Indulge in the zesty almond flavor of pink lemonade macarons. This irresistible dessert strikes the perfect balance of sweet and tangy in a charming, heart-shaped treat. Perfect for any occasion, these cookies are naturally gluten-free.
Tangy Pink Lemonade Macarons
Pucker up! If you’re looking for a light and refreshing dessert, these heart-shaped macarons with a tangy pink lemonade flavor are sure to satisfy. With their crunchy outer shells and chewy interiors, each bite offers a zing of lemon buttercream, leaving you wanting more.
Make Heart Pink Lemonade Macarons
Use a heart-shaped silicone mat to make heart macarons. This mat has indentations to help you pipe perfect hearts. Another alternative is to use a mat with hearts printed on it. Or you can trace hearts from a mini cookie cutter onto a sheet of parchment paper. Turn the paper over so the tracings face the cookie sheet, and pipe batter onto each heart. Be sure to trace with a dark pencil or pen so you can see the tracings easily when you flip the sheet. Note that flipping the parchment prevents your cookies from coming into contact with pencil or ink.
However, if you are already savvy at making macarons, you can freehand pipe them too. Otherwise, you can make round shells because they are just as cute when finished.
Perfecting Color with Gel Food Coloring
When adding color to your macaron shells, opt for gel food coloring rather than liquid. Liquid coloring can introduce excess moisture into the batter, which can upset the perfect balance of dry to wet ingredients.
To create a lovely blush color, start with just one or two drops of pink gel coloring. If you’re using thicker paste-like gels, use a toothpick or the tip of a sharp knife to pick up a small amount. Always begin with a small quantity and build up until you create your desired shade.
Pink Lemonade Macarons: Eliminating Air Bubbles
After you pipe the macarons onto the mat-covered cookie sheet, tap the pan firmly on a countertop to remove air bubbles. This step encourages bubbles to rise to the surface and pop. Additionally, tapping helps to smooth the batter, ensuring your macarons come out even and beautiful rather than rough and lumpy.
Creating the Perfect Macaron Shell
To create flawlessly smooth macarons, it’s crucial to prevent the outer shell from cracking during baking. After piping the batter into shells on your silicone mat, tap the pans against the countertop, then let them sit for at least 20 minutes. Test their readiness by gently touching the surface of one; if any batter sticks to your finger, let the shells dry longer. On humid days, this process may take up to an hour. When you test the shells, and no batter sticks to your finger, they are ready to bake.
Macaron vs. Macaroon: The Sweet Confusion
Have you heard macrons pronounced a couple of different ways? It’s important to clarify the difference between macarons and macaroons, as many people often confuse the two. The correct pronunciation is mac-a-ron, with the last part of the word ending in “-ron,” similar to the name Ron. Macarons are delicate, meringue-based cookies known for their colorful shells. At the same time, macaroons are coconut-based treats that lack the vibrant appearance of macarons.
Other Macaron Recipes You Might Enjoy
Click on each name or photo to link to the recipe.
Pink Lemonade Macarons
Equipment
- food processor
- fine wire mesh strainer
- silicone macaron mats with 1 1/2-inch heart indentations (or printed hearts silicone mat, or parchment paper)
- 1 medium-sized round piping tip
- 1 extra-large piping bag
- 1 small star piping tip
- 1 small piping bag
- baking sheets
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 ¾ cups almond flour (275 g)
- 2 cups + 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar (250 g)
- 6 large egg whites, room temperature
- ½ large egg white (place in a separate bowl from the other egg whites)
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon castor or granulated sugar (210 g)
- 3 drops food-grade lemon essential oil (optional) (see notes below for source)
- 1-2 drops pink gel food coloring
Buttercream
- ¾ cup butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks)
- 2 tablespoons cream or whole milk
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ½ cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
Instructions
Cookies
- Place a nonstick silicone baking mat or parchment paper on a baking sheet. (See notes below.) This recipe will make enough macarons for several baking sheets.
- Using a food processor, combine the almond flour and confectioners’ sugar and process until the mixture is fine. Then sift the flour mixture, discarding any large almond pieces if necessary. Set aside.
- Using a mixing bowl and the whisk attachment, beat 6 egg whites until foamy. Add 1/3 of the sugar and beat another minute until the sugar dissolves. Add half of the remaining sugar and beat another minute. Then, add the rest of the sugar and beat until firm, glossy peaks form, about a minute or two.
- Beat in the lemon oil drops.
- For pastel-colored cookies, add a small amount of pink gel coloring and beat until well mixed. (For darker pink cookies, add a larger amount of coloring.)
- Use a spatula to gently fold in the almond mixture into the egg whites. Mix well. The batter will be thick. Then, with a hand whisk, beat the 1/2 egg white until frothy. Stir this egg into the almond mixture to soften and moisten the batter.
- Snip off the end of the large piping bag and place the round tip into it. Then, place the batter into the bag. Fold the top of the piping bag over, then roll it down and hold the top so none of the batter can escape. Place the bag over the baking sheet and position it vertically upright. Pipe the batter on the mats or parchment paper. Leave room between each macaron for the batter to spread.
- Tap each baking sheet on the counter as you finish piping a full pan. Tapping will spread the macaron batter and also help remove air bubbles. Use a toothpick to burst any bubbles in the macarons. Let the macarons sit for about 30 minutes to form a dried skin on top. In dry climates, they might dry out in 10 minutes. In very humid climates, it might take longer. Test the macaron skins with your fingertip. If the batter sticks to your finger, they are not ready and should sit longer. If no batter sticks to your finger, they are cured for baking.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Bake the macaron shells for 14-15 minutes. Do not brown them or they will lose their color. Cool them completely after baking.
- Gently remove the macarons by pulling the mat (or parchment paper) away from the shells. Place the shells flat side up (upside down) on a large cutting board or another flat surface. This will make it easier to add the filling to them, and they will also be easier to pick up.
Buttercream
- Use an electric mixer to beat the butter until fluffy. Add the cream, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla, and beat until well mixed.
- Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating after each addition until smooth. If the frosting is too stiff, add more cream. If too soft, add a little more sugar.
- Add the star tip to the small piping bag. Then, add the frosting to the bag. Pipe small stars on half of the cookie shells. Then, gently place the remaining cookie shells on top of the cookie shells with stars.
Notes
Recipe Modified
This recipe was modified on March 23, 2026.Sources
Silicon Heart-Shaped Macaron Mat with heart indentations Silicon Heart-Shaped Macaron Mat with printed hearts Pure Lemon OilWeighing Ingredients
Macarons need precise measurements of dry ingredients. For best results, use a food scale to weigh the dry ingredients. Otherwise, measure carefully.Sugar
Castor sugar is the same as granulated sugar, except it has been ground finer. You can create your own by placing granulated sugar into a food processor and processing it until it has a fine texture.Gel Colorings
For the cookie shells, use a gel coloring that is not liquid. I used Wilton Rose food coloring.Baking Options
There are three options for baking these heart-shaped macarons. Alternatively, you can make round macarons.- Use parchment paper on a baking sheet. To help guide the size of the macarons, draw hearts on the parchment paper with a 1 1/2-inch mini heart cookie cutter, spacing them so the macarons have room to spread. Place the parchment paper with the pencil or ink-drawn hearts facing down against the baking sheet. You will be able to see the circles through the paper.
- Use a silicone nonstick baking mat with printed hearts.
- Or use a silicone mat with heart-shaped macaron cavities. This type of mat has small cavities that you fill with batter, so they all turn out uniform. Do not fill the cavities to the top, or the batter might run over the edges and distort the macaron shapes. It is better to fill them almost full, then use a toothpick to spread the batter until you gain experience filling the cavities.