I crafted Dark Chocolate Raspberry Macarons that pair intense dark chocolate with bright raspberry in a delicate shell, making them a refined choice among French bakery pastries.
I’ve always chased flavors that surprise you, and these Dark Chocolate Raspberry Macarons do just that. They look delicate like a Traditional Macaron yet pack an unexpected depth from dark chocolate and the bright raspberry note that wakes the whole bite.
The almond flour shells crackle then melt on your tongue, while the dark chocolate center gives a rich, grown up contrast. This is the kind of French Bakery Pastries treat that makes people stare and ask where you got them.
I mess up shells sometimes and you might too, but thats part of why these feel so rewarding.
Ingredients
- Almond flour adds nutty flavor, healthy fats and protein, gives soft chew.
- Powdered sugar sweetens and lightens shells, mostly simple carbs, no fiber.
- Unsweetened cocoa gives bitter chocolate depth, antioxidants, less sugar, earthy taste.
- Egg whites whip into glossy meringue, it’s high protein, almost no fat.
- Dark chocolate adds rich ganache body, intense flavor, some minerals.
- Heavy cream makes ganache silky, adds calories and saturated fat, very smooth.
- Unsalted butter enriches ganache, rounds flavors, adds creaminess and mouthfeel.
- Raspberry jam brings sweet tart fruitiness, some fiber, bright sharpness.
Ingredient Quantities
- 110 g almond flour finely ground and sifted
- 200 g powdered sugar (icing sugar), sifted
- 25 g unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 90 to 100 g egg whites, room temperature (about 3 large)
- 55 g granulated or superfine sugar
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar (optional)
- pinch fine sea salt
- 170 g dark chocolate finely chopped (70% cocoa recommended)
- 120 ml heavy cream
- 30 g unsalted butter, softened
- 120 g seedless raspberry jam or strained raspberry puree
- 1 tbsp freeze dried raspberry powder or a few drops gel red food color (optional)
How to Make this
1. Sift together 110 g almond flour, 200 g powdered sugar and 25 g unsweetened cocoa powder into a bowl, repeat if needed so there are no lumps; set aside.
2. In a clean bowl whisk 90 to 100 g room temperature egg whites until foamy, add a pinch of fine sea salt and 1/4 tsp cream of tartar if using, then slowly add 55 g granulated or superfine sugar and beat to stiff glossy peaks.
3. Fold a third of the dry mix into the meringue to loosen it, then gently fold the rest until the batter flows in a thick ribbon and settles back into the bowl in about 10 to 15 seconds; dont overmix or it will be too runny and no feet will form.
4. Spoon the batter into a piping bag fitted with a round tip about 10 to 12 mm, pipe even 3 cm rounds onto parchment or a silicone mat, bang the tray firmly on the counter once or twice to release air bubbles and pop any big ones with a toothpick.
5. Let the piped shells rest at room temp for 30 to 60 minutes until a skin forms on top and you can touch lightly without batter sticking; resting time depends on humidity so be patient.
6. Preheat oven to 150 C 300 F. Bake the trays one at a time on the middle rack for 14 to 16 minutes until feet form and tops are set; rotate the tray halfway if your oven has hot spots. Cool completely on the tray before removing.
7. For the filling heat 120 ml heavy cream until just simmering, pour over 170 g finely chopped dark chocolate (70 percent recommended), let sit 1 to 2 minutes then stir until completely smooth; whisk in 30 g softened unsalted butter and a small pinch of salt, let cool until thick but still pipeable.
8. Stir 120 g seedless raspberry jam or strained raspberry puree into the cooled ganache to taste, add 1 tbsp freeze dried raspberry powder or a few drops of gel red food color if you want brighter color; adjust so the filling is thick enough to hold shape.
9. Pair shells by size, pipe a ring or dot of the chocolate raspberry filling onto one shell and sandwich with its mate, press gently so filling spreads evenly; refrigerate assembled macarons in an airtight container for at least 24 hours to mature the texture, then bring to room temp before serving.
10. Quick troubleshooting tips: use a kitchen scale for accuracy, room temp egg whites whip better, if shells crack you probably overmixed or oven too hot, if no feet maybe undermixed or didnt rest long enough, keep them in the fridge up to 4 to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.
Equipment Needed
1. Digital kitchen scale (for accurate weights)
2. Fine mesh sieve or sifter
3. Two mixing bowls, one must be completely clean for egg whites dont use anything greasy
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with whisk attachment
5. Rubber spatula and a small flexible silicone spatula
6. Piping bag fitted with a round tip about 10 to 12 mm
7. Baking trays and parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
8. Oven and a cooling rack
9. Small saucepan or microwave safe bowl and a whisk for the ganache, plus a sharp knife to finely chop the chocolate and a toothpick for popping bubbles
FAQ
Dark Chocolate Raspberry Macarons Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Almond flour (110 g)
- Blanched whole almonds, finely ground and sifted, 1:1 — grind in food processor until very fine, then sift; shells or bigger bits will wreck the feet so double-check.
- Hazelnut flour, 1:1 — gives a nutty twist and darker flavor, may make shells a bit oilier so sift extra and watch oven time.
- Commercial almond meal (not superfine), 1:1 — ok in a pinch, but pulse and sift to remove coarse bits, expect slightly rougher tops.
- Powdered sugar (200 g)
- Make your own: blitz granulated sugar with 1 tbsp cornstarch per 1 cup sugar until powdery, then sift; works great for the dry mix.
- Caster sugar processed in a high speed blender then sifted, use same weight but be sure to remove any crystals.
- Powdered coconut sugar, 1:1 by weight — darker flavor and less sweet, it will change shell color and taste.
- Egg whites (90–100 g)
- Aquafaba (chickpea brine), about 2 tbsp aquafaba per 1 egg white — vegan friendly but whip longer and add a pinch more sugar to stabilize.
- Pasteurized liquid egg whites, 1:1 by weight — convenient and stable, just bring to room temp before whipping.
- Meringue powder or dried egg white powder, rehydrated per package to equal weight — very reliable for consistent peaks.
- Heavy cream (120 ml) for ganache
- Full fat coconut cream, 1:1 — dairy free and rich, but expect a coconut note in the filling.
- Whole milk plus melted butter, for 120 ml cream use ~90 ml whole milk + 30 ml melted butter — ok if you need a quick sub, ganache will be slightly less stable.
- Evaporated milk, 1:1 — thinner and less fatty, chill the ganache longer and use a bit more chocolate to firm it up.
Pro Tips
1) Measure everything by weight and fix gritty almond meal: even tiny differences ruin macarons, so use a scale. If your almond flour seems coarse, pulse it briefly in a food processor then sift twice. That little extra milling makes smoother tops and fewer stray bits that pop during baking.
2) Watch the meringue and the fold, not the clock. Room temp whites, slow sugar addition, and a hint of cream of tartar help, but the real test is the batter flow. You want it to fall like lava and settle in about 10 to 15 seconds. Fold gently, stop as soon as that happens, if you overmix its too runny and you’ll lose feet, under mix and shells crack. If you get nervous, scrape a tiny bit on a baking sheet and bake a tester shell.
3) Resting and oven control beat “more heat” every time. Let shells form a dry skin before baking, longer on humid days, use AC or a fan directed at the tray if needed. Always use an oven thermometer, bake one tray at a time on the middle rack, and rotate if your oven has hotspots. Don’t open the oven during the first 10 minutes or the feet can collapse.
4) Handle the ganache like a gentle emulsion: heat cream until just simmering, pour over chopped chocolate, let it sit then stir from the center outward until smooth, add the butter last for shine. Cool it until pipeable, chill briefly if it’s too loose, and assemble macarons then age them in the fridge 24 to 48 hours for the best texture. Bring to room temp before eating, frozen shells and filling both freeze well if you need to make ahead.
Dark Chocolate Raspberry Macarons Recipe
I crafted Dark Chocolate Raspberry Macarons that pair intense dark chocolate with bright raspberry in a delicate shell, making them a refined choice among French bakery pastries.
12
servings
306
kcal
Equipment: 1. Digital kitchen scale (for accurate weights)
2. Fine mesh sieve or sifter
3. Two mixing bowls, one must be completely clean for egg whites dont use anything greasy
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with whisk attachment
5. Rubber spatula and a small flexible silicone spatula
6. Piping bag fitted with a round tip about 10 to 12 mm
7. Baking trays and parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
8. Oven and a cooling rack
9. Small saucepan or microwave safe bowl and a whisk for the ganache, plus a sharp knife to finely chop the chocolate and a toothpick for popping bubbles
Ingredients
-
110 g almond flour finely ground and sifted
-
200 g powdered sugar (icing sugar), sifted
-
25 g unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
-
90 to 100 g egg whites, room temperature (about 3 large)
-
55 g granulated or superfine sugar
-
1/4 tsp cream of tartar (optional)
-
pinch fine sea salt
-
170 g dark chocolate finely chopped (70% cocoa recommended)
-
120 ml heavy cream
-
30 g unsalted butter, softened
-
120 g seedless raspberry jam or strained raspberry puree
-
1 tbsp freeze dried raspberry powder or a few drops gel red food color (optional)
Directions
- Sift together 110 g almond flour, 200 g powdered sugar and 25 g unsweetened cocoa powder into a bowl, repeat if needed so there are no lumps; set aside.
- In a clean bowl whisk 90 to 100 g room temperature egg whites until foamy, add a pinch of fine sea salt and 1/4 tsp cream of tartar if using, then slowly add 55 g granulated or superfine sugar and beat to stiff glossy peaks.
- Fold a third of the dry mix into the meringue to loosen it, then gently fold the rest until the batter flows in a thick ribbon and settles back into the bowl in about 10 to 15 seconds; dont overmix or it will be too runny and no feet will form.
- Spoon the batter into a piping bag fitted with a round tip about 10 to 12 mm, pipe even 3 cm rounds onto parchment or a silicone mat, bang the tray firmly on the counter once or twice to release air bubbles and pop any big ones with a toothpick.
- Let the piped shells rest at room temp for 30 to 60 minutes until a skin forms on top and you can touch lightly without batter sticking; resting time depends on humidity so be patient.
- Preheat oven to 150 C 300 F. Bake the trays one at a time on the middle rack for 14 to 16 minutes until feet form and tops are set; rotate the tray halfway if your oven has hot spots. Cool completely on the tray before removing.
- For the filling heat 120 ml heavy cream until just simmering, pour over 170 g finely chopped dark chocolate (70 percent recommended), let sit 1 to 2 minutes then stir until completely smooth; whisk in 30 g softened unsalted butter and a small pinch of salt, let cool until thick but still pipeable.
- Stir 120 g seedless raspberry jam or strained raspberry puree into the cooled ganache to taste, add 1 tbsp freeze dried raspberry powder or a few drops of gel red food color if you want brighter color; adjust so the filling is thick enough to hold shape.
- Pair shells by size, pipe a ring or dot of the chocolate raspberry filling onto one shell and sandwich with its mate, press gently so filling spreads evenly; refrigerate assembled macarons in an airtight container for at least 24 hours to mature the texture, then bring to room temp before serving.
- Quick troubleshooting tips: use a kitchen scale for accuracy, room temp egg whites whip better, if shells crack you probably overmixed or oven too hot, if no feet maybe undermixed or didnt rest long enough, keep them in the fridge up to 4 to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 77g
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 306kcal
- Fat: 16.6g
- Saturated Fat: 7.6g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Polyunsaturated: 1g
- Monounsaturated: 4.8g
- Cholesterol: 16.4mg
- Sodium: 19mg
- Potassium: 234mg
- Carbohydrates: 38.5g
- Fiber: 3.2g
- Sugar: 31.8g
- Protein: 4.6g
- Vitamin A: 167IU
- Vitamin C: 0.5mg
- Calcium: 46.1mg
- Iron: 2.3mg
