Lavender Matcha Macarons – Starbucks Inspired
March 20th is National macaron day, a day observed for baking and indulging in the delicate and delicious French macaron! Of course I had to partake in the festivities by making a new macaron recipe for you to try! After recently discovering the iced Lavender Matcha latte at Starbucks, I couldn’t wait to transform the beverage into a batch of macarons, with creamy matcha buttercream to mimic the matcha latte and delicate floral lavender ganache as a play on the lavender cold foam. Sandwiched between green and purple macaron shells the macarons not only taste like the new Starbucks latte but align perfectly with the spring season.
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Lavender Matcha Macarons – Starbucks Inspired
Starbucks lavender matcha latte inspired French macarons, filled with creamy matcha buttercream filling and white chocolate lavender ganache. Enjoy alongside the iced lavender matcha, or your favorite tea of choice!
Starbucks Lavender Matcha Latte
The new iced lavender matcha latte from Starbucks is a lovely addition to their spring drink menu. In addition to being easy on the eyes, it’s nutty and creamy with light floral hints from the lavender cold foam, sure to have you dreaming of warm days ahead! As a matcha lover, I was thoroughly looking forward to trying the drink and then naturally put a dessert spin on it at home, with my preferred choice of matcha and lavender extract ordered from Amazon. What better time to bring these flavors together than on national macaron day!
How do the lavender matcha macarons taste
If you love matcha and macarons, I have no doubt that you’ll enjoy this spring rendition with lavender included. The lavender white chocolate ganache is subtle and not overpowering, with a hint of floral flavor, hugged by a creamy and earthy matcha buttercream. At first bite, you’ll enjoy the soft chewy texture of the almond macaron shells, followed by the creamy and sweet matcha buttercream and lastly the light lavender notes from the lavender white chocolate ganache. Each macaron is matcha forward with a spring twist, balanced with a good frosting to ganache ratio.
Lavender White Chocolate Ganache
It’s true that lavender is an acquired taste. If overused, it can be quite soapy, but in moderation can add pleasant floral essence to drinks, cuisine and of course desserts! Whether dried, or liquid based, a little lavender goes a long way. In fact, while making this lavender white chocolate ganache, you will only need 4 drops of lavender extract so as not to overpower the flavor of the ganache or the matcha macarons. A combination of quality white chocolate with milk, lavender extract and a few drops of purple coloring is all it takes to make your own!
Homemade Matcha Buttercream
The homemade matcha buttercream tastes just like a matcha latte, infused with culinary matcha, plant based butter (optional), powdered sugar, vanilla, salt and oat milk. This frosting can also be transformed into a classic buttercream with dairy butter. The matcha flavor is sublime, ready to be enjoyed on cookies, cakes and cupcakes as well, and is all natural in color.
Lavender Matcha Macaron Supplies/Ingredients
Below is a list of ingredients you’ll need to try these spring inspired macarons at home.
Macaron Shells (either split batch into two colors or make 2 batches)
- Egg whites, cream of tartar, quality fine ground almond flour, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, water, green, brown and purple gel food coloring, matcha powder and dried lavender pods, silicone mat or parchment, a piping bags fitted with size 12 round tips, baking sheets.
Matcha Frosting
- Plant based butter,(or dairy butter of choice), powdered sugar, Aiya Matcha Culinary matcha powder, Oat milk, vanilla, pinch of salt, piping bag fitted with round tip. (Stand or hand mixer)
Homemade Lavender White Chocolate Ganache
- 6 oz quality white chocolate, 1/4 cup oat milk, 4 drops lavender extract, 1-2 drops purple food coloring, 1 tbsp butter of choice.
How do you make Lavender Matcha Macarons?
There are 3 main components that make up the lavender matcha macarons. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Italian Meringue Macaron Shells: Prepare the green and purple Italian Meringue macaron shells using the recipe below. Also reference my Italian Meringue Macaron recipe for troubleshooting tips. To make the macarons two colors, you will either need to divide the batter into two bowls and color each bowl individually, or bake two batches individually in the purple and green color. Follow instructions for baking the macarons and once the macaron shells have been prepped and baked, prepare the ganache and frosting.
- Matcha Buttercream: Mix butter, and powdered sugar together until light and fluffy. Then mix in the culinary matcha powder, powdered sugar, salt and vanilla. Transfer to piping bag with round tip.
- Lavender white chocolate ganache: Pour white chocolate into a bowl. Heat the milk in a saucepan just until simmering. Remove from heat and pour the milk over the white chocolate, whisking constantly until combined. Whisk in the lavender extract and purple coloring. The chocolate will thicken slightly, but can then be smoothed out with a tablespoon of butter. Use an emulsion blender to smooth the ganache. Let cool at room temp, then transfer to piping bag.
- Assembly. Assembling the macarons is simple! First, match up the macaron shells in pairs by size and alternating color, then place the green matcha shell on its back with the feet up. Pipe a round of matcha frosting along the outside edge of the bottom macaron shell. Then squeeze the lavender ganache into the center. Top with the second macaron shell, feet side down. Repeat steps for all remaining macarons and dust with matcha powder. Transfer to the fridge immediately for at least 2 hours to mature or up to 24.
- Italian Meringue Macaron Shells: Prepare the green and purple Italian Meringue macaron shells using the recipe below. Also reference my Italian Meringue Macaron recipe for troubleshooting tips. To make the macarons two colors, you will either need to divide the batter into two bowls and color each bowl individually, or bake two batches individually in the purple and green color.
Follow instructions for baking the macarons and once the macaron shells have been prepped and baked, prepare the ganache and frosting.
Lavender Matcha Macarons – Starbucks Inspired
- Prep Time: 45
- Cook Time: 60
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 2 dozen + 1x
- Category: Baking
- Method: Lavender Matcha Macarons
- Cuisine: Dessert
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Starbucks lavender matcha latte inspired French macarons, filled with creamy matcha buttercream and white chocolate lavender ganache. Enjoy alongside the iced lavender matcha, or your favorite tea of choice! GF
Ingredients
- 106 grams of almond flour
- 106 grams powdered sugar
- 41 and 45 grams of egg whites divided
- 115 grams of granulated sugar
- 79 grams of water
- dash of cream of tartar or lemon juice for stabilizing
- green and brown gel or powdered food coloring for green shells, purple gel or powdered food coloring for lavender shells.
- Dried lavender pods and culinary matcha powder for dusting. (optional)
- 1/2 cup butter of choice
- 1 1//4 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tsps oat milk
- 1/2 to 3/4 tsp culinary Matcha powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup or 4 oz quality white chocolate
- 1/4 cup oat milk
- 3-4 drops lavender extract
- Purple gel or powdered food coloring
- 1 tbsp butter
Instructions
For the matcha and lavender macaron shells:
- Wipe down the mixing bowl and whisk attachment with vinegar to remove any built up residue. This will ensure that the egg whites whisk up properly.
- Prep and measure all of the ingredients using a kitchen scale.
- Prep a piping bag with a round tip. I use Wilton tip 12.
- Line 2 baking sheets with silpat (or parchment).
- Combine measured almond meal & powdered sugar together in a bowl. Sift one time to remove any lumps, discarding of them, then whisk together to create a homogeneous mixture.
- Make a well in the center of the dry mix and pour the 41 grams of measured egg whites into the center of the dry mixture. Fold together until blended . The finished mix will be paste-like. Set aside.
- To make the sugar syrup, heat granulated sugar and water in a pot on medium heat with a candy thermometer attached to the side. **Make sure the thermometer is not touching the bottom of the pot**.
- Once the thermometer’s temperature reaches approximately 200 degrees F, place the 45 grams of measured egg whites in the stand mixer and whisk on medium speed, to soft peaks.
- Add a drop of lemon juice or dash of cream of tartar to stabilize then continue whisking.
- If the egg whites are at soft peaks before the syrup reaches 248 F, turn the mixer down to low speed to keep the egg whites moving.
- Watch the sugar syrup closely.
- As soon as the sugar syrup reaches 248 degrees F, remove from heat.
- Quickly increase mixer speed to medium and begin slowly pouring the sugar syrup down the side of your mixing bowl into the meringue until thoroughly combined.
- Then increase the mixing speed to high and whisk sugar and meringue together until glossy and medium stiff peaks form.
- Gently transfer finished meringue into the almond/powdered sugar mixture in thirds, making sure that it’s fully incorporated before adding the additional 3rd of meringue.
- Start the macaronage process by folding the batter in a circular motion, going around the edges of the bowl, then once through the center just until combined. Then divide the batter evenly between 2 bowls.
- Color each of the bowls of batter with green and brown food coloring for the matcha macarons and purple for the lavender.
- Continuing to macaronage each bowl of batter until desired color is achieved and smooth and thick ribbons of batter run off the spatula.
- **Be careful not to over-mix**
- You want the batter to be slightly thick, but not so thin that it does not hold the ribbon shape. Err on the side of caution.
- Transfer batters to the prepped piping bag(s).
- Pipe 1 1/2 inch rounds about one inch apart on the lined baking sheet.
- Be sure to hold the piping bag about 1/2 inch directly above the baking sheet when piping the rounds holding the bag steadily. Continue to pipe until you’ve filled an entire baking sheet.
- *Tap the macarons on the counter three times to release air bubbles.
- *Pop any air bubbles that might’ve come to the surface, using a scribe or even a toothpick.
- Dust shells lightly with matcha powder and dried lavender pods if desired.
- Before placing the macarons in the oven, let them to rest until a proper skin has formed on the outside of the shell. This can take anywhere from 20-30 minutes. Test by touching the piped rounds to make sure they’re dry to touch and that no batter comes off on fingers.
- Preheat oven to 315 degrees F.
- Once dry to touch, place the macarons in the middle rack of the oven.
- Feet will form halfway through the baking process.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 15-20 minutes before removing the shells from the silpat/parchment paper.
- Once macarons are completely cool, gently remove from parchment paper/silpat.
- Repeat the same steps to bake the remaining macaron batter.
- They’re ready to fill.
Matcha Buttercream:
- Place butter and powdered sugar in a bowl and mix for two minutes until light and fluffy! Then mix in matcha powder, vanilla, salt and oat milk until well incorporated.
- Transfer the matcha frosting to a piping bag fitted with a round tip.
- Set aside until ready to assemble.
Lavender White Chocolate Ganache
- Pour white chocolate into a bowl.
- Heat the oat milk in a saucepan just before simmering.
- Remove milk from heat and over the white chocolate, whisking constantly until the chocolate is melted and combined.
- Then whisk in the lavender extract and purple coloring.
- The chocolate will thicken slightly, but can then be smoothed out by adding a tablespoon of butter.
- Continue whisking until the butter melts into the ganache.
- Use an emulsion blender to smooth the lavender white chocolate ganache.
- Let cool at room temp, then transfer to piping bag.
Assembly.
- First, match up the lavender and matcha shells in pairs by size, then place the green matcha shell on its back, feet side up.
- Pipe a round of matcha frosting along the outside edge of the bottom macaron shell.
- Then squeeze the lavender ganache into the center.
- Top with the second macaron shell, feet side down.
- Repeat steps for all remaining macarons and dust with matcha powder.
- Transfer to the fridge immediately for at least 2 hours to mature or up to 24.
- Enjoy 10-15 minutes after removing from fridge once macarons are at room temp.
Notes
Place macarons in an airtight container until filled. They will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge and 6 months in the freezer.
I simply cannot think of a more fitting or wonderful spring like flavor combination than matcha and lavender and Starbucks deserves the credit!
The lovely fusion of flavors make these macarons a fantastic option for sharing at chic gatherings from baby and bridal showers to birthday parties!
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