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Lemon Macarons

Michele Pesula Kuegler
Delightful little cookies with a sweet & tart filling
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Prep Time 1 hour 2 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Servings 15

Ingredients
  

  • 3 egg whites room temperature
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • Pinch salt
  • 5-6 drops yellow food coloring
  • 1/2 tsp. lemon extract
  • 1-3/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • Frosting
  • 6 Tb. butter softened
  • 1-1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 Tb. lemon juice
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 tsp lemon extract
  • 6 drops yellow food coloring
  • 1 Tb. milk

Instructions
 

  • Draw 2” circles approximately 2 inches apart on parchment paper.
  • Line baking sheets with parchment paper (written side down).
  • Sift powdered sugar into medium-sized bowl.
  • Add almond flour to powdered sugar, using fingers to break up clumps.*
  • Whisk sugar and flour in a small bowl to combine.
  • Whisk egg whites in bowl of stand mixer until foamy.
  • Add sugar and continue whisking until firm peaks are formed.
  • Add salt, food coloring, and ½ tsp lemon extract, and whisk for 10 seconds.
  • Add powdered sugar mixture to egg whites in 4 parts, folding between each.
  • Using a small, plain nozzle, pipe cookie batter into circles.
  • Bang trays on counter to remove air, and allow to sit for 30 minutes before baking.**
  • Preheat oven to 300.
  • Bake for 16-18 minutes, rotating trays halfway through baking.
  • Allow to cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes.
  • Cream butter in bowl of stand mixer, using paddle attachment.
  • Turn mixer off, add powdered sugar, lemon juice, zest, and extract, and turn to low speed to combine.
  • Add milk, and mix at speed 2 until combined.
  • To assemble
  • Remove cookies from parchment paper and match like-sized cookies.
  • Transfer buttercream to pastry bag fitted with small, plain nozzle.
  • Pipe a small amount of frosting to bottom of one cookie in each pair; top with other cookie.
  • To allow frosting to set up, place finished macarons in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.

Notes

*Typically the almond flour is sifted, but I found it difficult to sift. Rubbing with my fingers removed all lumps.
**The tops of the macarons should feel firm before baking.