Key Lime Macarons

These French macarons pack a big flavor punch even though the cookie is so small! But rest assured, with a base of almond flour, these small cookies are more filling than some cookies twice their size.

Made with either key lime juice or regular lime juice (depending on what is available to you) the buttercream inside the cookies is where all the tangy taste lies. And you will not be disappointed if you are looking for a bite of sweet lime tartness!

These macarons are great for any occasion but put a few drops of green coloring in them and they become a perfect St. Patrick’s Day cookie.

I used fondant and colored it black to make a leprechaun belt, hatband, or what other interpretation you would like to attribute to it.

Then I cut out “buckles” from gold-colored fondant. A little tricky to cut out, I found that they cut easier after the fondant dries out a little bit.

But don’t worry, the buckles don’t have to be perfect to give the look of St. Patrick’s Day and leprechauns.

Print Recipe

Key Lime Macarons

Key lime macarons decorated to resemble a leprechaun hat

Votes: 2
Rating: 5
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Course

Anytime, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine

French

Keyword

Cookie Recipe, Macaron Recipe, Macarons

Prep Time

20

Cook Time

12-15 minutes

Passive Time

45 minutes

Servings

MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

Cookies

• 140 grams almond flour
• 130 grams powdered sugar
• 100 grams egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 90 grams granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 drops food grade lime essential oil (optional)
• Green food coloring gel
• Macaron mat with 1.5-inch circle indentations

Key Lime Buttercream

• 3 tablespoons salted butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon cream (or whole milk)
• 1 tablespoon fresh Key lime juice (or regular fresh lime juice)
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pastry bag with medium star tip (or quart zipper bag with small hole cut in bottom corner)

Belt and Buckle

• white fondant (from premade boxed fondant)
• Black food coloring gel
• Golden yellow food coloring gel

Course Anytime, Dessert, Snack Cuisine French Keyword Cookie Recipe, Macaron Recipe, Macarons Prep Time 20 Cook Time 12-15 minutes Passive Time 45 minutes Servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients Cookies 140 grams almond flour 130 grams powdered sugar 100 grams egg whites 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 90 grams granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 drops food grade lime essential oil (optional) Green food coloring gel Macaron mat with 1.5-inch circle indentations Key Lime Buttercream 3 tablespoons salted butter, softened 1 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon cream (or whole milk) 1 tablespoon fresh Key lime juice (or regular fresh lime juice) 1 teaspoon lime zest 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Pastry bag with medium star tip (or quart zipper bag with small hole cut in bottom corner) Belt and Buckle white fondant (from premade boxed fondant) Black food coloring gel Golden yellow food coloring gel

Votes: 2 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

Cookies

1. In a medium bowl, sift together almond flour and powdered sugar, discarding any almond pieces that will not sift. Repeat. Set sifted ingredients aside.
2. In a large clean mixing bowl with the mixer’s whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Beat in the cream of tartar. Add the granulated sugar one tablespoon at a time while continuing to beat. Then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until stiff peaks form. To check for stiff peaks, detach and turn the whisk upside down. The peak is stiff if it stands up straight up without collapsing.
3. Add lime oil, key lime juice, and green food coloring gel. Beat on medium speed for one more minute until green. For deep green color, add extra food coloring gel.
4. Add 1/2 of the sifted almond flour/sugar mixture to the whipped egg whites and mix until mostly incorporated. Then add the remaining almond flour mixture. Gently fold the mixture, running the spatula clockwise up around the sides. Do not overmix. Test to see if the batter is ready by picking up a dollop of batter on the spatula and dropping it back into the bowl. The dropped batter should take 30 seconds to flatten back into the bowl batter. If not, fold again, test, and repeat. Once your test dollop smooths out in 30 seconds, STOP folding. If overfolded, the mixture will be runny and will make hard, flat cookies.
5. Transfer the batter into a pastry bag with a large round tip or into a gallon zipper bag with the corner cut off. Pipe onto the macaron mat in the indentations provided. Fill the entire circle. If needed, use a toothpick to spread the batter to completely fill the indentations.
6. Tap the baking sheets firmly on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Let the macarons dry out 30-45 minutes to form a skin on top. Test by touching. If no batter sticks to your finger, they are ready. If not, let them sit a little longer and test again.
7. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Bake the macarons for 12-15 minutes on the middle rack, rotating the cooking sheet after half the cooking time. Keep a check and do not let them brown or they will lose their green color and overcook. They are done if they feel hard and you can detach one easily from the mat.
8. Cool completely. Then carefully remove cookies from the mat by pulling the mat away from the cookie.

Key Lime Buttercream

1. In a clean mixing bowl with the whisk attachment, beat the butter until fluffy.
2. Add powdered sugar, cream, key lime juice, lime zest, and vanilla extract and beat until well combined. Pipe frosting on half of the macaron cookies and then add the other cookie halves to make a sandwich cookie. Macarons can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 5 months.

Recipe Notes

• You can substitute regular lime juice for key lime juice.  Just be sure to use fresh-squeezed juice for the best taste.
• Macaron mats are best for beginners to use making macarons.  If you don't have a macaron mat, you can make your own with parchment paper.  Pull off a sheet of parchment paper to fit your baking sheet.  Draw circles on the paper.  To ensure consistent size, draw around a small drinking glass or another small round item that is 1.5 inches in diameter.  Leave at least 1/2 inch between circles.  Once all the circles are drawn, turn over the paper so the cookies don't touch the pencil marks. Pipe batter into the drawn circles.  Hold the piping bag straight above the circles (perpendicular) to pipe the batter.  This will help keep the macarons circular.
• You can usually find a box of white fondant at some grocery stores and craft stores that sell cake supplies.  Here is an online source.  If you keep fondant tightly wrapped it will keep for future projects.