Description
Delicate and tangy lemon macarons filled with luscious lemon buttercream, perfect for elegant desserts or special occasions.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 2 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- Yellow gel food coloring (optional)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (for filling)
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar (for filling)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (for filling)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (for filling)
Instructions
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Sift powdered sugar and almond flour together into a large bowl and set aside.
- In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until foamy, then gradually add granulated sugar and beat to stiff peaks.
- Fold in vanilla extract, lemon zest, and food coloring if using.
- Gently fold in the dry ingredients in batches until the batter flows like lava and forms ribbons.
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip and pipe small circles onto the prepared sheets.
- Tap the baking sheets firmly on the counter to release any air bubbles.
- Let the macarons rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes until a skin forms on top.
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C) and bake for 15-18 minutes, rotating halfway through.
- Let macarons cool completely on the baking sheet before removing.
- For the filling, beat butter until creamy, then add powdered sugar, lemon juice, and zest, beating until fluffy.
- Pipe or spread the lemon buttercream onto half of the macarons and top with the remaining shells.
Notes
- Use gel food coloring to avoid altering the batter consistency.
- Ensure almond flour is finely ground and sifted to avoid lumps.
- Macarons taste better after maturing in the fridge for 24 hours.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 macaron
- Calories: 100
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 10mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 10mg