Lemon Macarons
Lemon Macarons recipe creates light and delicate textured cookies. These French style cookies are bursting with lemon flavor and have an irresistible filling combination of lemon buttercream and lemon curd or lemon buttercream and raspberry jam. The perfect cookie for baby showers, bridal showers or as a treat for lemon lovers.
For lemon lovers these cookies are a dessert dream come true. To truly make them happy, serve at the end of a lemon feast of Broiled Scallops with Lemon Parmesan Panko, Lemon Garlic Pasta and Frozen Lemon Prosecco.
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Macaroon vs Macaron
Never have two cookies confused so many people with such a similar name. Rest assured that if you were one of those people who couldn’t understand why two cookies that seem so different were called the “same thing”, you are not alone.
Macaroons– A sweet coconut mounded cookie that has a denser consistency. This cookie is very popular for those observing Passover and those who follow a gluten-free diet.
Macarons– A crispy meringue cookie sandwich that is light and delicate. These cookies come in a variety of flavors and are filled with buttercream or a fruity filling.
Interestingly though, both of these cookies have a shared history, originating in Europe and both have overlapping ingredients.
Ingredients Needed
- Powdered Sugar
- Finely Ground Almond Flour
- Salt
- Egg Whites (from 3 large eggs)
- Granulated Sugar
- Lemon Extract
- Food Coloring (optional)
- Unsalted Butter
- Heavy Cream or Half and Half
- Lemon Curd
- Raspberry Jam
Note: If you are trying to lower iodine levels like myself by using Maldon’s Salt that is low in iodine, then you will need to grind the sea salt flakes with a mortar and pestle before baking with it. This is because the sea salt flakes are just too big for baking. However, once grinned they are perfect for baking.
Equipment Needed
Macaron cookies really are easy once you know the steps and have the correct equipment. However, without the right tools making these cookies will be a nightmare. Below is the equipment needed and a few alternative suggestions.
- Food Processor
- Stand Mixer or a Hand Mixer (This hand mixer is a little more costly however it has several 5 star ratings.
- Sided Cookie Sheets
- Baking Mats (Having these helps to ensure that the cookies end up the same size. Simply place the mat in the cookie sheet first and lay a sheet of parchment paper over the top of the mat. Use the circles as guides when piping the cookie batter.)
- Pastry Bags or Freezer Bags (see video)
- Parchment Paper
- Measuring Spoons and Cups
- Bowl Scrapper
- Sifter
- Mixing bowls
- Wire Wracks
- Scissors (If using freezer bags rather than pastry bags.)
Lemon Macarons From-Scratch
- Place eggs out to come to room temperature. The easiest way to do this is to place the whole eggs in a bowl on the countertop for approximately 3-4 hours.
- Prepare 3 cookie sheets by placing baking mats in them first and the adding a single layer of parchment paper.
- Place powdered sugar, almond flour and half of the salt (1/2 tsp) in the bowl of a food processor. Process with the S shaped bladed until a fine consistency is achieved, about 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer almond flour mixture to a sifter and sift. Set aside.
- Separate eggs. Place egg whites and other half of salt ( 1/2 tsp) into the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer). Beat on second to highest setting until soft peaks form (see video). Add granulated sugar and continue beating at the same speed until firm peaks form (see “Firm Egg White Peaks” section below).
- To the egg whites add extract and food coloring. Blend just until incorporated making sure to not over beat. Remove bowl from mixer.
- Add 1/3 of the almond flour mixture and fold until just incorporated. Repeat process two more times with remainder of almond flour mixture. Continue folding until the batter falls off of the spatula like a ribbon and easily forms a figure 8 (see video). At this point stop folding.
- Transfer batter to either to a pastry bag with a round tip such as #12 or to a freezer bag. See video and “Using a Freezer Bag” section below.
- Using the circle of the baking mats, pipe the batter into even circles. Note: If not using baking mats, make sure to pipe the batter into the same sized circles so that the cookies are all even when formed. Additionally, leave about 1 inch space around each of the circles.
- Once the cookie sheet is full, tap on the counter to remove the tiny air bubbles and preheat oven to 350℉.
- Let cookie sheets sit at room temperature to allow the tops of the cookies to dry. The drying process will take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour depending on the level of humidity in the air. You should be able to run your finger over the top of the cookie and not have any batter stick to you.
- Bake cookie halves for 15-17 minutes. Note: You will know they are done baking when the cookies no longer wobble, the base of the cookies have risen and the cookies no longer stick to the parchment paper.
- Once baked, let sit on cookie sheets for a few minutes and then transfer to wire wracks to cool completely before filling.
Firm Egg White Peaks vs Stiff Peaks
When beating egg whites it can be fairly confusing identifying the difference between firm peaks vs stiff peaks. For this Lemon Macaron recipe stiff peaks are ideal. However, it is very easy to over beat egg whites trying to achieve a stiff peak. Because of this and because the cookies still turn out wonderfully with egg whites that are slightly less beaten, it is best to aim towards a peak that is firm but on its way to becoming stiff. In other words, the peak only has a slight curve. Here is a helpful visual breaking down the difference or simply just use the Lemon Macaron video as a guideline.
Using a Freezer Bag Instead of a Pastry Bag
If you don’t have a pastry bag set, there is no need to worry. A freezer bag can easily replace a pastry bag when making macarons. Here are the steps for easy use but don’t forget to check out the video for a helpful visual.
- Open a gallon sized freezer bag and fold edges outwards.
- Place bag into a medium sized mixing bowl.
- Pour batter into bag, aiming for one corner of the bag.
- Close the bag removing all air.
- Push batter fully into one corner.
- Cut the tip of the bag leaving a 1/2 inch diameter whole.
Tips for Making Silky Lemon Buttercream
Let me first start by saying, homemade buttercream is so much better than anything you can buy at the grocery store. Here are some of the best tips for making silky smooth and flavorful Lemon Buttercream.
- Use room temperature unsalted butter.
- Cream the butter well before adding the powdered sugar.
- Sift the powdered sugar before adding. This helps to break up any of the clumps in the sugar that naturally form from just siting.
- Scrap down the sides of the bowl often with a bowl scraper.
- Add the cream 1/2 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is achieved.
- Beat for a full 2-3 minutes on the highest speed once everything is added. This final steps makes the buttercream extra smooth.
Baking Macarons On a Humid Day
If only we could have the perfect level of humidity everyday of the year. Ha! Unfortunately this is not the case for the majority of us and you will probably find yourself making macarons on a humid day.
If that is the case here are a few options that will help.
- Let the cookies sit to dry longer before baking.
- Add 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar to the almond flour mixture.
- Use a hair dryer on the lowest setting high above the cookies for a few minutes. I know this sounds crazy. However, it can shaved off a significant amount of drying time. Just make sure to use the lowest setting and to hold the hair dryer about 3 feet above the cookies.
How To Store Lemon Macarons
In my house we are huge macaron and lemon lovers. Needless to say, these Lemon Macarons don’t stick around very long. However, the few times they have made it past a day, they have been kept best by refrigerating in an airtight container. Additionally, they are so tasty when icy cold and the texture is amazing cold also.
If you enjoyed these Lemon Macarons please let me know by leaving a comment and review below. Doing so helps to encourage others to make the recipe also. Thank you!
Lemon Macarons
Ingredients
Macarons
- 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup finely ground almond flour
- 1 teaspoon salt *divided (See Note #6 below)
- 3 egg whites *room temperature (See Note #1 below)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
- 4 drops yellow gel food coloring *optional
Lemon Buttercream
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter *room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar *sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
- 2 drops yellow gel food coloring *optional
- 1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream or half and half *add 1/2 tablespoon at a time
- zest of 1 lemon *optional
Filling
- 1 small jar lemon curd *see Note #5 below
- 1 small jar raspberry jam
Instructions
Macarons
- Prepare 3 cookie sheets with baking mats and parchment paper.
- Place powdered sugar, almond flour and half of the salt (1/2 tsp) in the bowl of a food processor. Process with the S shaped bladed until fine consistency is achieved, about 2-3 minutes. Sift mixture into a medium sized mixing bowl and set aside.
- Place egg whites and other half of salt ( 1/2 tsp) into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on second to highest setting until soft peaks form. Add granulated sugar and continue beating at the same speed until firm peaks form. (See Note #2 below)
- To the egg whites add extract and food coloring. Blend just until incorporated making sure to not over beat. Remove bowl from mixer.
- Add 1/3 of the almond flour mixture and fold until just incorporated. Repeat process two more times with remainder of almond flour mixture. Continue folding until the batter falls off of the spatula like a ribbon and can easily form a figure 8. (See Note #3 below) At this point stop folding.
- Transfer batter to either to a pastry bag with a round tip such as #12 or to a freezer bag substituting as a pastry bag. (see Note #4 below)
- Using the circle of the baking mats, pipe the batter into even circles.
- Once the cookie sheet is full, tap on the counter approximatley 5 times to remove the tiny air bubbles and preheat oven to 350℉.
- Let cookie sheets sit at room temperature to allow the tops of the cookies to dry. The drying process will take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour depending on the level of humidity in the air. You should be able to run your finger over the top of the cookie and not have any batter stick to you.
- Bake cookie halves for 15-17 minutes. Note: You will know they are done baking when the cookies no longer wobble, the base of the cookie have risen and the cookies no longer stick to the parchment paper.
- Once baked, let sit on cookie sheets for a few minutes and then transfer to wire wracks to cool completely before filling.
Lemon Buttercream
- Add butter to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Add the sifted powdered sugar and lemon extract and food coloring. Beat until combined and then add 1/2 tablepoon at a time of cream until desired consistency is achieved.
- Scrap down the sides of the bowl and continue beating for an additional 2-3 minutes on highest speed.
- Transfer buttercream to a pastry bag with a rounded tip or to a freezer bag substituting as a pastry bag.
Forming Macarons
- On the flat surface of a macaron shell pipe a circle of buttercream around the parameter of the shell. Add a dollop of lemon curd or rapsberry jam to the center of the buttercream. Top with another macaron shell. Repeat until all macaron shells are filled.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container.
