These Lemon Macarons are sunshine in cookie form—delicately crisp shells filled with silky lemon Swiss meringue buttercream and a pop of tart homemade lemon curd at the center. As a trained pastry chef, I’ve made countless macarons over the years, and this combo is one I return to again and again. With their bright citrus flavor and beautiful two-tone filling, they’re a joyful treat for springtime, gifting, or simply spoiling yourself with something special.
I still remember the first time I made lemon macarons that actually looked and tasted the way I’d hoped—smooth tops, dainty feet, and a creamy center that gave just the right burst of lemon. It felt like such a small victory after so many test batches in pastry school, and that lemony brightness is something I still dream about today!
These macarons are layered with flavor: a swirl of lemon curd–infused Swiss meringue buttercream surrounds a tiny piped dollop of tart, glossy lemon curd at the center. The contrast of textures—light, chewy, creamy, and tangy—is what keeps me coming back to this recipe. It’s a simple but elevated way to make lemon the star, as it should be!
If you're newer to macarons or want a refresher, I’ve created a foolproof macaron guide that walks through every step and troubleshooting tip. I always recommend starting there before diving into custom flavor variations like this one.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Double Lemon Filling – Tangy curd meets buttery lemon Swiss meringue for a bright, citrusy bite in every cookie.
- Pastry Shop-Worthy Results – With the right tools and a little patience, you’ll get smooth tops, crisp shells, and that signature chewy texture.
- Naturally Elegant – Their sunny yellow color and piped fillings make them as beautiful as they are delicious.
- Freezer-Friendly – Macarons store beautifully, so you can make them ahead and always have a treat on hand.
How to Make Lemon Macarons
Make Meringue & Prep Dry Ingredients:
Whisk egg whites in a stand mixer until foamy, then slowly add sugar. Beat to stiff peaks and mix in food coloring. Meanwhile, pulse and sift dry ingredients into a medium bowl.
Macaronage: Gently fold the sifted dry ingredients into the meringue until the batter is smooth, drippy, and flows off the spatula. Avoid overmixing—there’s no going back!
Pipe & Bake: Pipe batter onto a lined baking sheet in even rounds. Tap the tray to release air bubbles, rest until tops are dry, then bake until set with formed feet.
Make the Buttercream: Heat egg whites and sugar over a double boiler until sugar dissolves. Whip to stiff peaks, then add butter gradually. Mix until smooth, then blend in lemon curd to finish.
Add the Lemon Curd Center: Fill the center of each buttercream ring with a small dollop of lemon curd. It should sit neatly inside without spilling over the edges.
Sandwich & Rest: Top with a second macaron shell & place the filled macarons in an airtight container in the fridge and let them mature for 24–48 hours for best texture and flavor.
How to Serve & Store
These macarons are best served slightly chilled or at cool room temperature—just enough for the buttercream to soften and the curd to shine. They make an elegant addition to tea service, dessert platters, or sunny spring and summer gatherings.
Store filled macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. For best texture, let them come to room temperature for 15–20 minutes before enjoying.
To freeze, store assembled macarons in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then let rest at room temperature before serving.
More Lemon Recipes
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Lemon Macarons – Filled with Lemon Swiss Meringue & Curd
Equipment
Ingredients
Macarons
- 76 g (⅓ cup + 1 teaspoon ) Granulated Sugar
- 90 ml (About 3 egg whites) Room Temperature Egg Whites
- 80 g (¾ Cup + 1 Tbsp) Almond Flour, Blanched
- 150 g (1 ¼ Cup ) Confection’s Sugar, Powdered Sugar
- Yellow Gel Food Coloring
Lemon Curd
- 145 g (½ Cup & 1 Tablespoon) Lemon Juice
- 3 Eggs
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 150 g (¾ Cup) Granulated Sugar, packed
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 225 g (1 Cup) Unsalted Butter, softened
Lemon Curd Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- 75 g (⅓ Cup) Egg Whites
- 150 g (¾ Cup ) Granulated Sugar
- 225 g (1 Cup) Unsalted Butter, room temperature
- 200 g (1 Cup) Lemon Curd
Instructions
Macarons
- Line each baking sheet with your prepared parchment templates and prepare your piping bags along with your piping tips. I like to use a small, round piping tips for piping.
- Pour your egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer and start whisking on medium speed. Once they start to foam, slowly add your sugar and bring up your speed to medium for about three to four minutes.76 g Granulated Sugar, 90 ml Room Temperature Egg Whites
- While your meringue is whisking away, grind together your measured powdered sugar and almond flour using a food processor for one minute. Sift these dry ingredients into a large bowl with a fine sieve and set aside.80 g Almond Flour, 150 g Confection’s Sugar
- Your meringue is complete when it holds stiff peaks - add desired food coloring and gently whisk for a few additional seconds to incorporate,Yellow Gel Food Coloring
- Now it’s time for the ever so important Macaronage! This is the act of mixing your dry ingredients into your french meringue and folding these ingredients enough to allow for the perfect desired consistency. To start, pour your dry mixture onto the meringue and slowly start to fold with a spatula. While rotating the bowl, continue to fold ingredients together. Press mixture on the side of your bowl until the batter flows off your spatula rather slowly and smoothly. You should see that the batter will drip off the spatula back into the bowl, and rest on top for a moment. Then, the batter from your spatula will slowly sink back into the mixture. One too many folds and your batter could be over mixed leading to it being impossible to work with, so be careful not to overmix!
- Pour your macaron batter into your prepared piping bag and pipe in circles onto your templated parchment paper. In order to get rid of any air bubbles within your piped shells and to even out your tops, tap your baking sheet firmly on a flat surface. You can always use a toothpick to gently pop any extra air bubbles that you see hovering on top of your shells.
- Allow the shells to rest for approximately 30 minutes. Once the top of your shells are dry to the touch they are ready to bake!
- Place your macarons in your oven that has been preheated to 310 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 9 minutes, then rotate the baking tray and bake for an additional 2 minutes.
- You will know that your macarons are ready to remove from the oven when you gently touch the upper shell, and it barely moves, while the developed foot of the macaron stays set to the parchment paper. Remove from the oven to cool completely before removing shells from the parchment paper.
Lemon Curd
- In a saucepan, heat a few inches of water on medium and bring to a simmer. With a non-metal whisk, whisk together all ingredients other than the butter in a non-metal heatproof bowl, and place on top of the saucepan allowing the hot steam of the water to slowly heat the mixture.145 g Lemon Juice, 3 Eggs, 150 g Granulated Sugar, ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt, 1 Egg Yolk
- Take care to continuously mix while the temperature raises and the mixture thickens. Remove bowl from heat once a thermometer reads 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Continue whisking mixture continuously in order to help it cool down. Once the temperature has lowered to 135 degrees, add ½ inch pieces of butter to the mixture. Using an immersion blender or spatula, continue to blend until butter is fully incorporated. Place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the lemon curd and place in the fridge for 3-4 hours to chill.225 g Unsalted Butter
Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Add your sugar and egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer and place over a saucepan of boiling water. Make sure that your bowl is not touching the hot water! Your goal is to simply whisk the egg whites and sugar together over a gentle heat until the sugar has completely dissolved, then attach your bowl back to the standing mixer. The temperature of your egg whites and sugar should reach 170°F75 g Egg Whites, 150 g Granulated Sugar
- Whisk mixture starting at a low speed and gradually increase until soft peaks form and the mixture has cooled. Switch to using your paddle attachment, then start adding your butter bit by bit.225 g Unsalted Butter
- When you’ve reached the point where the buttercream is glossy and smooth, turn the mixer speed back to low.
- Add lemon curd, and mix on low until combined to complete.200 g Lemon Curd
Assembly
- Once cooled, the shells will peel easily off of your parchment paper. Find each shell’s matching half and pipe a ring of buttercream to the bottom shell, add a dollop of lemon curd into the center and top with the matching half. Place in the frige overnight for the perfect texture and taste!
Video
Notes
- Use an oven thermometer - Baking the shells at the right temperature is important, so I highly recommend using an oven thermometer.
- Storing your macarons - Technically, allowing your completed macarons to sit overnight in the fridge allows for the best texture for consuming! If you have the patience, place your macarons in the fridge overnight and enjoy the following day. Macaron shells can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for a month and still taste as good as new! Take the frozen macarons out of the freezer and let them sit for 10-15 minutes before enjoying, In the fridge, filled macarons should be stored in an airtight container for no more than 3 days.
- Practice makes perfect - It’s no secret that making macarons can be tricky. Just keep practicing and experimenting with different macaron flavors, and you’ll be a pro in no time!
Rory
Love the double filling!! These look like the perfect bite.