Make these dirty chai macarons with this easy-to-follow French macaron recipe! Featuring espresso-infused shells and chai spiced frosting, these macarons taste just like you ordered a dirty chai from your favorite cafe. Even if you have never made macarons before, this recipe is packed full of helpful tips, tricks, and is extremely detailed to set you up for success!
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Why You'll Love These Chai Macarons
- This macaron recipe is extremely detailed and full of helpful tips, tricks, and photos in an easy-to-follow format.
- Ground espresso is added to the shells to give them a gorgeous speckled look!
- Brewed espresso and chai spices are added to the buttercream filling to taste just like a dirty chai drink.
- Never made macarons before? Don't worry, this uncomplicated recipe is perfect for beginners!
What You'll Need to Make Them
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Almond meal- I love buying mine in bulk from Costco or Bob's Red Mill as they have the best high quality meal.
- Powdered sugar- also known as icing sugar. This ingredient can not be substituted.
- Sugar- regular cane or granulated white sugar is important for macarons because it has a fine texture.
- Egg whites- fresh egg whites are required for successful macarons. Do not use carton or boxed egg whites unless they are unpasteurized.
- Espresso grounds- I love opening a pod of Nespreso coffee and using the grounds inside. You can also grind your own or use instant coffee and leave out the food coloring.
Tips to Make Perfect Macarons
- Use almond meal, not almond flour- almond flour is not as fine as almond meal and you will have little brown specks in your shells.
- Use a kitchen scale- the ratio of ingredients is the most important key to success. I always recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients.
- Wipe your bowl with vinegar- before mixing the egg whites, dampen a paper towel with a bit of white vinegar to wipe your bowl with. This will ensure it is free from any fat residue which can prevent your eggs from whipping.
- Whip the whites to stiff peaks- not whipping the egg whites long enough can result in a whole bunch of macaron problems.
- Gently fold the batter- using a rubber spatula is required for macaron success. It is the only tool that is gentle enough to fold the batter to the right consistency.
- Use an upside down baking pan- my favorite trick for perfect macarons is turning the pan upside down to prevent hollow or exploded shells.
- Don't skip resting them- resting the shells is required for them to form feet. You should be able to smoothly run your finger across the tops without them sticking. The time they need will differ based on your kitchen's temperature/humidity, but I always wait at least 30 minutes.
- Make sure your oven is at the right temperature - you don't want the shells rising too quickly or slowly. Chances are, your oven temperature is off by a few degrees so I always keep my oven thermometer on the lower oven rack.
- Let them mature overnight- once filled and assembled, let the macarons mature in the fridge overnight. This will soften the shells and marry the flavors together.
You can learn more about macaron success and watch how-to videos in my macaron course, Macarons at Home!
Recipe Instructions
Note: Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
Step 1: Sift the powder sugar, almond meal, and espresso grounds together into a large bowl, then set it aside.
Step 2: Add the egg whites to a clean stand mixing bowl and use the whisk attachment to whip the whites to soft peaks. Sprinkle the sugar into the mixing bowl and then continue mixing until stiff peaks form.
Step 3: Add the stiff whites to a large bowl and add ⅓ of the dry ingredients. Fold them together with a rubber spatula and then add the next third. Continue folding until all of the dries are combined into the meringue. Add one small drop of Americolor Brown gel coloring.
Step 4: Scrape the batter against the sides of the bowl until the batter starts looking thinner and glossy. Pick up some of the batter and let it fall off the spatula. If it falls slowly in ribbons and you can draw a figure 8 with it, the batter is ready.
Step 5: Fit an 18-inch piping bag with a #12 round Wilton tip and fill it with the batter. Flip a baking tray upside down and line it with a silicone baking mat. Pipe the batter directly above the tray into 1 ½ inch round shells, spaced two inches apart. Tap the tray on the counter a few times. You can pop any air bubbles that come to the surface with a toothpick.
Let the shells rest until a dry skin forms, then bake at 300 F/149 C for 12-13 minutes. Touch the top of the shell to see if it moves while baking. If it doesn't budge from the feet, they are done.
Step 6: Once completely cool, remove the shells and match them up with like sizes. Pipe about one tablespoon of the buttercream on one shell and then sandwich it with the other half.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
Once filled, store them in an air-tight container overnight in the fridge to soften. They will stay fresh for 2-3 days at room temperature or 1 week in the fridge!
You can also freeze just the shells or the filled macarons for up to 1 month!
Naturally, the macarons will harden in the fridge so before eating, leave them out at room temperature for 30-60 minutes to soften.
FAQ's
You either under-mixed the batter or over-mixed the meringue. Not mixing the batter enough leaves too many air bubbles which expand and crack your shells when baking.
If you follow all the steps, measure your ingredients with accuracy, and read all the tips and tricks before you start baking, this will ensure success! And even if they aren't perfect the first time, they will always taste so delicious 🙂
I personally do not list the ingredients in cup measurements because the sizes can vary in small amounts and when making macarons even the smallest difference can ruin your batch. You can buy the one I use on Amazon for $6!!
The cream of tartar will stabilize the egg whites while they are whipping to create a stable meringue that is less like to create hollow or cracked shells.
Yes! You can fill them with any flavor you desire. I love filling them with plain vanilla frosting.
More Macaron Recipes
If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Dirty Chai Macarons
Equipment
- kitchen scale
- Stand mixing bowl with whisk and paddle attachment
- large mixing bowl
- rubber spatula
- 18 inch piping bag
- Silicone baking mat
- baking tray ( SEE NOTES )
- #12 round Wilton tip
Ingredients
Espresso Shell Ingredients
- 124 grams powdered sugar
- 140 grams blanched almond meal
- 2 teaspoon ground espresso or instant coffee
- 107 grams egg whites, room temperature
- 110 grams granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 small drop Brown gel food coloring
Filling Ingredients
- 10 tablespoon unsalted butter, soft 141 grams
- 1 cup powdered sugar 100 grams
- 2 tablespoon brewed espresso, cooled
- ½ teaspoon chai spice
Instructions
Making the Macaron Shells
- Line an upside down pan with a silicone baking mat and fit a piping bag with a small #12 Wilton round tip, then set them both aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift the almond meal, powdered sugar, and espresso into a larger bowl and discard any large pieces. Set aside.124 grams powdered sugar, 140 grams blanched almond meal, 2 teaspoon ground espresso or instant coffee
- In a stand mixing bowl, begin whisking the egg whites on medium low speed for 2-3 minutes until foamy, then add the cream of tartar.⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar, 107 grams egg whites, room temperature
- Very slowly, sprinkle the sugar into the mixing whites with a spoon. When all of the sugar is added, increase the speed to medium and whip for about 7-8 minutes or until stiff peaks form.110 grams granulated sugar
- Add ⅓ of the sifted dry mixture to the bowl of meringue. Fold very gently with a spatula until combined. Continue until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated, then add the food coloring.1 small drop Brown gel food coloring
- Scrape the batter against the sides of the bowl. Every few scrapes, pick up the batter and let it fall into the bowl. The batter should flow slowly in a continuous ribbon. Try to make a figure 8 with the batter. If it falls without breaking, it's ready.
- Pipe the batter in 1 ½ inch rounds (spaced 2 inches apart) directly over the baking tray. Drop the pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles which you can pop with a toothpick.
- Let the shells sit to dry and form a skin, at least 30 minutes or until you can touch the tops without leaving an impression. Preheat the oven to 300 F/149 C.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes. The shells are done baking when the top of the shell doesn't budge from the feet. Let the tray cool completely on a wire rack before removing the shells.
Making the Filling
- In a mixing bowl add the butter and use the paddle to mix the butter on low for 1-2 minutes or until smooth. Add the powdered sugar in ½ cup at a time. Mix on low until combined, then increase the speed to medium and whip until light and fluffy. Add the brewed espresso and chai spice and mix on low to combine.10 tablespoon unsalted butter, soft, 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoon brewed espresso, cooled, ½ teaspoon chai spice
Assembling the Macarons
- Pipe about 1 tablespoon of buttercream onto one shell, then sandwich with the other half. Place the macarons in a sealed container and let them mature in the fridge overnight to soften.
Notes
Tips for Perfect Macarons
- Use almond meal, not almond flour- almond flour is not as fine as almond meal and you will have little brown specks in your shells.
- Use a kitchen scale- the ratio of ingredients is the most important key to success. I always recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients for success!
- Wipe your bowl with vinegar- before mixing the egg whites, dampen a paper towel with a bit of white vinegar to ensure it is free from any fat residue which can prevent your eggs from whipping.
- Whip the whites to stiff peaks- not whipping the egg whites long enough can result in a whole bunch of macaron problems.
- Gently fold the batter- using a rubber spatula is required for macaron success. It is the only tool that is gentle enough to fold the batter to the right consistency.
- Use an upside down baking pan- my favorite trick for perfect macarons is turning the pan upside down to prevent hollow or exploded shells.
- Don't skip resting them- resting the shells is required in order for the feet to form at the bottom of the shell when baking.
- Let them mature overnight- once filled and assembled, let the macrons mature in the fridge overnight. This will soften the shells and marry the flavors together for the best texture.
Storage
Once filled, store them in an air tight container overnight in the fridge to soften. They will stay fresh for 2-3 days at room temperature or 1 week in the fridge! You can also freeze just the shells or the filled macarons for up to 1 month! Naturally the macarons will harden in the fridge so before eating, leave them out at room temperature for 30-60 minutes to soften.The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.
Steph says
LOVE this flavor! I've made them multiple times and the filling is to die for. I used espresso powder so I didn't need to use the food coloring as it gave them such a pretty brown color.