Jump to Recipe

With bright, citrusy flavors, this Lemon Lime Macarons recipe is the best! Plus, check out my tips and tricks for perfect macarons!

Hi friends! I don’t know about you, but I am beyond ready for spring! As much as I love the winter flavors and the snow is just beautiful, I am craving sunshine and warm days outside with the kiddos. Do you have a favorite season? 

These lemon lime macarons are the perfect dessert to kickoff spring! The light and citrusy flavors just make me happy, and I hope they make you happy too!

Macarons can seem a little intimidating, but have no fear! I will walk you through it step by step! I think one of the most intimidating things is that the ingredients are measured in grams versus the regular measurements we’re used to. But if you have a kitchen scale, it will make things a breeze!

How to Make Lemon Limes Macarons

We start by making the meringue shells. I like to make a template by drawing circles on the back of a sheet of parchment. Use a 1 1/2″ round cookie cutter to do this. Then put that parchment on a sheet pan with the marked side down.

Next, pulse together the powdered sugar, almond flour, and zest with a food processor until fine. Then sift the mixture until there are less than 2 tablespoons of almond bits left. Throw those out and set the mixture to the side.

Now onto the wet mixture! Combine the egg whites, cream of tartar, and sugar and whip in an electric mixture until stiff peaks form. Then add in the food coloring and extract and whip for another minute. Next, add the dry ingredients to the meringue and fold with a rubber spatula. Gently fold to deflate the meringue by pressing against the side of the bowl and scooping from the bottom until the batter is smooth and shiny.

Transfer the batter to a pastry bag with a round tip. Then pipe the batter onto the circles on the parchment paper. Tap the pan on the counter to release any bubbles, and bake the meringues at 300°F of r11-15 minutes. Make sure they cool completely before removing them from the parchment.

To make the filling, whip the butter with a stand mixer until light and creamy. Then, add your powdered sugar, heavy cream, lemon or lime zest, vanilla extract, and lemon extract and whip for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Using another pastry bag, sandwich the filling between two meringue shells. And that’s it! You will be a macaron making pro in no time! 

If you liked these Lemon Lime Macarons, check out these other homemade macaron recipes:

Lemon Lime Macarons
Yield: 10-12 servings

Lemon Lime Macarons

Ingredients

For the meringue shells

  • 110 grams superfine almond meal/flour
  • 155 grams confectioner’s sugar
  • Zest of one lemon or lime
  • 90 grams egg white (3 large egg whites)
  • 55 grams granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract or lime juice
  • Few drops of yellow or green food coloring (optional)

For the lemon & lime filling

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • Zest of 1 lemon or lime
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract

Instructions

    1. For the meringue shells
      Using a 1 1/2″ round cookie cutter, draw circles on the back of parchment paper and line the Half Sheet Pan from your KitchenAid® Professional-Grade Nonstick Quarter Sheet and Half Sheet Pan with the parchment paper, marked-side down.
    2. Using the KitchenAid® Pro Line® Series 16-Cup Food Processor, pulse the powdered sugar, almond flour and zest into a fine powder. Sift the mixture several times until there is less than 2 tablespoons of almond bits left. Discard leftovers and set the sifted mixture aside.
    3. In the bowl of your KitchenAid® Professional 600™ Series 6 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer fitted with the whisk, combine the egg whites, cream of tartar, and sugar. Whip on medium-high speed (4 or 6) until stiff peaks form, about 5-7 minutes. Add the food coloring and lemon extract and whip for another minute.
    4. Add the dry ingredients to the meringue and fold with a rubber spatula. Gently fold to deflate the meringue by pressing against the side of bowl and scooping from bottom until batter is smooth and shiny; about 20-25 folds. To check the consistency, use a spatula to scrape up some of the mixture. When the mixture is loose enough to fall off your spatula, stop folding. Start checking the batter after 20 folds.
    5. Transfer batter into a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip and pipe the batter onto the pre-traced circles on the Half Sheet Pan. Tap the Half Sheet Pan hard on the counter to release any air bubbles trapped in the batter. Let shells sit on the counter for 20-30 minutes or until dry to touch.
    6. Preheat your KitchenAid® Electric Convection Slide-In Range to 300°F. Bake the meringue for 11-15 minutes or until shells harden. Cool completely on the Half Sheet Pan before peeling from the parchment.

      For the filling and assembly
    7. Whip butter with your Stand Mixer on a speed of 2 until light and creamy. Then, add your powdered sugar, heavy cream, lemon or lime zest, vanilla extract, and lemon extract and whip for an additional 2-3 minutes.
    8. Using a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip, sandwich the filling between two meringue shells. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Allow to get to room temperature before enjoying!

Making this Recipe?

Share it with us on Instagram using #aclassictwist so we can see what you are baking up in your kitchen!

© A Classic Twist
Category: Macarons