Lemon Macarons

4.93 from 42 rating

Learn how to make perfect lemon macarons! My step-by-step tutorial & detailed recipe will help you master these delicious little cookies.

Prep Time20

Cook Time18

Additional Time30

Total Time1 6

Course: Macarons

Cuisine: French

Servings: 24 macarons

Calories: 126kcal

Author: Chelsey White

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.

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