Matcha, if you have never heard of it before, is a strikingly coloured green tea powder from Japan. Unlike most teas, which you can prepare by soaking a teabag in water, matcha is meant to be stirred in and dissolved in the water.
Matcha is a little bit like hot chocolate mix, except much greener and without the taste of hot chocolate. I guess the only similarity really is that both powders are soluble in water.
This was my first time tasting matcha, and it was quite enjoyable. I really liked the bright green colour, so I was not paying much attention though. I felt like I was drinking one of those super healthy smoothies with strange ingredients like crabgrass. Ha. I would never drink one of those.
Matcha’s colour is so vibrant that the matcha buttercream filling I used in these macarons did not even have any added food colouring. That vivid green colour is completely natural. Pretty crazy.
I bought a lower grade of matcha because lower grades have a much stronger flavour. Cheaper matcha is made from older leaves so its taste is more pronounced, which is exactly what you need. If you are just buying matcha for drinking, lower grades can be a bit too strong and slightly grassy because they contain more chlorophyll.
If you decide to make these you should know that I did not use regular green tea powder, which is not the same thing as matcha since it does not originate from Japan and is not made the same way. All matcha is green tea powder, but not all green tea powder is matcha. Do not be fooled at the tea store! I almost got tricked by the sly tea saleswoman.
“Here is the matcha you wanted,” she told me as she held up a canister of green tea powder and smiled politely to mask her deception.
If it had not been for the large black lettering which clearly said “green tea powder” on the front of the container, she would have gotten me. I learned my lesson: Tea saleswomen can be as crafty as car salesmen.
Matcha has a great edge over regular green tea when it comes to baking. Since matcha is very finely ground and soluble in water (and therefore many things that you would bake with) the powder can easily be added to almost any dessert. Adding in a cup of green tea is definitely much trickier. You can find some good matcha here.
Today’s post is quite short because these matcha macarons are not going to be served by themselves, but rather as a garnish for next week’s post (you can now find it here). Stay tuned, because these macarons and the next dessert are a great match-a.
(Note 2017/09/04: This is an old recipe. I suggest following the recipe in my recent macaron tutorial for the shells instead, but using the recipe below for the filling.)
- 113g (4oz) almond powder
- 226g (8oz) icing sugar
- 1 tablespoon matcha powder
- 141g (5oz) egg whites, at room temperature
- 71g (2.5oz) sugar
- pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon green food colouring (optional)
- ½ cup (114g) butter, at room temperature
- ¼ cup (30g) icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons matcha
- Follow my macaron tutorial (available here), except add in a tablespoon of matcha powder while grinding together the almond powder with the icing sugar.
- Cream the butter until light and fluffy, about two minutes with a mixer. Add in all the other ingredients and beat together for four minutes. Beat in more icing sugar if necessary.
I have fallen in love with macarons! If it weren’t for that we buy organic eggs, I would make these everyday! :D
Your macarons are so cute, I love the colour! My sister used to make a lot of matcha baked goods, so I remember it fondly.
These macarons are such beauties! I love green tea and can only imagine that they must taste like green tea latte. :)
These look awesome! Funny, I have a big bag of matcha powder at home and have been pondering what its final destination should be. I think this post just sealed its fate.
I love anything with matcha and so happy to see matcha macarons! I really want to try making macarons and I need to check your macaron tutorial next. Really beautiful macarons! Pinning~
I’ve definitely heard of matcha powder and have always wanted to bake with it ever since I had a green tea cake on a cruise once a long time ago :) Love these macarons!
Beautiful macaroons! I tried before but not as successful as yours. I should try again one of these days when I have time and in the mood :D Love the colour from the matcha powder but have not tried it in bakes yet. Need to go and look for it.
I lol’d at matcha being like hot chocolate except it wasn’t chocolate an it wasn’t brown. :)
These are so pretty!
I have been girding my loins and reading recipes all day in preparation for tackling macarons. I just came from Paris and Pierre Hermé’s fabulous shop and am feeling very inspired. This recipe looks the most fabulous of any that I’ve come across all day. Matcha + macaron = perfection. I’ve never heard of your website before but after looking through it, I am thoroughly impressed. At your age I was proud of myself if my box mix cake had ‘from scratch’ icing! Keep doing Canada proud!
This sounds fabulous. Wondering, how many individual cookies does the shell recipe make?
Hi Clara! The recipe makes between 30-40 sandwiched cookies, so between 60-80 individual ones.
Look delish. How long can I store the buttercream in the fridge? Thanks alot!
Until the expiration date of the butter you’re using. :)
Where can I buy Matcha at? I’m not having any luck.
Hi Jennifer! Your best bet is to go to a specialty tea store like David’s Tea or Teavana. You can also order online from stores like that or eBay. Good luck!
Thank you so much!!!! I fell in love with the Green Tea Fraps at Starbucks and have been trying to find this powder to make my own..but everything I’ve tried just isn’t the same. I’ll give them both a try!
Hey Jennifer, also make sure you get “matcha green tea powder” and not “green tea powder”. Some stores may try to trick you into thinking they’re the same, but they’re not. Matcha is much higher quality.
I love this blog, such simple language and great explanation! I’ll try this at home, i’m in school now. :/ Good recipes, must try! Thank you, Ilan.
May I ask why is inside of my macarons empty?