A delicious twist on samoas cookies, these Samoas Chocolate Macarons feature a light chocolate macaron cookie with homemade caramel-coconut filling. It’s the perfect grown-up twist on those classic Girl Guide cookies.

German Chocolate Macarons Recipe

Chocolate. Caramel. Coconut.

It’s one of those classic flavor combinations that I can just never get enough of! Whether it’s in German Chocolate Cupcakes, our Samoas Donuts, or those addictive little Girl Guide cookies, they are just the perfect sweet, satisfying combination.

So, when brainstorming our newest batch of macarons, I just had to do a chocolate, caramel and coconut version. And they were such a hit that my daughter requested I make them again less than 2 weeks later for her to bring to her dance class. (Some moms send in orange slices… some moms send in macarons, I guess!)

The meringue cookies are airy and light with a subtle chocolate flavor and give way to a luscious caramel-coconut filling. I highly recommend toasting your coconut for the best depth of flavor (it only takes 5-8 minutes).

(By the way, if you want to get that speckled effect seen in the pictures, just sprinkle some cocoa powder over the freshly piped macarons just before baking. Use a sifter to ensure you just give them a light dusting.) 

A big myth with macarons are that they are super hard to make.

We have made macarons dozens of times, including making them in Paris with a French pastry chef. and while they are definitely a recipe that needs to be followed to the letter (!) they definitely don’t deserve their reputation as incredibly tricky or technical.

I am slowly developing a post that will help you troubleshoot any problems you run into with baking macarons, but for now our recipe video will help you see what the macaron batter should look like at every step of the process.

For example, the egg whites need to be beaten for a full 4-8 minutes so they become fluffy and shiny. They cannot be over-beaten or under-beaten (so watch them carefully). The finished macaron batter should flow like lava – thick, without clumps.

While we don’t rest our macarons before baking, I have never had issues with them blowing out (exploding). If yours do, you can let them sit for an hour to develop a “skin” before proceeding with baking.

Check out our quick video for how to make these chocolate-caramel-coconut macarons and then don’t forget to scroll down to grab your free printable recipe to make these yourself!

Ingredients for Samoa Macarons

• Egg Whites, room temperature
• White Sugar
• Powdered Icing Sugar
• Almond Flour
• Cocoa Powder
• Caramel Sauce <– my recipe for homemade caramel is below but you can use store-bought instead
• Shredded Coconut

For the homemade caramel:

• White Sugar
• Butter
• Heavy Cream
• Salt

Tip: for best results, sift your dry ingredients before making the macaron batter.

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful

• Electric mixer <– this is a great hand mixer if you don’t want to make the investment into a stand mixer
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Silicone Baking Mat <– can use parchment paper instead
• Cookie sheet
• Spatula <– I like these spatulas because they are one solid piece and don’t have removable heads for bacteria to get trapped underneath. Plus they are heat-resistant and have a lifetime warranty.
• Mixing bowl
• Piping bag

How to Make Samoa Macarons

In a small bowl, combine the almond flour, icing sugar and cocoa powder. Mix thoroughly to combine, and then set aside.

Place the egg whites in a large bowl and beat on medium speed for about 6 minutes, until glossy, stiff peaks form (as shown below). You should be able to pull your beater away and have some of the egg whites form a little “tuft” on the tip of the beater.

Dye the egg whites now if you want a vibrant pink color – just a few drops will do.

Preheat oven to 285F

Carefully but thoroughly fold in the dry ingredients – some people will say exactly 25 folds, some 30 – just make sure you don’t have dry patches and that everything is well incorporated.

Spoon the macaron batter into a piping bag and snip the tip off for about a half inch opening.

Pipe the batter into the heart shapes on the tray.

Bang the tray on a hard, level surface to remove any air bubbles, then wet your finger and smooth down any “peaks” on the macarons.

Bake for 10 minutes, until  the glossy appearance has become matte, the macarons have “feet” (that little bubbling at the bottom) and the feet look cooked through. (If they look uncooked when you take them out, immediately return them to the oven.)

Toast the coconut by spreading it evenly on a cookie sheet and bake for 5-10 minutes at 325ºF, stirring once.

While the macarons are cooling, make the homemade caramel by combining the sugar, butter, heavy cream and salt in a saucepan over medium heat.

Stir often, until the mixture reaches a boil (about 5 minutes) and then remove from heat and stir in the shredded coconut.

Spoon about 1/2 Tablespoon of the caramel-coconut filling onto the underside of a macaron, and then sandwich it with a second macaron.

Repeat with all macarons.

Pin this Samoa Macaron cookie recipe:

Grab your free printable for our delicious Samoa Macarons with Caramel-Coconut Filling:

I hope you love these easy German chocolate macarons as much as we did! If you have any questions, please leave me a comment before you get started so I can help you plan for the best results.

For more delicious macaron recipes, check out our Heart-Shaped Strawberry Macarons (with video) or our Birthday Cake Macarons recipe.