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Lemon Macaron Recipe: How to Make Lemon Macarons

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Mar 28, 2022 • 4 min read

This classic lemon macaron recipe will be the hit of your afternoon tea or dessert spread.

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What Are Lemon Macarons?

Lemon macarons are a citrusy variety of French macarons, made of finely ground almond flour, egg whites, and sugar and flavored with lemon extract. During baking, these meringue cookies puff up to create a hollow center and a defined pied (foot), making the perfect groove for a filling like buttercream, ganache, or jam. Assembling the citrusy dessert involves sandwiching two gluten-free almond meringue cookies around a creamy lemon buttercream.

What Is the Best Macaron Filling?

Bakers add various sweet fillings to macarons, ranging from spreads (like chocolate ganache, fruit jam, and lemon curd) to earthier or more savory additions (like salted caramel, goat cheese, and ricotta cheese). However, buttercream frosting is the most traditional macaron filling.

With a subtle sweetness, buttercream frosting makes the perfect canvas for various extracts, spices, and flavorings and suits a range of macaron flavors. Additionally, buttercream holds its shape in the center of the cookie, unlike runnier sauces or icings.

6 Tips for Making Lemon Macarons

Making this French treat for the first time may feel intimidating, but learning to make a basic macaron recipe allows you to craft endless variations on this classic cookie. Follow these tips to craft perfect macarons every time:

  1. 1. Use a scale. If you have a kitchen scale, use it to measure your ingredients. Measuring by weight is more accurate than using measuring cups or spoons, and it will make a difference when baking delicate desserts like macarons. Learn how to use a kitchen scale.
  2. 2. Make your own flour. Make homemade almond flour by pulsing blanched almonds in a food processor until they form a very fine powder. Both homemade and store-bought almond meals benefit from additional sifting through a fine-mesh sieve before incorporating them into a recipe.
  3. 3. Use room-temperature eggs. Room-temperature egg whites will whip into an airier meringue for your cookies. If you have the time, take your eggs out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before you plan to bake. For whipping, use a clean stainless steel or glass bowl to avoid scraping bits of the bowl’s material into the whipped eggs.
  4. 4. Shape your cookies with ease. Trace a cookie guide for yourself on a piece of parchment paper to ensure equally sized cookies. Make a 1–1½-inch circle for each cookie, leaving at least a 1-inch space between the circles. Place a small dot of macaron batter in each corner of the baking sheet to adhere the parchment paper to the baking sheet. Alternatively, use silicone baking mats.
  5. 5. Pick the right equipment. Use thick baking sheets to prevent the undersides of these cookies from getting too brown.
  6. 6. Chill the baked cookies. Your prepared macarons need to soften and set in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Bring the cookies up to room temperature 30 minutes before serving, if desired.

Homemade Lemon Macaron Recipe

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makes

15 macarons

prep time

50 min

total time

1 hr 10 min

cook time

30 min

Ingredients

For the macaron shells:

For the filling:

Make the macaron shells:

  1. 1

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, with a rack on the middle level inside. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

  2. 2

    In the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites and granulated sugar together until stiff peaks form. Alternatively, add the ingredients to a large bowl and use a hand mixer to combine.

  3. 3

    Add the food coloring and lemon extract, and mix until well-incorporated.

  4. 4

    In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, confectioners’ sugar, and cream of tartar.

  5. 5

    Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the almond-powdered sugar mixture into the egg whites by pulling upward from the bottom of the bowl in a clockwise motion, cutting the batter in half and pressing the side of the spatula through the middle of the dough. Do this until the batter is thick and lava-like, about 30–50 strokes.

  6. 6

    To test the batter, drop a small amount of it on a plate. If the peaks retreat into the batter within 10 seconds, it’s ready. If not, keep folding. Do not overmix.

  7. 7

    Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a ⅜- or ½-inch tip. Pipe the batter into 1–1½ -inch rounds, swirling the piping tip off to the side to create a flatter top. Repeat this process with the contents of the pastry bag, spacing the cookies at least 1 inch apart, until the sheets are full. Tap the sheets against the counter to remove air bubbles.

  8. 8

    Bake the cookies one sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until risen and just slightly stiff, about 13 minutes. Let them cool on the baking sheets and carefully peel away the parchment.

Make the buttercream frosting:

  1. 1

    In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and confectioners’ sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Alternatively, add the ingredients to a large bowl and use a hand mixer to combine.

  2. 2

    Add the lemon zest, milk, and lemon extract to the filling and mix until smooth, about 2 minutes.

  3. 3

    Add the filling to a piping bag with a round tip and transfer it to the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.

Assemble the macarons:

  1. 1

    Sort the cooled macaron shells into pairs based on size, and arrange them on a baking sheet with the inside of the shell facing up.

  2. 2

    Pipe a teaspoon-sized dollop of filling into the bottom shell and place the top shell over the filling.

  3. 3

    Press down slightly on the top shell until the filling spreads to the edges of the cookie. Repeat this process with the remaining macarons.

  4. 4

    Transfer the macarons to an airtight container, or wrap them with plastic and refrigerate them for 24 hours before serving. Store the cookies in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

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