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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.

image of french lemon macarons filled with lemon curd and fresh lemon buttercream frosting

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:

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 and a video tutorial of the process to help guide you through this recipe for lemon macarons.

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.

image of dry ingredients being sifted into meringue to make 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.

image of french meringue on a whisk that's been colored yellow with gel food coloring

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.

image of yellow macaron batter that's been mixed perfectly to have a lava like consistency

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.

image of yellow macaron shells being piped onto a silpat mat

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.

image of yellow macaron shells that have rested and have formed a touchable skin before being baked

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.

image of yellow macaron shells that have been baked and are cooling before being filled

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!

image of a lemon macaron that's filled with lemon curd and a fresh lemon buttercream

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.

image of perfectly baked yellow macaron shells with feet and no browning

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.

image of lemon curd and fresh lemon buttercream placed in piping bags and ready to fill lemon 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.

image of lemon shaped macaron shells that have been piped and are ready to be baked

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.

image of adorable and cute lemon macarons that have been decorated with an edible marker

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.
image of a lemon macaron that's been bitten into to show its lemon curd filling and fresh lemon buttercream

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!

image of french lemon macarons filled with lemon curd and fresh lemon buttercream frosting
Print Recipe
4.93 from 41 rating

Lemon Macarons

Learn how to make perfect lemon macarons! My step-by-step tutorial & detailed recipe will help you master these delicious little cookies.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time18 minutes
Additional Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 6 minutes
Course: Macarons
Cuisine: French
Servings: 24 macarons
Calories: 126kcal

Ingredients

Lemon Macarons

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 salt 1/8 tsp
  • 125 g powdered sugar 1 cup
  • 10 g heavy cream 2 tsp

Optional Filling

  • 30 g lemon curd 2 Tbsp

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

Serving: 1g | Calories: 126kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 37mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g

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4.93 from 41 votes (41 ratings without comment)
Recipe Rating




Attempting Macarons – Kayleigh baking – Blog

Monday 10th of June 2024

[…] decided to make some lemon macarons, following this recipe from Chelsweets. In my first attempt, all was going well until I added my sugar and food colouring. The eggs […]

Anon

Monday 22nd of April 2024

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.

Chelsweets

Sunday 28th of April 2024

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!!

Violet_baker_readerofbooks

Monday 4th of March 2024

The Lemon buttercream in this recipe is delicious!!!

Chelsweets

Tuesday 5th of March 2024

So happy to hear you loved this recipe Violet :) Thank you for sharing!

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