Peanut Butter Chocolate Macarons

Holy macaron, I’m obsessed!

I am also obsessed with saying macaron like “MACAWOOOON!!” It’s exciting! As are these cookies.

I kind of feel like I’m cheating the system with this post because they bare a striking resemblance to my last post, French Chocolate Macarons. And by resemblance, I obviously mean I used the same recipe for the cookie but an alternative filling. This filling deserves it’s own post.

I’m returning to my old ways, Peanut. Butter. Chocolate. Macarons.

These cookies are so easy and quick to make that I made them while getting ready for my formal. Granted, I’ve spent more time getting ready for class than I did for my formal, I thought it was worth mentioning…

It doesn’t get much better than chocolate and peanut butter. Chewy little chocolate cookie with a smooth, creamy, and dreamy filling. Peanut Butter Buttercream, why are you so good to me?

French Chocolate Macaron recipe from David Lebovitz:

1 cup powdered sugar

½ cup powdered almonds

3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

2 large egg whites, at room temperature

5 tablespoons granulated sugar

Peanut Butter Buttercream recipe by The Bite-Sized Baker:

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar

1-2 tablespoons milk

¼ cup peanut butter

1. To make macaron batter, preheat oven to 350º F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper and have a pastry bag with a plain tip (about 1/2-inch, 2 cm) ready.
2. Grind together the powdered sugar with the almond powder and cocoa so there are no lumps; use a blender or food processor since almond meal that you buy isn’t quite fine enough.
3. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they begin to rise and hold their shape. While whipping, beat in the granulated sugar until very stiff and firm, about 2 minutes.
4. Carefully fold the dry ingredients, in two batches, into the beaten egg whites with a flexible rubber spatula. When the mixture is just smooth and there are no streaks of egg white, stop folding and scrape the batter into the pastry bag (standing the bag in a tall glass helps if you’re alone).
5. Pipe the batter on the parchment-lined baking sheets in 1-inch (3 cm) circles (about 1 tablespoon each of batter), evenly spaced one-inch (3 cm) apart.
6. Rap the baking sheet a few times firmly on the counter top to flatten the macarons, then bake them for 15-18 minutes. Let cool completely then remove from baking sheet.
7. To make filling, in a standing mixer, whip the butter and vanilla extract for several minutes until light and fluffy. Slowly add half of the powdered sugar until incorporated. Drizzle in milk until it has reach desired consistency. Add peanut butter and mix until incorporated.