Chocolate Oreo Macarons with Vanilla Buttercream

These Oreo Macarons pair rich, chocolatey macaron shells with a simple vanilla cream filling that tastes just like the classic cookie we all love! It’s a tasty treat that works any time of year!

This recipe is built on the Swiss method. It’s a good starting point if you’re new to macarons or already know how to make Swiss meringue buttercream.

My dark chocolate macarons, lemon bar macarons, and robin’s egg macarons are made with the Swiss method too.

The shells call for almond flour, powdered sugar, egg whites, granulated sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and the ingredient that gives them their deep, dark color: black cocoa powder. I add a few drops of black gel food coloring as well, though it’s optional. The shells have crisp outsides and chewy centers, with the classic Oreo cookie flavor.

The vanilla cream in the middle, which ties everything together, is a basic vanilla buttercream made from unsalted butter, vegetable shortening, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.

What You’ll Need

Wondering what you’ll need for these Oreo macarons? Look over the list below, or jump down to the recipe card.

• Almond Flour. Also called almond meal. Sift it at least twice, then whisk to break up any lumps.
• Powdered Sugar. Like the almond flour, sift the powdered sugar at least twice, then whisk. Don’t press the lumps through the sifter. Discard them instead.
• Black Cocoa Powder. This is the key ingredient that gives the Oreo macarons their signature dark brown-black color.
• Egg Whites. Keep this in mind: the whites should be at room temperature. Set them out for at least 1 hour before you begin.
• Granulated Sugar. Regular white granulated sugar works, or you can use pure cane organic sugar, which has a faint golden tint.
• Salt. A pinch is all you need.
• Vanilla Extract. Use pure vanilla extract in the macaron shells. For the cream filling, pure or clear imitation vanilla both work. The clear imitation keeps the filling white.
• Unsalted Butter. Used only in the vanilla cream filling. Let it sit at room temperature so it blends smoothly with the other ingredients.
• Vegetable Shortening. Also used only in the vanilla buttercream. I suggest plain vegetable shortening rather than the butter-flavored kind, which has a yellow tint, and the butter already supplies plenty of buttery flavor. Let it come to room temperature as well.
• Black Food Coloring. This ingredient is optional. In my first two tests I used 4-5 drops of Wilton black gel food coloring, and 9-10 drops in the last test. I like the larger amount better, but it’s entirely up to you.

Substitutions

Vegetable Shortening. If you’d rather not use vegetable shortening in your frosting, replace it with more unsalted butter. Swap it 1:1, so the total butter comes to 1/2 cup.

Unsalted Butter. I haven’t tested this, but you could use plant-based butter in place of the unsalted butter.

I don’t recommend any other type of flour in this recipe, or using egg whites from a carton. Carton egg whites can contain traces of yolk, and that will ruin your meringue.

Helpful Macaron Baking Tools

Here are a few tools I suggest for making these Oreo macarons.

Food Scale. I list this one first because it matters most of everything here and makes a huge difference! I strongly, STRONGLY suggest weighing ingredients rather than using measuring cups, for this recipe and for baking in general.

Large, flat baking sheets. Flat sheets let air circulate around the macaron shells as they bake. If all you have is rimmed sheets, flip them over and bake on the underside.

Double Boiler. This is what dissolves the granulated sugar into the egg whites. Set a heat-proof glass bowl over a saucepan with 1 – 1 ½ inches of simmering water.

Silicone baking mats. Some bakers prefer parchment for macarons, but I like silicone. The shells have never stuck to them when I peel them off, and the mats can be reused again and again.

Hand Crank Sifter. The almond flour, powdered sugar, and black cocoa powder all need to go through the sifter at least 2 times to remove lumps.

Oven Thermometer. These are cheap and useful for any baking, especially if your oven runs hot or cold!

Piping Bags and Decorating Tips. A medium to large piping bag suits the amount of Oreo macaron batter. A small to medium bag works for the vanilla cream filling.

For tips, I used a large open tip (Wilton 2A) for the batter and a smaller one (Wilton 10) for the vanilla cream filling.

Beyond the list above, these other baking tools are handy when you make your Oreo macarons!

10 Helpful Tips for Better Oreo Macarons

Here are a few tips to make your macaron baking easier and less stressful.

Keep everything clean. Wash every baking tool you’ll use for these Oreo macarons thoroughly. That includes the mixing bowl, whisks, silicone mats, and spatulas.

A paper towel dampened with a little white vinegar is a good way to remove any leftover grease!

Sift, sift, and sift again. Don’t skip sifting the almond flour, powdered sugar, and black cocoa powder for macarons. The finer the dry ingredients, the smoother your shells will be!

I sift everything twice, then whisk it all together once more at the end. You can also pulse the ingredients in a food processor until they are well blended.

Use room-temperature egg whites. They form a better meringue and come together faster too. Take your eggs out at least 1 hour before you start, then separate the whites.

Save the yolks for these super easy lemon bars or lemon bar macarons!

Leave no yolk behind. When you separate the eggs, make sure no yolk gets into the whites. It’s the fastest way to ruin the meringue. To pick out bits of broken shell, use one half of the shell or your clean fingers.

Test the sugar and egg white mixture. To confirm the sugar has fully dissolved into the egg whites, rub a little of the mixture between your thumb and pointer finger.

If you feel any sugar grains, keep whisking. The simmering water won’t burn your fingers during the test. Don’t skip this check, or your macarons will come out gritty.

Macaronage test. When the batter is ready to pipe, it will fall in ribbons or form a figure 8 without breaking. Keep folding until you reach that point, then stop right away.

Keep it perpendicular. Hold the piping bag straight over the mat as you pipe the circles. If you tilt it, the macarons will most likely come out lopsided.

Tap lightly. Gently tap or bang the baking sheets on the counter 3-4 times to bring air bubbles to the surface. Pop the bubbles with a toothpick or a needle scriber. The scriber is also what I use for royal icing cookies.

Let them dry. Drying time depends on how humid it is where you live. The shells are ready once the tops are dry and no longer tacky. I suggest 35-45 minutes. A ceiling fan can speed things up.

Piping bag pint glass. If you can’t hold the bag steady with just your hand, a pint glass is a big help. After fitting the bag with your tip (and a coupler, if the tip is large), set the bag inside the glass and fold its top edge over the sides.

Recipe FAQs

My sugar and egg white mixture isn’t forming stiff peaks!

This may happen if your mixing bowl and whisk attachment weren’t cleaned thoroughly (leftover grease or fat from earlier baking can cling to them), or if the egg whites were not at room temperature. Stiff peaks can take up to 10 minutes to form. Make sure the mixer is on high speed.

How many drops of black food coloring did you use?

I used anywhere from 4 to 10 drops of gel food coloring, depending on how black I wanted the shells. Adding the food coloring is optional.

What is another way to test when your macaron batter is ready for piping?

Place a teaspoon of batter on a small piece of parchment or a silicone mat. If it stays stiff and doesn’t spread, fold the batter a few more times.

Why are my macaron shells lumpy looking?

This is most likely caused by not sifting and blending the dry ingredients enough. Remove any lumps left in the sifter instead of forcing them through.

My macaron shells come out lopsided.

There are several possible causes: overmixing, the way you piped the batter onto the mats, opening and closing the oven door during baking, or baking sheets that didn’t allow enough airflow.

Why do my macaron shells have a gritty texture?

This is most likely because the granulated sugar didn’t fully dissolve into the egg whites. Be sure to do the finger test before you move on.

My macarons are sticking to the mat/paper after baking!

Let the macarons cool completely before you try to lift them off. If they are still stubborn after cooling, put them in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes.

What is the best way to store macaron shells?

Store any unfilled macaron shells in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer until needed.

What is the best way to store fully assembled macarons?

Once filled, the macarons keep best in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They taste their best after 2-3 days in the refrigerator.

Can I make the vanilla cream filling in advance?

Yes, you can make this frosting 2-3 days ahead. Let it stand at room temperature for about 1 hour before using. Mix it briefly with a hand mixer to bring back its smooth, creamy texture.

Looking for More Macarons?

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