Strawberry Lemon Macarons – Classic macaron shells filled with a lemon buttercream frosting and strawberry jam. This is a classic French dessert that tastes incredible!
Strawberry Lemon Macarons
Macarons are the best! Whether they are my ever super popular tiramisu macarons or new favorites like blood orange macarons, they are always such a wonderful treat. With Easter coming up soon, I knew that I just had to make a batch of strawberry lemon macarons to share at our holiday meal.
I chose to combine strawberry and lemon for this recipe because I thought those were two of the most quintessentially spring flavors! The macaron shells are made exactly how they usually are but with just a bit of pink food coloring to make them pop. You don’t add flavor to the shells because they are so incredibly temperamental that you just don’t want to mess with them. Instead, you add both lemon juice and lemon zest to the buttercream frosting that you fill the macarons with and a dollop of strawberry jam in the middle.
Now we all know that macarons are not the easiest dessert to make so to help you get through the process smoothly, I have pictures in the recipe card down below of the major steps so that you know that you are on the right track. Just take a deep breath, you’ve got this!
Common Questions About Making Strawberry Lemon Macarons
What is a strawberry lemon macaron?
Strawberry lemon macarons are classic french macarons that are filled with a lemon buttercream frosting and a dollop of strawberry jam.
Why did my macaron shells crack?
Don’t forget to let the shells dry out for 20-30 minutes before baking them! This step is necessary to help prevent cracking.
What is the difference between a macaroon and a macaron?
Macaroons are a coconut based cookie while macarons are an almond flour and meringue based dessert that typically has a frosting filling in the middle of two macarons, like a cookie sandwich.
How many times do I have to fold my macronage?
Generally, you have to fold it between 40-60 times. I suggest counting as you fold but it might end less or even more folds than that range.
Are macarons hard to make?
Macarons are a difficult dessert to master but if you closely follow the instructions and are careful, they can be wonderfully rewarding to make!
What other types of macarons can I make?
Some of my personal favorite macarons include –
- Lavender Lemon Macarons
- Chai Macarons
- Earl Grey Macarons
- Blood Orange Macarons
- Lemon Macarons
- Tiramisu Macarons
- Strawberry Macarons
- Raspberry Macarons
What do I need to make macarons?
So you can get as fancy or as basic as you want with your macaron supplies. I suggest having these items –
- Silicon mat or parchment paper – One of these are a must if you don’t want your macarons to get stuck to a pan and either will work perfectly fine. I usually use a plain silicon mat without any of the circles specifically for macarons because that’s just what I have but parchment paper will work well too. If you are new to making macarons and you want a guide, you can always draw circles that are 1.5″ across on parchment paper and place that right under your silicon mat so that you get the size right. Totally optional, I used to do it and it was helpful.
- Piping bags – These are a few dollars to pick up but I think they are super helpful for a wide variety of baked goods and decorating. Any type will do, just make sure that they are decently sized so that you can just put all of the frosting or batter in without having to refill it (because that just makes a mess). Worst case, use a gallon sized ziploc bag.
- Piping tips – So when I make macarons, I use a Wilton 2A or #10 as they are both pretty basic round tips that are about the same size across. I really suggest that you get one of those from your local craft or grocery store, they are a few dollars. Worst case, snip the end of a ziploc or piping bag so that there is a 3/8″ hole on one corner. For the filling, use any piping tip you want.
Do you need almond flour to make macarons?
Yes, almond flour is the key ingredient in a macaron. While some recipes try to use alternative flours instead of almond flour, they will no longer be true macarons.
Do you eat macarons cold?
Yes, macarons should be stored in a refrigerator and only removed immediately before serving to keep them at their best.
Can I use homemade strawberry jam?
Yes! Either store bought or homemade will work, I like to use THIS homemade strawberry jam recipe
Can I make these macarons with any other jams?
Of course! Some that would work well would be –
Looking for more spring dessert recipes? Check these out!
Strawberry Lemon Macarons
Strawberry Lemon Macarons - Classic macaron shells filled with a lemon buttercream frosting and strawberry jam. This is a classic French dessert that tastes incredible!
Ingredients
For the Shell
- 90 grams egg whites *(see recipe notes)
- 90 grams granulated sugar
- 95 grams powdered sugar
- 95 grams almond flour
For the Filling
- 1/2 cup butter (softened)
- 2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/4 cup strawberry jam
Instructions
For the Shell
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Place a heatproof bowl over a small pot of simmering water. Add the egg whites and granulated sugar to the bowl and whisk until the sugar fully dissolves - about 3 minutes.
- Transfer the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until they form stiff peaks - about 2 minutes.
- Add gel food coloring, if using. Then, sift the powdered sugar and almond flour into the egg whites using a fine mesh sieve.
- Fold in the dry ingredients gently by making a J-shape with your spatula.
- Once all of the dry ingredients have been incorporated, smush the batter against the sides of the bowl and fold it back together. Repeat a few times before testing the meringue. If you draw a figure 8 without the stream breaking, the meringue is ready. If the stream breaks, smush and fold a few more times before retesting.
- When the mixture is flowing smoothly, transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (I used a Wilton #10).
- Pipe 1.5" circles about 2" apart onto the baking sheets. Hold the tray off the counter and drop it straight down. Repeat 4-5 times until it looks like any large air bubbles have popped.
- Set the macarons aside to rest for 30 minutes or until you can touch them lightly and they stick to your finger.
- Bake the macarons one tray at a time for 14 minutes, turning the pan halfway through to allow for even baking.
- Allow the macarons to cool fully on the tray.
For the Filling
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the butter and beat on medium speed using a hand or stand mixer until it is light -- about 2-3 minutes.
- Gradually add the confectioners' sugar while the mixer is on low speed.
- Next, add in the lemon juice and lemon zest (and food coloring, if using). Turn the mixer up to high speed and beat until the icing is light and fluffy - about 3-4 minutes.
- Transfer the lemon buttercream to a piping bag fitted with your choice of tip.
Assemble and Age
- Place the macarons into similar sized pairs and pipe a ring of lemon buttercream around the edge of one shell of each pair. Fill the center with strawberry jam and place the second macaron shell on top, pressing them together gently. Repeat with the remaining macarons.
- Transfer the filled macarons to an airtight container and place them in the fridge to age overnight.
- Before serving, bring them to room temperature.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Notes
* Don't have a kitchen scale? Don't worry, I translated the metric measurements to the imperial system (i.e. cups, tablespoons, etc).
- Egg whites - Just a touch over 1/3 cup (fluid measurement)
- Granulated sugar - Just under 1/2 cup (dry)
- Powdered sugar - 3/4 cup (dry)
- Almond flour - 1 cup
I've tested the recipe using these exact measurements and found that it worked perfectly. Obviously, it's ideal if you have a kitchen scale but this will work.
* Aging the macarons overnight is not necessary but it does help bring out the flavors.
* I added 1/4 teaspoon of rose pink and 1/4 teaspoon of intense red gel food coloring to the macaron shell and 1/4 teaspoon lemon yellow gel food coloring to the filling— make sure to use gel food coloring, not liquid!
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