Lemon Buttercream Macarons

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Bake up these pretty lemon macarons filled with citrus buttercream. These yellow shells are the perfect bright and fresh macarons for the spring.

If you're looking for a bright and flavorful macaron, you have to try these lemon macarons. They're made with a bright yellow shell (using French meringue), then filled with a lemon infused buttercream.

These macarons are perfect for the spring or even as an Easter dessert. If you prefer a lighter or more tart flavored macaron, this recipe is perfect!

If at any point you need additional help with your macaron shells, be sure to check out my macaron baking course. It will teach you all the techniques needed to achieve perfect macarons, every single time!

What You'll Learn In This Recipe

How to make lemon macarons with a citrus buttercream filling.
Helpful tips for new macaron bakers - what steps are most important to get correct.
Troubleshooting steps to try if your macarons aren't turning out correctly.

Enjoy learning tips about making macaron shells? Sign up for my free macaron template and email series. You'll learn my favorite tricks for achieving perfect macarons.

Ingredients You Need

lemon buttercream macaron filling with labels.

Egg whites: To prepare the egg whites, you'll need to separate them by hand from the yolks. Then, allow the egg whites to come to room temperature before making the meringue.
Almond flour: I like to use Blue Diamond almond flour. Whatever brand you buy, be sure it's blanched almond flour (without the skins) that is finely ground.
Confectioners' sugar: You may also hear this ingredient called powdered sugar or icing sugar. Be sure to sift the confectioners' sugar and almond flour together before making the lemon macarons.
Cream of tartar: While technically this ingredient is optional, it helps to ensure your meringue whips up with proper texture.
Granulated sugar: This ingredient is added to the egg whites as they are whipped to make the base of the macarons with a French meringue.
Gel food coloring: Always use gel food coloring (not liquid) to color the meringue. This will result in bright colored shells.

Check out the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and exact measurements.

How To Make This Recipe

Here's a step-by-step photo guide to making lemon macarons. This will be especially helpful if you're a new macaron baker. Pay close attention to the texture and feel of the macaron batter.

four numbered photos showing how to make yellow macaron batter.

1. First, start with some prep work:

Separate the egg whites from the yolks.
Measure and sift the dry ingredients.
Prepare the piping bag and a baking sheet.

Once that's ready, add room temperature egg whites and cream of tartar to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip on medium-low speed until the eggs are very foamy, about 3 minutes.

2. Add a third of the granulated sugar at a time, allowing the mixer to beat in each batch of sugar for about 45 seconds before adding in another batch.

3. Once all the granulated sugar is incorporated, turn the mixer speed to medium-high and allow the egg whites to continue to whip until stiff peaks form, about 10 - 11 minutes. Add yellow gel food coloring once the egg whites reach soft peaks stage.

4. It's important to check that the meringue has reached stiff peaks. To test the meringue stiffness, pull the whisk out. A stiff peak should stand straight up (no curl at the tip).

four numbered photos showing how to mix and pipe yellow macaron batter.

5. Pour the sifted almond flour and confectioners' sugar into the meringue mixture and gently fold them together using a silicone spatula.

6. Next, it's time to macaronage (mix) the batter until it reaches the correct pipable consistency. Slowly spread the mixture along the side of the bowl, then wipe it back down. Be sure to do this gently. Repeat until the mixture has reached a smooth, shiny, flowing consistency.

You can test this by lifting your spatula and seeing if the batter drops almost like lava. Once the batter drops back into the bowl, it should take about 10 - 15 seconds for the ribbon that formed to "disappear" back into the rest of the batter.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared piping bag. Hold the bag vertically, and pipe 1.5 inch (3.8 cm) circles. Once you have reached the desired size, release the pressure on the bag and twist your wrist without lifting up.

8. Tap the sheet pan down the counter a few times to release any air bubbles, then pop the large bubbles with a toothpick.

four numbered photos showing how to make lemon buttercream filling and how to fill macarons.

9. Allow the batter to sit on the counter and dry for 60+ minutes until a thin "skin" develops, and you can touch the tops without ruining the macaron.

Once dry, bake one sheet of macarons at a time on the center rack of the preheated oven for 19 - 23 minutes.

10. Next it's time to make the lemon buttercream. Start by beating the butter in a stand mixer until it's light and fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice, and salt.

11. Finally, mix everything until you have a creamy texture.

12. Match up macaron shells so they are paired with a similar size/shaped shell. Pipe the filling on one side of the macaron shell then place the matching shell on top.

Expert Tips

Here are some helpful tips for baking macaron shells if this is your first time:

Be sure the meringue is fully whipped to stiff peaks. The meringue should feel sturdy and have a peak that stands straight up. Especially with a French style meringue, the meringue must be properly whipped or the macarons will not bake up properly.
Be sure not to over macaronage (mix) or under macaronage the batter. If the macaron batter is too thin (over macaronaged) the macarons will bake up flat with ruffled feet. If the batter is too thick (under macaronaged) you'll have shells with bumpy tops and tall feet.
All home ovens vary slightly, so you may need to adjust your baking temperature. If you've never baked macarons before, I'd suggest performing an oven temperature experiment, to see which temperature is best.

Macaron FAQs

Are you having trouble with your macaron shells turning out correctly? Don't worry! Use this troubleshooting guide or check out the frequently asked questions below.

How do I store my macarons?

Store these lemon macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. When you're ready to eat the macarons, allow them to come to room temperature.

Why are my macarons flat?

Here are a few common causes of flat macarons:

1. The oven is too hot or too cold: If your oven is too low, you'll notice that the macarons won't properly rise. Not only will they be flatter than a normal macaron, but the feet will be short (under 2 millimeters), and the tops will likely be wrinkly or indented.

On the other hand, if your oven is too hot, the shells will be flat because proper feet will not form. The macarons will bake too quickly on the outside, leaving a moist interior that doesn't properly rise.

2. You under whipped the meringue: You didn't whip your meringue to stiff peaks. Under whipped meringue won't be strong enough to properly rise in the oven. It can lead to flat, wrinkled, or weak macaron tops.

3. You over macaronaged your batter: Another common issue that results in flat macarons is over macaronaged batter. Macaronage is a term that refers to folding the dry macaron ingredients (almond flour and confectioners' sugar) into the meringue. This process smooths the mixture and helps the macarons bake with proper structure.

When you over macaronage, you'll notice the batter is very thin and easily falls off the spatula. You'll also notice that the batter spreads really easily when piped. It might even fall out of your piping bag when transferring from one circle to the next on your piping template.

If you're still having trouble, check out my troubleshooting guide for flat macarons.

Why are my macarons cracked?

Here are a few common causes of cracked macarons:

1. Your oven is too hot: Most likely, cracked macarons are related to oven temperatures that are too hot. To fix this issue, you'll first want to purchase an oven thermometer.

This inexpensive cooking tool will allow you to see if your oven is heating to the temperature you're setting it to. Oftentimes, home ovens are known for heating hotter or colder than you set the temperature to.

2. Your meringue is under or over whipped: Both under-whipped and over-whipped meringue can result in cracked shells. This is because the meringue needs to have the proper structure in order to rise in the oven.

Weak meringue will not be strong enough to withstand the heat of the oven when baked, causing a cracked top. Alternatively, meringue that has been over-whipped won't have enough air incorporated to properly expand in the oven.

3. You didn't rest your macarons long enough: It's important to allow your macarons to rest on the counter until they've formed a skin.

Typically, you'll need to allow the shells to rest for about 45 - 60+ minutes on the counter until a skin has formed on top. If you live in a humid climate, this may take up to 90+ minutes.

4. You have air bubbles in the macarons: Did you put your macarons in the oven without banging them on the counter? Oftentimes, air bubbles are trapped in the macaron batter. Air bubbles occur naturally in the batter during the macaronage and piping process.

In order to avoid cracked macaron shells, you need to release and pop these air bubbles, otherwise, they will burst in the oven and ruin the shells.

If you're still having trouble, check out my troubleshooting guide for cracked macarons.

Why are my macarons wrinkled?

Here are a few common causes of wrinkled macaron shells:

1. You used too much cocoa powder: Using too much cocoa powder can cause your macarons to bake up wrinkled. Even 10 grams more can have a huge impact on the macaron shells. Be sure to follow the specific measurements listed in the recipe card below.

2. Your oven temperature is too low: To remedy this, you'll first need to purchase an oven thermometer, and place it in the center rack of your oven to double-check the temperature reading before baking the macarons.

Next, you'll need to play around with your temperature settings. I usually recommend heating your oven to 300°F (150°C) and adjusting from there. Pipe a set of 4 - 6 macarons on a baking sheet and test just a few macarons at a time (so you don't ruin a whole batch).

3. You over or under whipped the meringue: One of the most important techniques to learn, especially when making macarons, is how to whip egg whites to stiff peaks.

Egg whites that are under whipped or over whipped can result in wrinkled shells, weak tops, and macarons that will not properly rise.

4. You over macaronaged the batter: Another common issue related to wrinkly macaron shells is over macaronaging.

Macaronage is a term that refers to folding the dry macaron ingredients (almond flour and confectioners' sugar) into the meringue. This process smooths the mixture and helps the macarons bake with proper structure.

To properly macaronage, you should fold the batter until it reaches a lava-like consistency. You can test this by lifting your spatula and seeing if the batter drops almost like lava. Once it drops off the spatula, the batter that was dripped should fade back into the batter within 10 - 15 seconds.

If you're still having trouble, check out my troubleshooting guide for wrinkly macarons.

Why are my macarons soft?

Here are a few common causes of weak/soft macaron shells:

1. Your meringue is under whipped. French meringue needs to be properly beaten in order to form a strong macaron. Make sure that you're beating the meringue to stiff peaks.

To test the meringue stiffness, pull the whisk out. A stiff peak should stand straight up (no curl at the tip). Signs that you're ready to test the stiffness include seeing lines left from the beaters in your eggs. In addition, the meringue starts to almost ball up inside the whisk attachment. You'll also know it's ready because you can fully flip the bowl over and nothing moves or falls out.

2. The macaron shells are underbaked. If you don't give your macaron shells enough time to bake in the oven, a sturdy outside will never develop. Make sure to check that the macarons are done before pulling them out of the oven. If you touch the shell and it wiggles or is still sticky/wet, you know they need to bake longer.

Chocolate macarons in particular need to be baked for a longer time in the oven compared to regular macarons. If you notice your chocolate macarons are fragile or have speckled tops after they cool, you likely need to bake them longer.

Why are my macaron feet messed up?

Here are a few common causes of small feet, no feet, or feet that have ruffled/spread too far:

1. Your oven temperature is too high or too low: Work on dialing in your oven temperature. You may have to try a few different oven temperatures in order to find the perfect temperature for your home oven. You can read more about my experiments with oven temperature if you're curious to learn more.

2. You didn't rest the macarons long enough: Typically, you'll need to allow the shells to rest for about 45 - 60+ minutes on the counter until a skin has formed on top. If you live in a humid climate, this may take up to 90+ minutes.

3. You over or under macaronaged the batter: If you've over macaronaged your batter, it will be too thin and runny. This will cause your macarons to fall flat with small feet or even no feet. An overworked batter can also cause the macarons to spread out horizontally, rather than rising up vertically.

If you're still having trouble, check out my troubleshooting guide for macaron feet.

Why are my macaron shells hollow?

Here are a few common causes of hollow macaron shells:

This is the last troubleshooting problem you should worry about. Before perfecting your macarons so they don't have hollows, make sure all the other properties are correct:

1. The meringue is over and under whipped: In order to prevent hollows, you need the perfect consistency of meringue before starting the macaronage process. Oftentimes, adding in acid, like cream of tartar, can help stabilize your meringue and allow more time for the air to get incorporated.

2. The batter was over or under macaronaged: The macaronage stage, which refers to working your batter to the proper consistency, is a technique that takes a while to master. If you've worked the batter to a lava-like consistency and you're still getting hollow shells, try working it a tad less.

3. Your oven temperature is too high or low: Oven temperature plays a big role in hollow macarons. Unfortunately, due to the capabilities of home conventional ovens, you have to test and play around with the temperature to get your macaron shells perfect. Most recipes suggest baking macarons anywhere from 275°F (135°C) - 325°F (163°C). Test these temperature ranges out with your home oven and an oven thermometer to see what works best.

If you're still having trouble, check out my troubleshooting guide for hollow macarons.

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