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These lemon macarons are delicious and so fun to make! Lemon-flavored almond meringue cookie sandwiches filled with a lemon cream cheese buttercream—what could be better?
Guys, I think I have a problem. A macaron problem.
Now that I feel like I have the recipe and technique figured out for macarons, my head is bursting with ideas for recipes. From s'mores macarons to piña colada macarons, the possibilities are endless.
And yet, I'm coming at you today with a pretty simple recipe. But, I promise it's a good one.
These lemon macarons are light and airy, and they're filled with a mouthwatering lemon cream cheese buttercream. Plus, what's not to love about that bright yellow color?
Let me show you how to make these macarons!
Tips for Making Lemon Macarons
Here are a few tips to get perfect macarons every time:
- Make sure to sift your dry ingredients. Out of all the steps in the recipe, this is the one you don't want to skip. Sifting the almond flour and powdered sugar helps prevent lumps that might flatten the macarons.
- Whisk the egg whites until you have a meringue with stiff peaks. At this point, you should be able to turn the whisk upside down without the meringue budging an inch. If you’re not quite there, continue to whisk until stiff peaks form.
- Tap the baking sheet after piping the macarons. After piping all my macarons, I like to tap the baking sheet firmly against my counter several times. Doing so helps the mixture settle and removes any air bubbles.
- Let the macarons cool completely before filling. If you try to remove the macarons while they are still warm, they will stick to the baking sheet and crumble. Be patient and let them cool completely before filling.
Helpful Tools for Making Lemon Macarons
To make these macarons, there are a few tools I recommend picking up:
- Silicone baking mat — I always find that my macarons turn out best when I use one of these rather than parchment paper. Personally, I also just prefer to use silicone baking mats like this when baking other items like cookies or granola, so it’s great to have one on hand.
- Disposable piping bags — These are pretty essential for this recipe, both for piping the macarons and also filling them with the buttercream. If you can’t pick some up, you can also try making a makeshift piping bag with a Ziploc bag.
- Round piping tips — For this recipe, I used a round piping tip both for the macarons and the buttercream. Plus, piping tips like this are great to have when making cakes and cupcakes. If you want, you can also use a star tip or another shape when filling the macarons for a unique look.
Lemon Macarons FAQ
I’ve been making macarons for years, and I still struggle with consistency! If it’s your first time making them, I highly recommend printing out a template like this and putting it under your silicone baking mat. Then, remove the template before baking, and stash it away for the next time you make macarons.
The amount of time varies depending on the humidity and your environment. After piping the macarons, you need to dry them out until the top forms a skin, and I have found that this can take anywhere from fifteen minutes to an hour. To see if the macarons are ready, press your finger lightly on top of one—if it does not leave a firm fingerprint, they are ready to bake in the oven. In my NYC apartment with minimal air conditioning, I usually let the macarons dry out for about an hour during the summertime.
Stored in an airtight container, these macarons will stay fresh in the fridge for about 3-5 days. I recommend removing them from the fridge 15-20 minutes before eating for the best taste. Alternatively, you can also freeze macarons for up to 2 months.
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Lemon Macarons
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 25-30 macarons 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: French
Description
These lemon macarons are delicious and so fun to make! Lemon-flavored almond meringue cookie sandwiches filled with a lemon cream cheese buttercream—what could be better?
Ingredients
Lemon Macarons:
- 2 cups powdered sugar (230 g)
- 1 ⅔ cup almond flour (160 g)
- 5 egg whites (150 g)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 g)
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (9 g)
- 1–2 drops yellow food coloring
Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (113 g)
- 4 ounces brick-style cream cheese, room temperature (112 g)
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar (287 g)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (28 g)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (1 g)
- Pinch of salt, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper (I always get better results with a silicone baking mat).
- Sift together the powdered sugar and almond flour, then set aside.
- Make the French meringue: In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or a large bowl with a handheld mixer), whisk the egg whites. When they are quite foamy and no longer yellow, start gradually streaming in the granulated sugar. Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
- Add the dry ingredients into the meringue in two additions, and gently fold until well combined. Then, add in the yellow food coloring and fresh lemon juice and start the macaronage process. Continue to stir the mixture, and you will notice it start to become looser and more ribbony. To see if your batter is ready, do the figure-eight test: if you can make an ‘8’ with the batter without it breaking, it is ready to pipe.
- Pipe the macarons: Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe small circles onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving two inches in between each macaron. Once you have piped all the macarons, tap the baking sheet against the counter several times to remove any air bubbles.
- Let the macarons dry at room temperature for fifteen minutes to an hour (the amount of time varies depending on the humidity). Once you can touch the top of a macaron without leaving a fingerprint, they are ready to go in the oven.
- Bake the macarons in the preheated oven for 16 minutes, rotating once halfway through. Then, remove them from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet.
- Make the buttercream: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a large bowl with a handheld mixer), beat together the unsalted butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Then, add in the powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt, and continue mixing until well combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl well with a rubber spatula to incorporate all the ingredients evenly.
- Assemble the macarons: Transfer the buttercream to a pastry bag fitted with a round tip. Once the macarons have cooled completely, pipe the buttercream onto one macaron, then sandwich another macaron on top. Repeat the process for all the macarons, then serve.
Notes
- In the past, I have had issues when trying to bake two trays of macarons at once, so I usually bake one tray at a time. However, this might not be an issue for you depending on your oven quality.
- Stored in an airtight container, these macarons will stay fresh in the fridge for about 3-5 days. Alternatively, you can also freeze macarons for up to 2 months.
Keywords: macarons, lemon, lemon macarons
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