These adorable bear macarons are made with dark chocolate shells and filled with silky-smooth dark chocolate ganache and Nutella.

Making These Teddy Bear Macarons with the French Method

Macarons can be made using different methods. French macarons are considered easier to make while the Italian and Swiss methods use a few more steps but are thought of as more structurally sound.

French macarons also require less equipment. While I love Italian macarons, I wanted to keep things simple and stick with the French method for this recipe.

Equipment You’ll Need to Make These Macarons

I’ve made quite a few batches of macarons, and they definitely turn out best when the ingredients are weighed, and the macarons are baked on a silpat mat.

These are the tools I like to use when I make these teddy bear macarons:

• Kitchen scale
• Stand Mixer or Electric Mixer
• 1 large piping bag (for macaron batter)
• 4 small piping bags (two for royal icing, two for the fillings)
• Medium round piping tip (roughly 1 cm – like a Wilton 10)
• Large, flat baking sheets
• Silpat Mats (or parchment paper)
• Black gel food coloring

How to Make Bear Macarons – Step-by-Step Process

While the recipe below is quite detailed, I find visual cues to be super helpful!

Below are some photos and a video tutorial of the process to help guide you through this recipe.

Step #1: Make the Dark Chocolate Ganache

The dark chocolate ganache filling needs a couple of hours to set, so I recommend making it first! If you’re in a rush it can also be chilled in the fridge for 30 minutes to help it come to room temperature more quickly. It can also be made up to a month in advance and stored in the fridge.

Pour the heavy cream into a heat-proof bowl and heat in 15-second intervals in the microwave until it just begins to bubble and steam. This usually takes me about 45-60 seconds.

Add the dark chocolate and butter to the steaming cream. I like to use 63% dark chocolate, but if you use chocolate that is a few percentages higher or lower, it should work great too.

Make sure all the chocolate is submerged beneath the cream. Let the mixture sit for a couple of minutes.

Use an immersion blender or a spoon to mix the ganache until the mixture has come together and is smooth. Then mix in the corn syrup (optional – but this gives the ganache a shiny look and smoother texture) and fine salt.

Press a piece of plastic wrap flush against the ganache and set it aside to let the ganache come to room temperature. It will thicken as cools down.

Step #2: Prep the Ingredients and Equipment

After weighing the ingredients, wipe down your mixing bowl and whisk attachment with a bit of vinegar or lemon juice.

This removes any residual grease and helps the meringue whip up better!

Step #3: Make the French Meringue

Next, it’s time to make the French meringue! Whisk the room-temperature egg whites on a medium-low speed until the surface is covered in small bubbles.

Add in a pinch of cream of tartar and continue to mix until the whisk begins to leave tracks.

Gradually add the granulated sugar and mix on a medium speed for 30 seconds. The mixture should look opaque at this point.

Increase the mixing speed to a medium-high speed. Mix until stiff peaks form like in the photo below. Keep a close eye on your mixer to avoid over-mixing the meringue.

Step #4: Sift and Fold the Dry Ingredients into the Meringue

Sift the superfine almond flour, powdered sugar, and dark cocoa powder into the meringue. Then fold the ingredients together with a rubber spatula.

Use a circular motion that sweeps around the edge of the bowl and then pulls through the bottom of the bowl. This makes sure everything is getting mixed together.

Fold until a thick ribbon of batter runs off the spatula when it is lifted. Fold the batter slightly less than you normally would mix macaron batter.

You want the thick ribbon of batter to break as it runs off the spatula when it’s lifted.

It’s important not to overmix the batter so that the shells will keep their shape.

Step #5: Pipe the Dark Chocolate Macaron Shells

Pour the batter into a large piping bag fit with a small round piping tip (roughly 1 cm – like a Wilton 10).

Print out 2 copies of this template and place them under the silicone mat or parchment paper on your pans.

Pipe bear-shaped macarons following the template. I recommend piping the face first and letting the batter sit for 15 minutes to form a skin before piping on the ears to give the ears more definition.

Use a scribe to help settle the batter in any spots where it isn’t smooth and pop any visible air bubbles in the shells.

Step 6: Let the Macaron Shells Rest

Then let the macarons rest for an additional 30 minutes or until the ears form a skin.

They should be mostly dry to the touch and look matte once they’re ready to be baked! While the shells rest, preheat the oven.

Step #7: Bake the Bear Macaron Shells

Bake one tray of macarons at a time and place the tray in the middle rack of your oven.

Let the macarons cool fully on the pan, then gently remove them from the Silpat mat. If they’re properly baked, they should peel off the mat cleanly.

Step #8: Make the Royal Icing

While the macaron shells bake and cool, whisk together the powdered sugar and meringue powder in a small bowl. Then mix in the vanilla extract and 1 tsp of water. The mixture should be super thick/chunky.

Then add additional water, 1/2 tsp at a time, until the icing reaches a thick flood consistency. It should be a light tan color naturally thanks to the vanilla extract.

To test the consistency, the icing should be able to run off the whisk in a thick stream, and you should be able to draw a figure 8 with the run-off icing. It should settle back into the bowl of icing in about 8 seconds.

Once the icing is thinned to this stage, pour half of it into a small piping bag, and seal the top with a rubberband or clip.

It won’t look like a lot of icing, but a little goes a long way when it comes to decorating these shells. Set aside.

Next, add a generous squirt of black gel food coloring to the remaining icing and mix until it’s uniformly colored. Pour the black icing into a small piping bag, and seal the top with a rubber band or clip. Set aside.

Step #9: Assemble the Teddy Bear Macarons

Then it’s time for the best part – decorating and assembling these teddy bear macarons!

Pair up the macaron shells, then cut a very small hole at the base of the tan and black royal icing bags (1/8th of an inch). You can always cut a bigger hole, but you can’t make it smaller once it’s cut!!

Use the tan royal icing to pipe on the bear’s muzzle and ears. Then use the black royal icing to pipe on the eyes and nose like in the pictures below.

Let the shells sit for about 30 minutes to allow the royal icing to harden before assembling the macarons.

Then place the room-temperature ganache in a small piping bag fitted with a small round piping tip (like a Wilton 10). It should be thick enough to scoop into the piping bag and hold its shape.

If the ganache is too thick to pipe with, submerge the piping bag in a bowl of warm water to make it easier to pipe.

Pipe a ring of chocolate ganache on one macaron shell and dollops of ganache on the ears.

This step is optional, but I like to place some Nutella in a small piping bag and fill the centers with it.

If you want to skip the Nutella, you can use any other type of filling (peanut butter or jam would be delicious!) or just fill these fully with the ganache.

Gently press a second shell on top of the ganache to create a sandwich. Repeat with the remaining macarons.

Place the finished macarons in the fridge in an airtight container to mature overnight. When you’re ready to enjoy them, let them sit at room temperature for 10-20 minutes and enjoy!

Chocolate Teddy Bear Troubleshooting

While I’d love to think everyone’s first batch of these teddy bear macarons will turn out perfectly, my own experience has taught me that’s not how things usually go.

Macarons are incredibly temperamental, and it might take a few tries to get them just right. If you run into any issues, check out my macaron troubleshooting guide!

Choosing the Right Filling for These Macarons

We put tons of energy into the shell of a macaron but most of the flavor comes from its filling.

The shell gives the macarons an incredible texture, but the filling is what determines its flavor. You can use just about any type of frosting or ganache to fill these macarons.

I opted to fill these teddy bear macarons with decadent dark chocolate ganache and Nutella.

However, I have a big sweet tooth so I also love using my dark chocolate buttercream to fill these macarons.

How Many Macarons Does This Recipe Make?

This recipe makes about 60 bear shaped macaron shells, which can be used to make 30 macarons. You can double or halve this recipe as needed.

The yield and bake time will vary based on the size of the macarons you pipe. I piped these shells following this template, so they’re about the size of a standard macaron.

Tips for Making the Best Bear Macarons

• I like to use good quality, 63% dark chocolate to make the ganache, but if you use chocolate that’s a few percentages higher or lower, it should work great too.
• Carefully read through the directions before making these macarons. There are quite a few steps and it’s good to know your game plan before you start!
• Wipe your mixing bowl and whisk with lemon juice or vinegar to remove any traces of grease before making the meringue. It will help your egg whites whip up better!
• Separate your own eggs and age them if possible. Do not use egg whites from a carton.
• Measure the ingredients in grams with a kitchen scale. You really need to be precise with this recipe. Your macarons will turn out best if the ingredients are weighed.
• Print out my bear macaron template to make it easier to pipe consistently sized macaron shells.
• If you’ve never baked macarons before, pipe a small number of macarons on a few sheets to test your oven for hot spots and see if it bakes accurately. This way you won’t waste a whole tray of macs if your oven runs hot or cold.
• Let your baked and filled macarons mature! This softens them (in a good way) and allows the flavors to develop.
• If your macarons don’t turn out, check out my macaron troubleshooting guide!

Making These Bear Macarons in Advance & Storage Tips

These macarons need to mature for a few hours or overnight in the fridge before being eaten. This gives them time to develop the best texture and taste.

You can also refrigerate filled macarons for up to 5 days in an airtight container or freeze filled macarons for up to a month.

Unfilled macaron shells can be frozen for up to a month in an airtight container.

Make the ganache filling ahead of time too or save any leftover filling! Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for a month.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a rating and comment below.

Don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets on social media so that I can see your amazing creations!

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