Lemon Macarons

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

📝 Ingredients

• 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
• 56 g unsalted butter, room temperature (1/4 cup)
• 3 g fresh lemon zest (zest of 1 large lemon) (1 Tbsp)
• 1 g fine salt (1/8 tsp)
• 125 g powdered sugar (1 cup)
• 10 g heavy whipping cream, room temperature (2 tsp)
• 30 g lemon curd (2 Tbsp)
• Kitchen scale
• Stand Mixer or Electric Mixer
• Large, flat baking sheets
• Silpat Mats (or parchment paper)
• 1 Large Piping Bag (18-inch)
• Round Piping Tip - Ateco 805

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- French Lemon Macarons ---
2. 2Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat mats. Set aside.
3. 3Pour 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.
4. 4Gradually 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.
5. 5Sift 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.
6. 6Add 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.
7. 7Fold 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.
8. 8Pour 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.
9. 9Bang 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.
10. 10Let 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.
11. 11Bake 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.
12. 12Remove 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.
13. 13--- Lemon Buttercream Frosting ---
14. 14Beat 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.
15. 15Mix in 3g fresh lemon zest and 1g fine salt on a low speed.
16. 16Slowly mix in 125g of powdered sugar and 10g heavy cream on a low speed.
17. 17Continue to mix on low for a couple minutes until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached.
18. 18If 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).
19. 19Place in a piping bag with a small round tip, and set aside.
20. 20--- Assembling These Lemon Macarons ---
21. 21Pipe 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.
22. 22Place the finished macarons in an airtight container and chill in the fridge overnight, then let them warm to room temperature and enjoy!