These earl grey macarons are truly a treat! They have the perfect balance of flavors and are filled with an earl grey buttercream that is packed with that distinct, citrusy earl grey flavor.
Making These Earl Grey Macarons with the French Method
There are a few different ways macarons are made.
French macarons are considered the easiest to make while the Italian and Swiss methods use a few more steps but are more structurally sound.
French macarons also require less equipment. While I love Italian macarons, I like to keep things simple and use the French method for this recipe.
Equipment You’ll Need to Make These Earl Grey 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 macarons:
- Kitchen scale
- Stand Mixer or Electric Mixer
- Fine Mesh Sieve
- 1 Small (12″) piping bag (for the buttercream filling)
- 1 Large (18″) piping bag (for the batter)
- 1 Round piping tip (for the batter)
- 1 Small round piping tip (for the buttercream)
- 2 Large, flat baking sheets
- Silpat Mats (or parchment paper)
How to Make These Earl Grey Macarons: Step-by-Step Process
While the recipe below is quite detailed, I find visual cues to be super helpful!
Below are some photos of the process to help guide you through this recipe.
Step #1: Make the French Meringue
The first step is to make the French meringue.
Whisk the room temperature egg whites on a medium 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 over a few minutes while mixing on a medium speed. Then 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 #2: Sift and Fold the Dry Ingredients into the Meringue
Sift the superfine almond flour and powdered sugar into the meringue.
Add a squirt of pink and purple gel food coloring to give the shells a warm, light purple color.
Then fold the ingredients together with a rubber spatula. Fold until a thick ribbon of batter runs off the spatula when it’s lifted.
You’ll know it is the right consistency when you can draw a couple figure 8’s with the batter running off your spatula in a continuous stream.
If the stream of batter breaks before you’re able to do this, you may need to stir it a bit more.
Step #3: Pipe the Macaron Shells
Pour the batter into a large piping bag fit with a medium-sized round piping tip.
Then pipe 1 3/4-inch rounds onto 2 silpat lined baking sheets, spacing them about 1-inch apart.
Firmly bang or drop your pans on the counter a few times.
This brings any trapped air bubbles to the surface, which can then be popped with a toothpick or scribe.
Popping these little bubbles can help you avoid hollow or cracked shells.
Step #4: Rest the Purple Macaron Shells
Let the macarons rest for about 30 minutes, or until they form a skin. On rainy days this can take up to an hour where I live!
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 #5: Bake the Macaron Shells
Bake one tray of macarons at a time and place the tray in the middle rack of your oven.
Rotate the pan halfway through to help them bake evenly.
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 #6: Assemble These Earl Grey Macarons
While the macaron shells bake and cool, make the earl grey buttercream.
Place the frosting in a piping bag fit with a large round piping tip and set aside.
Pair up the macaron shells then pipe a dollop of buttercream on one macaron shell.
Gently press a second shell on top of the frosting to create a sandwich.
This step is optional, but I chose to drizzle rings of melted white chocolate on the top of the macarons and added a sprinkle of earl grey tea leaves. It gives them such a pretty finished look!
Place the macarons in an airtight container and store them in the fridge overnight to let them mature.
Letting the filled macarons rest overnight softens them (in a good way) and allows the flavor to develop.
Troubleshooting These Earl Grey Macarons
While I’d love to think everyone’s first batch of these 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
While we put tons of energy into the shell of a macaron, almost all the flavor in a macaron comes from its filling.
The shell gives macarons an incredible texture, but the filling is what determines its flavor.
I like to fill these with a sweet earl grey buttercream, but you can use a less sweet frosting base if you prefer.
You can also add earl grey steeped cream to my Swiss meringue buttercream or my hybrid buttercream.
How Many Macarons Does This Recipe Make?
This recipe makes about 40 large macaron shells, which can be used to make 20 macarons.
You can double or halve this recipe as needed.
The yield and bake time will vary based on the size of macarons you pipe. I piped these shells with a diameter of 1 3/4-inches.
Tips for Making the Best Earl Grey Macarons
- Wipe your mixing bowl, mats 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 your ingredients in grams with a kitchen scale. You need to be really precise with this recipe.
- Use a macaron mat or print out a template to help you pipe consistently sized macarons.
- Let the 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 Earl Grey Macarons in Advance & Storage Tips
French macarons need to mature overnight (or ideally 24 hours) in the fridge before being eaten! They taste best 24 hours after being made.
These macarons can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to a month if stored in an airtight container.
Unfilled macaron shells can be frozen for up to a month in an airtight container.
The earl grey frosting can be made ahead of time too or you save any leftovers! Store this frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Let Me Know What You Think!
If you try this recipe for earl grey macarons, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a rating and comment below.
And don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets on social media so that I can see your amazing creations!
Other Recipes You Might Like:
Earl Grey Macarons
These earl grey macarons are truly a treat! They have the perfect balance of flavors and are filled with an earl grey buttercream that is packed with that distinct, citrusy earl grey flavor.
Ingredients
Macarons Shells
- 110g aged egg whites - about 4 large eggs
- 1/4 tsp of cream of tartar - optional
- 110g granulated sugar (1/2 cup + 2 tsp)
- pink and regal purple gel food coloring - optional
- 140g superfine almond flour - blanched (1 1/4 cups + 1 Tbsp)
- 125g powdered sugar (1 cup)
Earl Grey Cream
- 1/4 cup heavy cream (60g)
- 2 Bags of earl grey tea
Buttercream Frosting
- 113g unsalted butter, room temperature (1/2 cup)
- 2g vanilla extract (1/2 tsp)
- 2g fine salt (1/4 tsp)
- 200g powdered sugar (1 2/3 cups)
- 30g earl grey infused cream - recipe above (2 Tbsp)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
French Macaron Shells
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon mats. Set aside.
- Pour 110g of aged egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk and mix on a medium speed until the surface of the egg whites is covered in small bubbles. Add in a pinch of cream of tartar and continue to mix until the mixture has soft peaks.
- Gradually mix in 110g of granulated sugar into the eggs over a few minutes while mixing on a medium-low speed (speed 4 on a KitchenAid). Then increase the mixing speed to a medium-high speed (speed 6 on a KitchenAid). Keep mixing until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Sift 140g superfine almond flour and 125g powdered sugar into the meringue. Add in a small squirt of pink and purple gel food coloring to give the shells a warm, light purple color, 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 to make sure everything is getting mixed together.
- Fold until a thick ribbon of batter runs off the spatula when it is lifted. You should be able to draw a couple figure 8's with the batter running off your spatula when it is the right consistency. If the stream of batter breaks before you're able to do this, you may need to stir it a bit more.
- Pour the batter into a large piping bag fit with a medium-sized round piping tip and pipe 1 3/4-inch rounds on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1-inch apart.
- Bang the pans firmly on the counter a few times to release air bubbles, then pop any remaining air bubbles that come to the surface with a toothpick.
- Let the macarons rest for 30 minutes, or until they develop a skin. The macarons should look matte once the skin has formed. While the macarons rest, preheat the oven to 315 F / 157 C.
- Bake one tray of macarons at a time on the middle rack of your oven for 17-20 minutes and rotate the pan halfway through to help them bake evenly.
- Remove the shells from the oven and let them cool fully on the pan, then gently remove them from the silpat mat and pair them together. If you make the shells in advance, they can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Set aside.
Earl Grey Cream
- Pour 1/4 cup of cream into a heat proof bowl and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, or until it's just beginning to bubble. Keep an eye on the mixture as it heats to avoid it from bubbling over!
- Add 2 earl grey tea bags into the cream and let the mixture steep for 30 minutes. You will end up with a bit less cream than you started with because the tea bags will absorb some of it.
- Set the cream aside to cool completely before using in the frosting.
Earl Grey Buttercream Frosting
- Beat 113g room-temperature butter on a medium speed until smooth.
- Mix in 2g vanilla extract and 2g salt on a low speed.
- Slowly mix in 200g of powdered sugar and 30g of earl grey infused cream on a low speed. If desired, add in a small drop of pink and purple gel food coloring to make the frosting match the color of the shells.
- Mix for a couple minutes until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached. If the frosting seems too thick, add in additional heavy cream (1 tsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (1 Tbsp at a time).
- Once the frosting is the right consistency, place in a piping bag fit with a large round tip and set aside.
Assembling These Earl Grey Macarons
- To assemble these macarons, pipe a dollop of buttercream onto one macaron shell. Gently press a second shell on top to create a sandwich.
- This step is optional, but I chose to drizzle rings of melted white chocolate on the top of the macarons and added a sprinkle of earl grey tea leaves. It gives them such a pretty finished look!
- Place the finished macarons in an airtight container and chill them in the fridge overnight, then enjoy. Remove the macarons from the fridge about 15 minutes before you want to eat them to let them come to room temperature. Store any leftover macarons in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
Recipe Yield:
This recipe makes about 40 macaron shells, which can be used to make 20 macarons. You can double or half this recipe if needed.
The yield and bake time can vary based on how large you pipe your shells. I piped these shells with a diameter of 1 3/4 inches, so they're about the size of a standard macaron.
Tips for Making the Best Earl Grey Macarons
- Measure your 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.
- Separate your own eggs and age them if possible! Do not use egg whites from a carton.
- 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!
- Use a macaron mat or print out a template to help you pipe consistently sized macarons.
- Firmly bang your pans on your counter after piping your macarons. This helps release any air bubbles that may be trapped and prevent cracked or hollow shells.
- Rest the macarons for 30 minutes before they're baked to allow them to develop a skin.
- Let your filled macarons mature in the fridge overnight! This softens them (in a good way) and allows the flavors to develop.
- If your macarons don't turn out, please check out my macaron troubleshooting guide for help!
Making These Earl Grey Macarons in Advance & Storage Tips
- French macarons need to mature overnight (or ideally 24 hours) in the fridge before being eaten! They taste best 24 hours after being made.
- These macarons can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to a month if stored in an airtight container.
- Unfilled macaron shells can be frozen for up to a month in an airtight container.
- The earl grey frosting can be made ahead of time too or you save any leftovers! Store this frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Yield
20Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 190Total Fat 10gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 54mgSodium 64mgCarbohydrates 23gFiber 1gSugar 22gProtein 3g