at room temperature or slightly chilled, after they’ve rested for a few hours or overnight. Make sure to store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
You can also freeze them for up to a couple months. To freeze them, place them tightly in an airtight container and then place the container in a freezer bag, squeezing out all of the excess air.
If you have any questions, comment down below and if you make these peppermint mocha macarons, make sure to tag me @baranbakery on instagram. Remember that practice makes perfect with these babies and they’re edible even when they’re ugly! As always, have a blessed day and happy baking!
Love, B
Yield: 22
Peppermint Mocha Macarons Recipe
Peppermint mocha macarons are mocha macarons filled with chocolate peppermint ganache and topped with melted chocolate and peppermint candies.
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
13 minutes
Additional Time
1 hour
Total Time
1 hour 43 minutes
Ingredients
Cookie Shell
- 7/8 cup (90g) almond flour, spooned and leveled
- 3/4 cup (90g) powdered sugar, spooned and leveled
- 1/4 cup (20g) Dutch-process cocoa powder, spooned and leveled
- 5 g espresso powder
- 3 large (100g) egg whites, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
Ganache Filling
- 1/3 cup (80mL) heavy cream
- 1 cup (6oz) dark chocolate
- 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
Topping
- 1/4 cup (1.5 oz) dark chocolate
- 1 crushed candy cane or peppermint candies
Instructions
Mocha Cookie Shell
- Start off by measuring all of your ingredients out. Sift together the almond flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder and espresso and set them aside.
- Heat up a small pot of water on the stove to create a double boiler for your Swiss meringue. Whisk the egg whites and sugar in a mixing bowl over the double boiler until about 120F (49C) or until the sugar is fully dissolved and the egg whites are frothy.
- Remove from the heat and use the whisk attachment to beat the egg whites and sugar until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes.
- Use a firm spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the meringue. This may take a while, just keep folding and pressing the batter against the wall of the bowl until the mixture is able to ribbon off and form a complete figure '8' without breaking. Don't over-mix.
- Using a piping bag, with a small circle tip, pipe out 1 1/2 inch size circles onto a lined cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Rap tray on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles from within the batter (use a toothpick to remove any air bubbles that are visible and won’t come out).
- Allow the cookies to form a shell for about 20 minutes while preheating oven to 300F (149C) conventional (no fan). Bake one pan at a time in the center of the oven for 13 minutes. Remove and allow them to cool completely before filling.
Chocolate Ganache Filling
- Heat up the cream in the microwave or on the stove in a saucepan, just until it's simmering (not boiling).
- Pour the cream over the chocolate and cover the bowl, letting it sit for a few minutes. Then slowly stir the chocolate and cream together until it's smooth.
- Stir in the peppermint extract and allow the ganache to cool halfway, until it is thick enough to work with but soft enough to go through a piping bag.
- Pipe the ganache on a shell and close with a top cookie. Don’t wait too long to close them, your ganache will harden and then it won’t stick.
Topping
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave on 10 second intervals, stirring between each session it is melted. Stir until it's smooth.
- Drizzle chocolate on top of the cookies. While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle some crushed candy canes on top.
- Allow the drizzle to dry completely before serving. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to a week or freeze for a couple of months.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
25Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 133Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 11mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 1gSugar: 13gProtein: 2g
Nutrition information may not be fully accurate.