Lemon Macarons
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Lemon Macarons filled with homemade lemon curd and lemon buttercream. They are so fun to make! No template is needed to make these macarons. Please take a look at the instructions below and you will be surprised how easy it is to make lemon macarons.
Why you’ ll love this recipe
- No template is needed to make Lemon Shaped Macarons. Check also Apple or Pear Shaped Macarons.
- Macarons are gluten-free desserts, like Meringue Cookies.
- These Lemon Macarons are so light and airy and filled with homemade lemon curd.
Ingredients note
- unsalted butter at room temperature
- powdered sugar (sifted)
- fresh lemon juice
- pinch of salt
How to make this recipe
First, you need to make macaronage (macaron shells batter) and transfer it to a piping bag with a round tip. It doesn’t matter what recipe you use to make macaron shells, the same technique will apply to make lemon shapes. I used my basic French Meringue recipe. I also have an online video lesson on how to make macaron shells using the NO REST method. This method also works to make lemon-shaped macarons. You need to make macaronage like you usually do for pipping round macaron shells. Pipe round macaron shells on a prepared baking mat or parchment paper.
After pipping round macarons, pull out two little corners from each macaron with a toothpick or cookie scribe tool to create lemon-shaped macaron shells. That’s all you need to do! Then bang the tray against the counter a few times to release air bubbles.
Tip from Marina: Do not bang the tray before creating little corners of lemon-shaped macarons.
What great is about this technique, is that you don’t need a special template and you can make just a few lemon-shaped macarons from one batch.
To the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, add unsalted butter and whip on high speed for 2-3 minutes. Add sifted powdered sugar (½ cup at a time and beating to incorporate between additions). Add a pinch of salt and lemon juice. Check also Camila’s recipe; she adds lemon zest to buttercream. Beat for 2-3 minutes or until whipped and fluffy. After that, transfer the buttercream to the pipping bag with your favorite piping tip and fill the macarons. I like to use a Wilton 4B pipping tip or a Wilton 10-round tip to pipe buttercream.
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How to assemble macarons
Flip over half your macaron, then pipe a ring of buttercream around one macaron shell and fill the center with lemon curd. Top it with a second shell and gently press down to create a sandwich. Place macarons in the fridge in an airtight container to mature overnight.
Recipe FAQs
Store macarons in air tight container for 2-3 days in the fridge.
I would not recommend freezing macarons made with lemon curd. They get too wet when defrosting. However, you can fill them with lemon buttercream only and they will freeze well.
This can happen if you do not rest enough macaron shells before baking.
Over and under-beaten meringue can be one of the problems. However, wrong folding technique and incorrect baking temperature can also affect the result.
If you make these Lemon Macarons, please tag me on social media and leave a rating below. I would love to see your creations!
Recipe
Lemon Macarons
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- 1 spatula
- 1 kitchen scale
Ingredients
Macaron Shells
- 125 gr almond flour (1 cup)
- 150 gr powdered sugar (1 1/4 cup)
- 100 gr egg whites room temperature (from 3 large eggs)
- 100 gr white granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
- 1 gr yellow food coloring
Lemon Buttercream
- 113 gr (1 stick) unsalted butter room temperature
- 224 gr (2 cups) powdered sugar (sifted)
- 30 gr (2 tablespoon) fresh lemon juice
- pinch of salt
Instructions
How to make macaron shells
- In the mixing bowl sift together almond flour and powdered sugar. Set aside.
- In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer add room-temperature egg whites and start whisking on low speed. Start adding sugar one tablespoon at a time. Add yellow food coloring. Increase speed to medium-high and whip until stiff picks. This will take 10-15 minutes.
- Add dry ingredients and start folding the butter. When macaronage drips down from the spatula “like lava”, transfer into pipping bag with round tip.
- Pipe round macaron shells on the prepared baking mat. After pipping round macarons, pull out two little corners from each macaron with a toothpick or cookie scribe tool to create lemon-shaped macaron shells.
- Top the baking tray with pipped macarons a few times.
- Let shells rest on the countertop until no batter sticks to your finger when you touch them.
- Bake macaron shells in the preheated oven to 275o F (134o C) -300o F (150oC) for 12-14 minutes. Oven temperature and baking time may vary, depending on your oven.
- Remove baked macaron shells from the oven and let them cool on the baking mat with a baking sheet pan. When shells are cooled completely remove them from the baking mat and pair them with similar sizes.
How to make Lemon Buttercream
- To the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment add unsalted butter and whip on high speed for 2-3 minutes.
- Add powdered sugar (½ cup at a time and beat to incorporate between additions).
- Add a pinch of salt and lemon juice.
- Beat for 2-3 minutes or until whipped and fluffy.
- Transfer buttercream to the pipping bag and fill the macarons.