Lemon Macarons
When life gives you lemons, I say make lemon macarons!
These macarons are filled with lemon curd and lemon buttercream and are just as delicious as they sound.
Making These Lemon Macarons with the French Method
There are a few different ways macarons are made. French macarons are considered easier 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 Lemon 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
- Large piping bag
- Round piping tip
- Large, flat baking sheets
- Silpat Mats (or parchment paper)
Making Lemon 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 for lemon macarons. I’ve also included a video tutorial in the recipe card below.
Step #1: Prep the Ingredients and Equipment
After weighing your ingredients, wipe down your mixing bowl and whisk attachment with a bit of vinegar or lemon juice to remove any residual grease. This helps the meringue whip up better!
Step #2: Sift the Dry Ingredients
Sifting your superfine almond flour and powdered sugar will help your macaron shells turn out nice and smooth.
This step makes sure that no chunks of almond or powdered sugar get mixed into your macaron batter.
Step #3: Make French Meringue
Next, it’s time to make the French meringue! Whisk the egg whites on a medium speed until soft peaks form, then add in the granulated sugar.
Once the sugar is incorporated, add in gel food coloring if desired. Then mix on a medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Keep a close eye on your mixer to avoid over-mixing the meringue.
Step #4: Fold the Dry Ingredients Into The Meringue
Fold the dry ingredients into the meringue. The batter might look a bit stiff, but it’s better to be too thick than to over-mix it!
The batter should form a thick ribbon that flows off your spatula when it’s lifted.
Step #5: Pipe the Macaron Shells
Fill a large piping bag with the macaron batter and pipe 1 1/4-inch rounds onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
Firmly bang or drop your pans on the counter a few times to bring any trapped air bubbles to the surface and pop them with a toothpick. This can help you avoid hollow or cracked shells.
Step #6: Rest the Piped Macaron Shells
Then let the macarons rest for 30 minutes until they form a skin.
They should be mostly dry to the touch and look matte once they’re ready to be baked! While the shells rest, preheat your oven.
Step #7: Bake the Lemon Macaron Shells
Bake one tray of macarons at a time and place the tray on the middle rack of your oven.
Let the macarons cool fully on the pan, then gently remove them from the Silpat mat.
Step #8: Assembling These Lemon Macarons
Pipe a ring of lemon buttercream around one macaron shell and fill the center with lemon curd. Top it with a second shell and gently press down to create a sandwich.
Place the finished macarons in the fridge in an airtight container to mature overnight, then bring the macarons back to room temperature and enjoy!
Lemon Macaron Troubleshooting
I’d love to think everyone’s first batch of lemon macarons will turn out perfectly, but my own experience has taught me that’s not how things usually go.
Macarons can be incredibly temperamental, and it might take a few tries to get them just right.
If you run into any issues, please check out my detailed French macaron troubleshooting guide.
Choosing The Right Filling for These Lemon 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 the macarons an incredible texture, but the filling is what determines their flavor. You can use just about any type of frosting or ganache to fill macarons.
I have a big sweet tooth, so I love using a lemon American buttercream to fill these lemon macarons. I also fill the centers with lemon curd to really pack them with lemon flavor.
If you don’t want your macarons to be super sweet, I recommend using a quarter batch of hybrid buttercream or Swiss meringue frosting as a base instead!
Recipe Yield
This recipe makes about 48 macaron shells, which can be used to make 24 macarons. You can double or triple this recipe to make more macarons if needed.
The yield and bake time will also vary based on the size of the macarons you pipe. I pipe my shells with a diameter of about 1 1/4-inches.
Decorating These Lemon Macarons
If you want to take your lemon macarons to the next level, you can decorate them a few different ways.
I chose to pull out two little corners from each macaron with a toothpick to create lemon-shaped macaron shells!
You can also use a template, but since this is such a simple shape, I decided to freehand it.
The second way you can have fun is by drawing on your macarons! Yup, you heard me right.
With the help of an edible marker, you can make your lemon macarons look adorable with kawaii smiley faces or even make them look like the cross section of a lemon.
The possibilities are endless. Let your creativity flow and have some fun!
Tips for Making the Best Lemon Macarons
- Wipe your mixing bowl and whisk with lemon juice or vinegar to remove any traces of grease before making your 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 really need to be precise with this recipe, and your macarons will turn out best if the ingredients are weighed.
- 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.
- Let your macarons mature! Letting them rest overnight while they are filled softens them (in a good way) and allows the flavors to develop.
- If you want to have some extra fun, decorate your macarons with an edible marker. I drew on mine to give some of them a kawaii smile, and made the other half look like a lemon slice.
- If your first batch of macarons doesn’t turn out, please check out my macaron troubleshooting guide.
Making These Lemon Macarons in Advance & Storage Tips
- You need to let French macarons mature for a few hours or overnight in the fridge before eating them. This gives them their best texture and taste.
- Store filled macarons at room temperature for up to 2 days in an airtight container.
- Refrigerate filled macarons for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
- Freeze filled macarons for up to a month in an airtight container.
- Unfilled macaron shells can be frozen for up to a month in an airtight container.
- Make your filling ahead of time, too, or save any leftover filling! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month.
Let Me Know What You Think!
If you try this recipe for lemon macarons, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Leave a rating and comment below.
Tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets on social media so that I can see your amazing creations!
Lemon Macarons
Equipment
Ingredients
Lemon Macarons
- 110 g aged egg whites – about 4 large egg whites
- pinch cream of tartar – optional
- 110 g granulated sugar 1/2 cup + 2 tsp
- 140 g superfine almond flour – blanched 1 1/2 cups
- 125 g powdered sugar 1 cup
- yellow gel food coloring – optional
Lemon Buttercream Frosting
- 56 g unsalted butter, room temperature 1/4 cup
- 4 g lemon extract 1 tsp
- 3 g fresh lemon zest 1 Tbsp
- 1 g fine salt 1/8 tsp
- 125 g powdered sugar 1 cup
- 10 g heavy whipping cream, room temperature 2 tsp
Optional Filling
- 30 g lemon curd 2 Tbsp
Equipment
Instructions
French Lemon Macarons
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat 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 1/4 tsp cream of tartar and continue to mix until it reaches the soft peak stage and leaves visible tracks.
- Gradually mix 110g of granulated sugar into the egg whites over a few minutes while mixing on a medium-low speed. Increase the mixing speed to a medium-high speed (6 on a KitchenAid). Keep mixing until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Sift 140g of superfine almond flour and 125g of powdered sugar into the meringue. Use a rubber spatula to break up any big clumps and press them through the sieve.
- Add in a squirt of yellow gel food coloring if desired. 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. Don't forget to scrape off the inside of the spatula intermittently. Sometimes meringue can get stuck there and not get mixed in properly.
- Fold the batter until a thick ribbon of batter runs off the spatula when it's lifted. You should be able to draw a couple of figure 8s with the batter running off your spatula in a continuous stream when it's 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 1/2-inch rounds on the prepared baking sheets. Space 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 320°F/160°C.
- Bake one tray of macarons at a time on the middle rack of your oven for 18-21 minutes and rotate the pan halfway through to help the macarons bake evenly. Bake time can vary based on the size of your shells, so if you pipe them smaller than 1 1/2 inches, they may be done a few minutes earlier.
- Remove the macaron shells from the oven and let them cool fully on the pan (about 30 minutes), then gently peel them off the Silpat mat. If they're properly baked, they should peel off the mat cleanly and have a shiny bottom.
Lemon Buttercream Frosting
- Beat 56g of room-temperature butter on a medium speed for 1-2 minutes with a whisk attachment until it becomes lighter in color and smooth.
- Mix in 4g lemon extract, 3g fresh lemon zest and 1g salt on a low speed.
- Slowly mix in 125g of powdered sugar and 10g heavy cream on a low speed.
- Continue to mix on low for a couple minutes until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached.
- If the frosting is too thick, add in additional heavy cream or milk (1 tsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (1 Tbsp at a time).
- Place in a piping bag with a small round tip, and set aside.
Assembling These Lemon Macarons
- Pipe a thick ring of lemon buttercream around one macaron shell and fill the center with a dollop of lemon curd. Gently press a second shell on top of the frosting to create a sandwich.
- Place the finished macarons in an airtight container and chill in the fridge overnight, then let them warm to room temperature and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Recipe Yield:
This recipe makes about 48 small macaron shells, which can be used to make 24 macarons. You can double or triple this recipe to make more macarons 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 about 1 and 1/4 inch, so they’re a tiny bit smaller than a standard macaron.Tips for Making the Best Lemon 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.
- Use yellow gel food coloring. If you try to use liquid food coloring, it can throw off the consistency of the batter.
- 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 prevents cracked or hollow shells.
- Rest the macarons for 30 minutes before they’re baked to allow them to develop a skin.
- Pipe a small number of macarons on a mat to test your oven for hot spots and see if it bakes accurately. This way, you won’t waste a whole tray of macs if your oven runs hot or cold.
- Let your macarons mature in the fridge overnight! Letting them rest overnight while they are filled softens them (in a good way) and allows the flavors to develop.
Making These Lemon 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.
- Macarons can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days in an airtight container.
- Macarons can be refrigerated for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
- Filled macarons can be frozen for up to a month, but the length can vary based on the filling.
- Unfilled macaron shells can be frozen for up to a month in an airtight container.
- Your filling can be made ahead of time, too, or save any leftover filling! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month.
Nutrition
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Wow! Your creativity never ceases to amaze me, Chelsey … I’m saving this recipe to make in the spring … but they sound absolutely phenomenal and your video is terrific! Congrats on yet another culinary masterpiece! Niikki
I am allergic to almonds so is it possible to use all-purpose flour? Thanks! Also I love all of your recipes! You are the first person I go to when I bake. ps, I love you TikTok’s ?
@Thea, No, macarons can only be made with almond flour.
@Juliane & @Thea
I ground up pistachios and they work as an almond flour substitute 🙂
@Juliane, actually, I’ve seen a few recipes online with regular flour
I agree! Here is one from an amazing baker that I’d recommend: https://www.piesandtacos.com/macarons-with-all-purpose-flour/
Hope that helps, happy baking!
So sorry there a lot of typos in there
Hey used use ground almonds almond meal in a inteasd of almond flour? I can’t find it anywhere here in New Zealand
@CARMEN use whole almonds and put them in a grinder and grind them yourself
yes you can totally do that!! Just make sure they’re blanched almonds with the skins removed.
Can I use whipping cream instead of heavy cream?
@Niara, I use heavy whipping cream, I assume it’s the same cause it works just as well
Do you have to use a whisk attachment? Can you use the regular attachment to the mixer?
@Niara, using a whisk put much needed air into your egg white
Omg I’ve tried so many recipes and this was the easiest one to work and mine came out perfect! Not even hollow! I’m gonna use this from not on and just change the flavors for others.
Note* if you use wax paper (like I did) and your cookies get stuck, get a dish towel and run it under hot water, squeeze out the water and place the paper with cookies ontop. I press down on the paper and wait about 30 sec, then the cookies release.
Works best with hot water.
YouTube you’re saying 125 g powdered sugar which is different from what is written here.
I’ve made these macarons several times over the past couple of years and this recipe has never failed me! Today was the first time since I moved intercontinental and I was so nervous because of the new oven, different brands of ingredients, etc. But after rewatching your YouTube videos on macarons, it was once again a success. I make the lemon curd from Sally’s baking addiction, a match made in heaven with your lemon macarons. Thanks for making macarons approachable!
I am so happy to hear that Loes!! 🙂 And also impressed, figuring out macs in a new oven is always a challenge. You rock!! That sounds like an amazing combination, thank you for sharing & happy baking!! <3
The Lemon buttercream in this recipe is delicious!!!
So happy to hear you loved this recipe Violet 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
THESE WORKED SO WELL!!! Thank you so much! I’ve tried like a half dozen recipes before this and these easily turned out the best. Smooth shell, tasty, amazing.
One thing I’d like to add is that it was humid out today so letting them rest for 30 min didn’t form a crust so I tried oven drying! 200f at 4 minutes. Worked like a charm! Absolutely no cracks which was a first for me.
I AM SO HAPPY TO HEAR THAT!!! That is fantastic 🙂 And smart to oven dry them, humidity can be so annoying! Thank you for sharing!!
My 12-year-old daughter made these and they were amazing! Her cookies shells came out perfect and paired with the buttercream, holy hannah! She added about a tsp of lemon extract to the shell batter (when she added the almond flour mixture). The flavor is so perfect for hot summer days in Florida! I’m printing this recipe out to make again and again! Thanks so much!
Hi Heather,
This makes me so happy to hear 🙂 Huge kudos to your daughter, perfect macaron shells are no small feat, and that lemon twist sounds absolutely dreamy for summer. I’m so glad this recipe is a keeper for you!
Recipe turned out well, but in my oven it only took about 8min at 320 degrees fahrenheit and used a silpat. They were even browning at 11min! Definitely do a test before a full pan!
Totally agree Mandy!! Every oven bakes differently, and doing a test is so smart!!!! Thanks for sharing!
Have you tried freezing these with the lemon curd?
Hi Patricia,
Yes, you can definitely freeze lemon macarons filled with lemon curd!
I recommend letting the shells mature with the filling in the fridge for about 24 hours first (this improves the texture), then placing them in an airtight container and freezing them. They’ll keep well for up to 1–2 months.
To serve, transfer them to the fridge overnight to thaw, then let them sit at room temperature for about 20–30 minutes before enjoying. Just make sure they’re stored in a well-sealed container so they don’t absorb any freezer smells.
Hope that helps, happy baking!!