Matcha macarons are the most beautiful, intricate, and classy dessert. Show off your baking skills with these delicate matcha macarons filled with a velvety smooth matcha ganache.
Matcha macarons are the most beautiful, intricate, and classy dessert. Show off your baking skills with these delicate matcha macarons filled with a velvety smooth matcha ganache.
When I tasted my first Ladurée’s macaron in Paris, it blew my mind. The smooth pastel-colored macaron shell had a gentle crisp which was followed by a melt-in-your-mouth texture and a flavorful filling. The steep price point was definitely worth how delicious and stunning these French macarons were.
Fast forward to when I was in law school, the only thing that kept me going was teaching myself how to bake. In the midst of studying torts and constitutional law, my mind kept traveling back to that moment in Paris as a place of refuge and I knew that this pastry was something I had to learn how to recreate.
After trying about a dozen different recipes and failing almost one too many times to count, I have finally constructed a foolproof macaron recipe. This ultimate macaron guide will show you all the steps, tips, and tricks on how to make the ever-elusive macaron. If you love this macaron recipe, check out my matcha madeleines, matcha brownies, matcha cupcakes, and matcha cookies.
This matcha macaron recipe is packed with matcha flavor because it includes matcha macaron shells and a matcha ganache filling.
These macarons have a tenderandcrisp on the outside with a gentle melt-in-your-mouthtexture on the inside. Moreover, the ganache is lightly sweetened with a velvety luxurious texture. Together they blend beautifully to create a matcha masterpiece.
I have created an all-inclusive free guide on how to make foolproof matcha macarons using the French meringue style with step-by-step photos, tips, tricks, and a FAQ section.
Kitchen Equipment
Kitchen Scale: this is 100% necessary for this macaron recipe. Macarons are very precise and they need the exact ratios for them to reach their perfect texture and consistency. This requires using a kitchen scale to measure out your ingredients.
Glass or Copper mixing bowls: For best results, if you have access to a copper mixing bowl I recommend using it to make the meringue. The second best option is to use aluminum or glass mixing bowls. Do not use any plastic bowls because they have excess oils that could ruin the macaron.
Electric Stand Mixer: I recommend using a stand mixer to make the meringue. It will take a significant amount of time before the egg whites reach stiff peaks.
Sifter or Fine Mesh Sieve: you will use a fine-mesh sieve to sift the almond flour, powdered sugar, and matcha to prevent any large lumps in the macaron shell.
Rubber Spatula: you will use a rubber spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the meringue during the macronage stage.
Piping Bag: you will need large piping bags to pipe the ganache and matcha macaron shells.
Round Piping Tip: Wilton’s round no. 12 tip or .25-inch tip is the best tip to use for the most control.
Half sheet baking sheet: used to bake the macarons.
Macaron silicone slipmat: You can buy a macaron silicone slipmat on Amazon and they make piping uniform shells so much easier. Alternatively, you can print a template and draw circles on parchment paper.
Oven Thermometer: you need an oven thermometer to measure the EXACT temperature of your oven to get the best results. Oven temperatures are not always precise so this tool works as an extra precaution.
Ingredients
All of the ingredients you need for these matcha macarons can be found at your local grocery store or online.
Macaron Shell
Fine Almond Flour: is the base of the macaron shell. It creates a smooth, velvet slightly chewy yet melt-in-your-mouth feel. Make sure to use very fine almond flour and sift it before incorporating it into the meringue. The best almond flour for macarons is Bob’s Red Mill.
Powdered Sugar is responsible for the beautiful feet in the macarons. If you attempt to lower the ratio of powdered sugar it will result in smaller feet.
Granulated Sugar: used to create the egg white meringue. You cannot lower the amount of granulated sugar because the meringue will not form without this amount.
Egg Whites: make sure to age the egg whites a minimum of 24 hours before you begin making the meringue. Chill in a glass or ceramic bowl covered with plastic wrap poked with large holes in the refrigerator.
Cream of tartar:cream of tartar is used to stabilize the egg whites in the meringue.
Green Gel Food Coloring: make sure to use gel food coloring instead of liquid food coloring to prevent adding any excess moisture into the shell.
Matcha powder: When using matcha powder, ensure that you are using the best culinary or ceremonial grade matcha powder that you can find. I love using Matcha bar, Matcha Bloom, or Junbi matcha. For this recipe, I used ceremonial grade matcha for a deeper and richer matcha flavor with a more brilliant green color.
Matcha Ganache
White Chocolate: use high-quality melting white chocolate chips for best results. I recommend using Callebaut or Ghiradelli’s white chocolate chips.
Heavy Cream: thins out the white chocolate while still making the ganache creamy.
Butter: enriches the ganache for a melt-in-your-mouth feel.
Matcha Powder: use high-quality matcha powder for the best flavor.
Substitutions and Additions
Macarons require very specific and precise ingredients. Unfortunately, there are not very many substitutions you can choose from for this matcha macaron recipe.
Lemon juice: you can substitute the cream of tartar with lemon juice instead.
Caster sugar: is extra fine granulated sugar that melts into the meringue. You can substitute granulated sugar for caster sugar.
How to Make Matcha Macarons
I will be 100% honest. Matcha macarons are tricky! I recommend reading through the instructions and tips carefully before you begin making these matcha macarons. It took me about 3-4 tries before I got the hang of making macarons.
1-2 days before
Age the egg whites. In a small bowl, separate the egg whites and cover with plastic wrap, poke a few large holes in the top to let it breathe, and refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours.
Day Of
Bring the egg white to room temperature. Set your egg whites on the counter and bring them to room temperature.
Sift the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, using a fine-mesh sieve sift together the almond flour, powdered sugar, and matcha powder. Discard big pieces that can’t be sifted. Don’t try to force any of the larger pieces through.
Meringue
Whisk egg whites and cream of tartar. Clean the bowl of your stand mixer with a touch of vinegar or lemon juice. Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, then whip the room temperature egg whites on low speed until foamy. Then add cream of tartar and turn up the speed to medium speed.
Add sugar in increments. Once the egg white bubbles have tightened and the whisk begins to leave tracks in the egg white, slowly pour in the sugar 1/3 at a time while the mixer is running.
Add food gel color. After you have incorporated the sugar and the meringue is at soft peaks, add the gel color. Whip on medium-highspeed until you reach stiff peaks. The meringue is finished when you have a pointed tip that does not droop over when the whisk is pulled out. You have over whisked if the meringue begins to separate into clumps.
Macronage
Fold the dry mixture in increments. Add 1/3 of the dry mixture at a time into the meringue and gently fold into the egg whites by scraping around the sides of the bowl and then cut through the center similar to the Greek letter phi which looks like this: Φ. Keep folding until the batter becomes a “lava” like consistency.
Test for doneness. You will know when to stop folding when you lift the spatula and the batter has a lava-like consistency. You should be able to draw several figure 8’s with the batter and it should hold its shape for at least 30 seconds.
Pipe and Rest
Pipe the batter. Transfer batter into a piping bag fitted with a round piping tip. On parchment paper or silicone mats with a macaron template, hold the piping bag straight up and perpendicular to the baking sheet and pipe the macaron shells.
Tap and rest. Tap the baking sheet multiple times on your work surface to remove any air bubbles from the macarons. Use a toothpick to pop the rest. Let the macarons rest 30 min to 1 hour so the shells have developed a skin and have dried before baking. The shells are ready when the surface is matte and has lost its glossy sheen.
Bake and Assemble
Preheat your oven to 325 F. Place one tray of macarons in the center of your oven and bake at 325F for 12 minutes. *This will vary depending on the heat of your oven. Keep a close eye on the macarons. They are done when they have developed feet, and the top of the shell is firm. Once baked, cool the macarons completely before removing them from the tray.
Matcha Ganache
Heat heavy cream. Heat the heavy cream, butter, honey, and salt in a small saucepan on medium heat, until steamy and simmering.
Combine. Sift the matcha into the heavy cream and whisk until combined. Pour matcha cream over the white chocolate and let the heavy cream sit for 5 minutes. Then mix with a spatula until fully incorporated. Cover the ganache with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or until firm.
Pipe the matcha ganache. Using a round tip or a star tip, pipe the matcha ganache onto 1/2 of the macaron shells, then top with a matching top. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight to mature before serving.
Tips for the Best Matcha Macarons
Macarons using the French meringue method are a beast to conquer at home. But once you have achieved the perfect macaron the amount of satisfaction it brings is indescribable. Here are the best tips I have come across that have helped me.
Equipment Tips
Use a kitchen scale: the ratios of each ingredient are CRUCIAL for a perfect macaron. The only way to get the most precise measurements is to use a kitchen scale since all measuring cups and spoons are not created equally.
Wipe all the utensils and bowls with vinegar: this guarantees no oil residue that could possibly ruin the meringue.
Use a macaron silicone mat. One tricky thing about macarons is the removal of the cookies. With parchment paper, I have found that some of my macarons stick to the parchment paper and sometimes break when I remove them. The easiest way to pipe and remove macarons is by using a macaron silicone mat.
Meringue Tips
Use cream of tartar: it is the secret ingredient that will instantly stabilize the meringue. Wait until the egg whites are slightly bubbly and frothy before adding the cream of tartar.
Add the sugar in 3 increments! Don’t add the sugar all at once. You need to add the sugar slowly in three increments to allow the eggs to have time to incorporate the sugar and stabilize the meringue.
Stop beating at stiff peaks: Stiff peaks mean the meringue holds the pointy shape at the tip of the whisk when you lift it out of the mixer. The point should not loop over like soft-serve ice cream.
Macronage Tips
Add the dry ingredients in 3 increments! This will allow you to carefully incorporate the dry ingredients into the meringue without completely deflating all the air. Be careful not to deflate all the air by folding the dry ingredients too aggressively.
Watch for ribbons of batter: When you are folding the dry ingredients, lift your spatula and if it falls off in chunks it is under-mixed, but if it runs right off the spatula without ribboning, it is over-mixed. The happy middle is when the batter flows like lava and leaves ribbons when you lift the spatula that disappear after 30 seconds.
Remove air bubbles: tapping the tray on your work surface and popping the remaining air bubbles with a toothpick ensures no large bumps or holes in your shell.
Baking Tips
Allow the macarons to rest: You absolutely need to rest the macarons in order to prevent the shells from cracking and to develop the signature feet. The time will vary depending on how warm your home is and the humidity level. You will know when it has rested long enough if the macarons are matte and has lost their glossy sheen.
Get an oven thermometer: every oven is not created the same. Some run hot while some run cold. The only way to get the most accurate temperature is by using an oven thermometer.
Match the shells before piping. In a perfect world, you would pipe identical shells and they would all match each other. To make the assembly process seamless, I recommend finding the shell’s perfect match before you pipe the filling.
Storage Instructions
You can store these matcha macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Alternatively, you can freeze the assembled macarons in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month.
Frequently Asked Q’s & A’s
Why are my macarons lumpy?
This could be because of either:
1. There are air bubbles from the macronage step that you did not tap out and they subsequently show when you bake the macarons.
2. You did not sift out the larger pieces of almond flour. This could result in your shell not being perfectly smooth. Some recipes suggest pulverizing the almond flour before sifting it, however, I have found that to release some of the almond oil and make the tops of the shells greasy so I opt for gently sifting it instead.
Why do I need to age my egg whites?
The egg whites need to be aged because refrigerating them relaxes the proteins in the egg whites, and loses excess water content making them much easier to whip into a meringue. Make sure to store your egg white in a non-plastic bowl so that any unnecessary grease does not seep into the egg whites.
Why do I need to wipe my bowl with vinegar or lemon juice?
You want the bowl to be very clean in order for the meringue to stabilize. Wiping down the bowl with either of these acids will guarantee that there are no leftover oils in your bowl. For this reason, avoid using any plastic bowls since plastic absorbs all the grease and oils from previous uses and is very hard to remove.
Why do I need to let my macarons rest?
Letting the macarons rest on the counter allows the batter to develop a “skin” that will prevent the shells from cracking and also develop the signature ridge feet as well.
Why do macarons need time to mature?
Macarons need time to “mature” overnight before serving because the macarons need time to absorb the moisture of the filling which will ultimately soften the texture and intensify the flavor of the macarons.
Can I freeze macarons?
Yes! Macarons have a short shelf life of about 3 days before they begin to lose their delicious texture. You can freeze the unfilled macarons in an airtight container for up to 3 months. You can also freeze filled macarons as well for up to 1 month.
Matcha macarons are the most beautiful, intricate, and classy dessert. Show off your baking skills with these delicate matcha macarons filled with a velvety smooth matcha ganache.
Age the egg whites. In a small bowl, separate the egg whites and cover with plastic wrap, poke a few large holes in the top to let it breathe and refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours.
Day Of
Bring the egg white to room temperature. Set your egg whites on the counter and bring it to room temperature.
Sift the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, using a fine mesh sieve sift together the almond flour, powdered sugar, and matcha powder. Discard big pieces that can't be sifted. Don’t try to force any of the larger pieces through.
Meringue
Whisk egg whites and cream of tartar. Clean the bowl of your stand mixer with a touch of vinegar or lemon juice. Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, then whip the room temperature egg whites on low speed until foamy. Then add cream of tartar and turn up the speed to medium speed.
Add sugar in increments. Once the egg white bubbles have tightened and the whisk begins to leave tracks in the egg white, slowly pour in the sugar 1/3 at a time while the mixer is running.
Add food gel color. After you have incorporated the sugar and the meringue is at soft peaks, add the gel color. Whip on medium high speed until you reach stiff peaks. The meringue is finished when you have a pointed tip that does not droop over when the whisk is pulled out. You have over whisked if the meringue begins to separate into clumps.
Macronage
Fold the dry mixture in increments. Add 1/3 of the dry mixture at a time into the meringue and gently fold into the egg whites by scraping around the sides of the bowl and then cut through the center similar to the Greek letter phi which looks like this: Φ. Keep folding until until the batter becomes a "lava" like consistency.
Test for doneness. You will know when to stop folding when you lift the spatula and the batter has a lava like consistency. You should be able to draw several figure 8’s with the batter and it should hold its shape for at least 30 seconds.
Pipe and Rest
Pipe the batter. Transfer batter into piping bag fitted with a round piping tip. On parchment paper or silicone mats with macaron template, hold the piping bag straight up and perpendicular to the baking sheet and pipe the macaron shells.
Tap and rest. Tap the baking sheet multiple times on your work surface to remove any air bubbles from the macarons. Use a tooth pick to pop the rest. Let the macarons rest 30 min to 1 hour so the shells have developed a skin and have dried before baking. The shells are ready when the surface is matte and ahas lost its glossy sheen.
Bake and Assemble
Preheat your oven to 325 F. Place one tray of macarons in the center of your oven and bake at 325F for 12 minutes. *this will vary depending on the heat of your oven. Keep a close eye on the macarons. They are done when they have developed feet, and the top of the shell is firm. Once baked, cool the macarons completely before removing from the tray.
Matcha Ganache
Heat heavy cream. Heat the heavy cream, butter, honey and salt in a small sauce pan on medium heat, until steamy and simmering.
Combine. Sift the matcha into the heavy cream and whisk until combined. Pour matcha cream over the white chocolate and let the heavy cream sit for 5 minutes. Then mix with a spatula until fully incorporated. Cover the ganache with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or until firm.
Pipe the matcha ganache. Using a round tip or a star tip, pipe the matcha ganache onto 1/2 of the macaron shells, then top with a matching top. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight to mature before serving.
Notes
Equipment Tips
Use a kitchen scale: the ratios of each ingredient are CRUCIAL for a perfect macaron. The only way to get the most precise measurements is to use a kitchen scale since all measuring cups and spoons are not created equally.
Wipe all the utensils and bowls with vinegar: this guarantees no oil residue that could possibly ruin the meringue.
Meringue Tips
Use cream of tartar: it is the secret ingredient that will instantly stabilize the meringue. Wait until the egg whites are slightly bubbly and frothy before adding the cream of tartar.
Add the sugar in 3 increments! Don’t add the sugar all at once. You need to add the sugar slowly in three increments to allow the eggs to have time to incorporate the sugar and stabilize the meringue.
Stop beating at stiff peaks: Stiff peaks mean the meringue holds the pointy shape at the tip of the whisk when you lift it out of the mixer. The point should not loop over like soft-serve ice cream.
Macronage Tips
Add the dry ingredients in 3 increments! This will allow you to carefully incorporate the dry ingredients into the meringue without completely deflating all the air. Be careful not to deflate all the air by folding the dry ingredients too aggressively.
Watch for ribbons of batter: When you are folding the dry ingredients, lift your spatula and if it falls off in chunks it is under-mixed, but if it runs right off the spatula without ribboning, it is over-mixed. The happy middle is when the batter flows like lava, and leaves ribbons when you lift the spatula that disappears after 30 seconds.
Remove air bubbles: tapping the tray on your work surface and popping the remaining air bubbles with a toothpick ensures no large bumps or holes in your shell.
Baking Tips
Allow the macarons to rest: You absolutely need to rest the macarons in order to prevent the shells from cracking and to develop the signature feet. The time will vary depending on how warm your home is and the humidity level. You will know when it has rested long enough if the macarons are matte and has lost their glossy sheen.
Get an oven thermometer: every oven is not created the same. Some run hot while some run cold. The only way to get the most accurate temperature is by using an oven thermometer.
Match the shells before piping. In a perfect world, you would pipe identical shells and they would all match each other. To make the assembly process seamless, I recommend finding the shell’s perfect match before you pipe the filling.
Thank you for the recipe. It was my first try making macaroons and they came out so tasty. Some small air pockets still persisted but overall a success!
Thank you for the recipe. It was my first try making macaroons and they came out so tasty. Some small air pockets still persisted but overall a success!
YAY! I’m so glad your first try for macarons was a success! That’s really impressive.