These S’mores Macarons have chocolate macaron shells filled with chocolate ganache, buttery graham cracker crumbs, and a torched homemade marshmallow.
It was 78 degrees today here in the Midwest so naturally long summer days at the lake capped off with s’mores around a fire is the first thing that came to mind. So since summer is imminent and s’mores are officially “in season” I’m sharing my first of many s’mores themed desserts of the year – S’mores Macarons! (PS can I start a petition to make s’mores a year round thing plz.)
Now we all know that macarons are not the easiest dessert to master. They are finicky little guys. BUT if you’re up for the challenge, I’m here to walk you through it with process photos of every step! Let’s just get right to it!
How to Make S’mores Macarons
These cuties have quite a few steps and it can seem overwhelming. If you want to break up the tasks, you can bake the macaron shells or make the marshmallow a day in advance. Just seal them in an airtight container until you’re ready to assemble.
Make the Homemade Marshmallow
Don’t be intimidated about the homemade marshmallow. It’s super easy and once you taste one, the store bought version just won’t cut it anymore.
Start by spraying a cookie sheet with nonstick spray and a generous dusting of powdered sugar. Set aside. Next, whisk the gelatin and water in the bowl of your stand mixer. Then set it aside. The gelatin will start to swell and absorb the water as it sits.
In a medium saucepan, add the water, corn syrup, sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat it reaches 240 degrees. Then take the mixture off of the heat and let it cool to 210. I use clear vanilla flavor when I make marshmallow. There’s just something about the imitation vanilla that gives you that marshmallow flavor. Feel free to use Pure Vanilla if you want!
Turn the mixer on low to kind of break up the gelatin mixture. Then with the mixer still running on low, slowly pour in the sugar syrup. Once incorporated, turn the mixer up to high and beat until the mixture turns white and glossy and cools down completely. It will take 8-10 minutes, and should hold a soft peak.
Using a spatula sprayed with nonstick spray, pour the marshmallow onto your prepared cookie sheet and spread it into a thin even layer. It will be VERY sticky, so keep spraying your spatula as needed. Add a dusting of powdered sugar on top of the marshmallow mixture. Let the marshmallow cure on the countertop for at least two hours, up to overnight.
Make the Chocolate Macaron Shells
I feel like S’mores Macarons just NEED a chocolate macaron shell. Agreed?
I use the Italian Method of macaron making. I find it to be more reliable that the French Method and I can count on the shells coming out perfect every time. Start by measuring out all of your ingredients so you have everything ready to go. I use weighed measurements for macarons and I use a kitchen scale similar to this one – nothing fancy.
In a large bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and almond flour. Make a well in the center and add 85 g of the egg whites. Fold the mixture together until combined into a thick paste. It will seem very thick and hard to combine, but just keep folding and it will come together like the photo below. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the granulated sugar and water. Stir occasionally and monitor the temperature with a candy thermometer. While the sugar syrup is heating up, add 90 g of egg whites and a pinch of sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Once the sugar syrup reaches 200 degrees, start whipping the egg whites in the stand mixer on medium high until it is foamy and holds its shape.
When the sugar syrup reaches 248 degrees, remove it from the heat. With the stand mixer on low, slowly pour in the hot sugar syrup and mix to combine. Once combined, turn the mixer up to high and whip until you achieve medium stiff peaks. They should hold their shape, but they don’t need to stick straight up.
Now you will combine this egg white-sugar syrup mixture (meringue) to the cocoa powder-almond flour mixture. Add the meringue to the almond flour mixture 1/3 at a time, folding to combine before adding more meringue.
Once you have combined everything, you need to continue to fold the batter together until the macaron batter reaches a “ribbon-like consistency.” This is called macronage and is the most important part in macaron baking. The proper way to do it is to take your rubber spatula around the edges of the mixing bowl, and fold the batter over, then drag it through the center. What you’re trying to do is deflate some of the air from the batter.
Continue doing this until the batter falls off of your spatula like a ribbon without breaking. I fold the batter 10-15 times, then check to see if it has reached the ribbon-like consistency. You can see in the photos below, that the first one isn’t quite ready, the batter breaks as it falls back into the bowl. But, in the second photo, the batte stays together and falls back into the bowl like a ribbon. That’s how you know it’s done. And yes, your arm will get a workout.
Now, fill a piping bag fitted with a small round tip with the macaron batter and pipe the macarons out onto a baking sheet. I use a silicone macaron mat like this one. But if you don’t have one, just use some parchment paper. You can make a template so they’re all the same size if you want, by tracing circles on a piece of parchment paper with a sharpie and then placing that under a fresh piece of parchment to pipe.
I like the silicone mat, because it’s less work with all the cirlce tracing and it satisfies my perfection-ism by making sure all the shells are exactly the same. Once you have them all piped out, drop the cookie sheet onto the counter a few times to release the air bubbles. You can pop any stubborn ones with a toothpick. Then rest the macarons on the counter for at least 30 minutes. This allows the tops to dry out a bit and is what gets you the shiny tops and cute little “feet.”
While the macs are resting, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. You might need to adjust the temperature depending on your oven. The best way to make sure you’re baking at the right temperature is to put an oven thermometer inside your oven. Macs ae temperamental and can be affected by humidity, temperature, bake time, and about 100 other things.
After they’ve rested at least 30 minutes, bake them at 350 for 15 minutes. (*You may need to adjust the time and temperature to what works best for your kitchen and climate, but this is what works for me. If they crack, I’d try baking at 325 for 17 minutes.) Then allow to cool completely. You can bake in batches if you need to. Just keep any extra batter in the piping bag and limit the exposure to air to it doesn’t start to crust over.
Assemble the S’mores Macarons
Crush up the graham crackers and stir in 1 TBSP of melted butter. Set aside. Melt 1 C of semi sweet chocolate chips with 2 TBSP heavy cream in the microwave in 20 second increments, stirring in between. Once completely melted, allow to cool slightly.
Cut the marshmallows into circles the same size as the macaron shells. I used the smallest cookie cutter from this set. It’s 1/5 inches in diameter. If you don’t have a small round cutter, you could just use a knife and cut the marshmallows into small squares. Make sure your knife/cookie cutter is coated with nonstick spray and dusted with powdered sugar.
Put a dab of melted chocolate onto half of the mararon shells and stick the marshmallow to it. Then use a kitchen torch to toast the marshmallows. The shell might get a little toasty too, but that’s ok!
On the other half of the macaron shells, spread some of the melted chocolate on using an offset spatula, then sprinkle on some of the graham cracker crumbs. Then match up the shells and press them together. Best if eaten that same day once they are assembled.
S’mores Macarons
- Prep Time: 1 hr 15 min
- Cook Time: 45 min
- Total Time: 39 minute
- Yield: 40 assembled macarons 1x
Description
Chocolate macaron shells stuffed with toasted homemade marshmallow, chocolate ganache, and buttery graham cracker crumbs.
Ingredients
For the Homemade Marshmallow
- Powdered Sugar for dusting
- 2 packets unflavored gelatin (Knox)
- 150 g Cold Water, divided in half
- 100 g Light Corn Syrup
- 265 g Granulated Sugar
- 1 tsp Clear Vanilla Flavor
- pinch of salt
For the Chocolate Macaron Shells
- 212 g Almond Flour, I use Bob’s Redmill
- 212 g Powdered Sugar
- 30 g Dark Cocoa Powder
- 175 g Egg Whites, separated into 85g and 90 g
- 235 g Granulated Sugar
- 158 g Water
For the Chocolate Ganache
- 1 C Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
- 2 TBSP Heavy Cream
For the Graham Cracker Crumble
- 4 Graham Crackers
- 1 TBSP Butter
Instructions
For the Homemade Marshmallow
- Prepare a cookie sheet by spraying it with nonstick spray and generously dusting it with powdered sugar.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, combine the gelatin with 75 g of cold water. Stir to combine, then let it sit.
- In a medium saucepan combine the corn syrup, 75 g of water, sugar, vanilla flavor, and a pinch of salt.
- Bring to 240 degrees, then allow to cool to 210.
- Turn the mixer on low to break up the gelatin, then with the mixer still on low, slowly pour in the sugar syrup.
- Once combined, turn the mixer up to high and mix until it turns white and glossy and holds a soft peak.
- Pour onto the prepared cookie sheet and spread out with a greased offset spatula. Dust with powdered sugar.
- Allow to cure on the counter for at least 2 hours, up to overnight.
For the Chocolate Macaron Shells
- In a large bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and almond flour.
- Make a well in the center and then fold in 85 g of the egg whites. It will be very thick and paste like. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water plus a pinch of salt. Cook ove medium heat.
- Meanwhile in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment combine 90 g of egg whites with a pinch of sugar.
- When the sugar syrup reaches 200 degrees, begin to whip the egg whites in the stand mixer. Mix until they are foamy and hold their shape.
- Once the sugar syrup reaches 248 degrees remove from the heat.
- Turn the mixer on low and slowly pour in the sugar syrup.
- Once combined, turn the mixer to high and whip until medium still peaks form – about 10 minutes.
- Add the meringue to the almond flour mixture 1/3 at a time, folding it in to combine between each addition.
- Once combined, continue to fold the batter until you reach a ribbon like consistency.
- Pour into a piping bag with a small round tip. Pipe onto a silicone macaron mat or parchment.
- Rap the baking sheet on the counter 2-3 times to release any air bubbles. Pop the stubborn ones with a toothpick.
- Rest on the counter for at least 30 minutes. (I’ve walked away for 4 hours once and they were still fine!)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- After resting, bake the macarons for 15 minutes, then cool completely.
For the Chocolate Ganache
- Combine the chocolate and cream in a microwave safe bowl and then microwave in 20 second increments until fully melted. Allow to cool slightly.
For the Graham Cracker Crumble
- Crush the Graham Crackers then stir them into melted butter. Set aside
Assembly
- Cut the marshmallow into circles using a 1.5 inch cookie cutter. Or slice them into squares with a knife. They will be sticky so make sure to coat your knife or cookie cutter with powdered sugar.
- On half of the macaron shells, add a dot of chocolate ganache and use it to kind of “glue” the marshmallow on. Then toast the marshmallow with a kitchen torch. The shell might get a little toasty too but that just adds to the s’more flavor!
- On the other half of the shells, spread a generous amount of chocolate ganache and then sprinkle with the graham cracker crumbs.
- Press the two halves together. Enjoy!
Notes
- Once assembled, it’s best to eat the macarons that day. You can store each element separately in air tight containers for up to a week before assembling.
- Bob’s Redmill Almond Flour is what I suggest using. I Like the texture it gives the shells and there’s never and rogue almond skins in the flour.
- I use clear vanilla flavor when I make marshmallow. There’s just something about the imitation vanilla that gives you that marshmallow flavor. Feel free to use Pure Vanilla if you want!
If you loved these S’mores Macarons – check out my other macaron recipes like these Pistachio Macarons and these Triple Chocolate Macarons.
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