Blackberry Lemon Lavender Macarons (video)
Putting the ‘French’ into French macarons with these lavender macarons! These delicate French cookies are made with lavender flavored almond cookies, filled with a zesty and fruity blackberry buttercream and just a dollop of home-made lemon curd! You’re going to love the incredible flavor combination!
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Lavender French Macarons
My lavender French macarons start with the lavender cookie. These delicate almond wafers are actually one of my favorite things to make! I like to use the French method of making macarons and this recipe is no exception. For the most lavender flavor, I recommend adding the tiniest little bit of edible lavender oil; check below for the product links! Since it tends to be very strong, a little bit goes a long way! I also recommend using either concentrated gel food coloring or powder food color. Macaron recipes are very finicky and any additional liquid or oils can lead to a serious flop!
Tips for Making French Macarons
Here are few tips to help you with baking and enjoying these lavender cookies!
- Whisk the egg whites just until they reach stiff peak stage. Under mixing will result in a flat batter; over mixing can cause the cookies to spread while baking.
- I like to use the fold and flatten method. Fold the batter thoroughly, flattening the egg whites against the side of your mixing bowl. BUT, be careful – you don’t want to over mix the batter! That will also cause your cookies to be just flat, shapeless disks.
- Allow those macarons to REST! Let the cookies stand for an hour at room temperature, allowing a thin shell to form on the outside. This shell gives the cookies their shape so it’s crucial! If your macarons are cracking on top, you might need to let the cookies rest longer. If you live in a humid climate, extend the timing even more as humidity and moisture will prevent a shell from forming.
- If you are baking colored or white macarons on parchment paper and want to avoid a burnt or yellow bottom, line the bottom of pan with a silicon mat. I prefer to bake on parchment paper because I get better results but every oven bakes different so try both methods!
- I recommend keeping these refrigerated for at least two days to allow the macarons to ‘mature’. When they ‘mature’, the shells become softer and even more delicious! Take them out at least an hour before enjoying to allow the cookies to thaw and come up to room temperature.
Making the Blackberry Buttercream Filling
I love the flavor combination of blackberry and lavender so it seemed like the perfect filling for these lavender French macarons! For adding the most berry flavor, I add blackberry preserves to the buttercream. And, for a zesty kick, I also like to add citric acid. This ingredient is optional but it’s the best way to add a real zesty and lemon kick without ruining the buttercream with lemon juice. Make sure to add the preserves at the very end of the recipe and mix for just 5 to 10 seconds; overmixing will cause the buttercream to break. Then, place the buttercream into the fridge for about 30 minutes to thicken, then use it to fill the lavender macarons.
The Lemon Curd Filling
And, for one last bit of flavor, I like to add a dollop of home-made lemon curd into the center of each cookie. I love to use my home-made lemon curd recipe; you can watch my ‘Back to Cake Basics’ episode for an in-depth video tutorial. If you don’t have the time to make the lemon curd, the bottled variety will also work well for this recipe. If you are planning to make home-made lemon curd, save the egg whites from that recipe for the macarons! My lemon curd recipe makes a large amount, about 2 cups. Save the extra for spreading on toast or use it for my ‘Classic Fruit Tart’ recipe!
More Recipes!
Enjoyed this recipe for lavender macarons? Check out some of my other recipes you’re sure to love!
- Triple Lemon Macarons – with a lemon shell, lemon buttercream and lemon curd filling!
- Blackberry Lavender Mousse Cake – this no-bake cake is filled with blackberries and topped with lavender jello!
- Peach Lavender Cake – delicate lavender cake layers with peach preserves!
- Chocolate Lavender Pavlova – chocolate meringue topped with lavender cream and berries!
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Supplies/Tools
Need some supplies to make this recipe? You can get them here (Amazon affiliate links):
- When making these lavender macarons, make sure to use an edible lavender oil/extract!
- For a real, zesty kick to the blackberry buttercream, add a bit of food-grade citric acid.
- I love this brand of powder food coloring – it’s the perfect way to add color without changing consistency.
- Use these silicone mats for baking macarons, cookies and cakes.
- I always use disposable pastry bags and this set of jumbo cake decorating tips has most of my favorite one!
Blackberry Lemon Lavender Macarons recipe (video)
Ingredients
For Lavender Macarons:
- 1 2/3 cups confectioners sugar
- 120 g fine almond flour
- 100 g egg whites, about 3 large egg
- 50 g white granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp purple powder food coloring
- 4 to 5 drops edible lavender oil
For Blackberry Buttercream:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1/2 tsp citric acid
- purple food coloring
- 3 tbsp seedless blackberry preserves
For Filling:
- 1/4 cup lemon curd, for filling
- see recipe link above for ‘Home-Made Lemon Curd’ recipe
Instructions
- Prepare the macaron batter first. Place the almond flour and confectioner’s sugar into a fine mesh sifter and sift the flour and sugar into a large bowl. Sift through twice if desired for a more smooth finish on the macarons.
- Place the eggs white and granulated sugar into a mixer bowl and whisk on high speed for 2 to 3 minutes, just until stiff peaks form; don’t overmix. Add the food coloring and lavender oil and mix again for about 20 seconds, just until incorporated. Transfer the egg whites into the dry ingredients. Use the ‘fold and flatten’ method, folding the meringue into the flour and flattening it against the mixing bowl. Fold until the batter reaches ribbon stage – it should ribbon of the spatula and settle down within 10 to 15 seconds.
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Transfer the macaron batter into a pastry bag tipped with a simple round tip. Pipe 1-inch dollops of the batter onto the prepared paper, spacing about 1 1/2-inches apart. After piping the entire pan, tap the baking sheet again your work surface to release any trapped air bubbles. Allow the cookies to rest at room temperature for at least an hour, for a thin shell to form on the outside.
- Preheat the oven to 320F and bake the rested cookies for 18 to 19 minutes. Please note – each oven bakes slightly differently and because this recipe requires precise temperature, your oven temperature and baking time might vary by a few degrees and minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan.
Blackberry Buttercream:
- Meanwhile, prepare the blackberry buttercream. Place the softened butter, confectioner’s sugar, citric acid and food coloring into a large mixing bowl. Whisk on high speed with a mixer or hand whisk for 3 to 4 minutes, until the frosting is fluffy. Add the blackberry preserves last and mix for 5 to 10 seconds, just until incorporated. Place the frosting into the refrigerator to set for at least 30 minutes; do this while the cookies are baking and cooling.
Assembling the Cookies:
- To assemble the cookies, first pair them off by size. Transfer the buttercream into a pastry bag tipped with a star tip; I used French star tip #4. Pipe a ring of frosting onto the cookies, leaving the center empty. Pipe a dollop of lemon curd into the center, then sandwich the cookies together. Place the assembled cookies into the fridge to set for 30 minutes, then transfer into an airtight container and refrigerator for at least 1 day, allowing the cookies to mature. Remove the macarons from the fridge about 30 minutes before enjoying, to allow the frosting to soften.
