Orange Macarons
Orange macarons flavored with fresh citrus zest and filled with orange buttercream are bright, balanced, and not overly sweet. A small dollop of homemade orange curd in the center of the filling adds depth, tang, and a contrasting texture that makes these macarons especially satisfying.
Table of contents
How These Orange Macarons Get Their Flavor
These macarons are flavored with fresh orange zest for the brightest, most natural orange flavor.
Orange juice adds acidity and a light citrus note, but the zest is where the aromatic oils live. Orange oil has a deeper, more concentrated flavor, which really comes through in the finished cookies.
For another layer of orange flavor, the buttercream includes a small amount of natural orange extract. Extract brings a slightly more floral orange note that complements the zest without overpowering it.
A dollop of orange curd in the center of the filling adds richness, tang, and contrast in both flavor and texture.
These macarons are delicious made with either regular or blood oranges. I made the shells and buttercream with regular orange, then used blood orange curd for a bright burst of color and flavor when you bite into the cookie.
This recipe follows my base French macaron method. If this is your first time making macarons—or if you want a full walkthrough with troubleshooting photos—start with my Vanilla Macarons.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Almond flour – Use premade almond flour or grind blanched almonds in a food processor. If you use almonds you’ll need to grind and sieve the mixture several times until you have no larger bits of almond left.
- Egg Whites – Use fresh egg whites that have been aged overnight in the refrigerator, or egg whites that were frozen from fresh and fully thawed. Do not use pasteurized egg whites unless the carton specifically states they are suitable for meringue.
- Cream of Tarter – Acidifies and stabilizes the egg whites. Because acidic foods brown less readily than neutral ones, the macaron shells are less likely to over-brown.
- Oranges – Use either regular oranges or blood oranges. I find navel oranges generally have a more fragrant zest than juice oranges.
- Food Color – Optional. But we do eat with our eyes so the pale orange color helps reinforce the flavor.
- Orange Curd – Adds a bright, tangy contrast to the buttercream filling. Orange marmalade is a good substitute if you don’t want to make curd.
Process Photos
Here’s what the recipe process looks like at each stage. Refer to the recipe card below for measurements and exact instructions.
- Finely grate the zest of a large orange over sifted almond and sugar mixture. Whisk to distribute the zest.
- Whip the egg whites to soft peak. Add drops of orange color until you get the color you like then whip to full peak.
- Fold the macaron base into the whites until the mixture is smooth and shiny but not runny.
- If you drizzle the batter over the surface it should hold a ribbon shape for several seconds before slowly smoothing out.
- Pipe the macaron shells onto a sheet of parchment paper set over the guide to keep the size of the shells consistent. Set the shells aside for 30 minutes to dry while the oven preheats.
- To check if the shells are baked gently shimmy the top of the shell. If it jiggles separately from the “foot” the inside is still too soft. If the top is attached to the foot and is smooth and dry, they’re done.
- Combine the ingredients for the buttercream in a mixing bowl. Mix on high speed until light and fluffy.
- Pipe a ring of buttercream over half the shells. Pipe or spoon a dollop of orange curd into the middle of the buttercream rings.
- Sandwich the cookies gently, handling the cookies by the edges and not the tops.
Filling Variations
These shells pair well with a wide range of fillings. Here are a few variations that work especially well with orange:
- Dark, Milk or White Chocolate ganache flavored with Grand Marnier and/or orange zest
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream flavored with orange zest and extract.
- Chocolate Whipped Cream
- Homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
- In place of the curd in the center, use blood orange marmalade.
Storage
- The finished cookies should be refrigerated in a covered container for a couple of hours or overnight before serving.
- Macarons can be stored at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- The cookies can be frozen for up to a month.
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Orange Macaron Recipe
Ingredients
Macaron Base Mix
- 6 oz almond Flour
- 2 oz granulated sugar
- 8 oz confectioner sugar
- 1 large orange (finely grated zest)
Macaron Shells
- 3 ½ oz egg whites (from 3 large eggs, see note)
- 1 ½ oz confectioner sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 12 oz macaron base mix
- orange gel food color (optional)
Buttercream
- 4 oz unsalted butter (room temperature)
- remaining macaron base mix
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- ¼ teaspoon natural orange extract
Assembly
- ½ cup orange curd (see note)
Instructions
Make The Base Mix
- Pulse 6 oz almond Flour, 2 oz granulated sugar, 8 oz confectioner sugar in a food processor 5-6 times until well-combined. Transfer the mixture to a sieve and sift into a bowl. Add the finely grated zest of 1 large orange and whisk to distribute evenly. Divide the base – setting aside 12 oz (336g) for the macaron shells and the remaining for the buttercream filling.
Make the Macaron Shells
- Use a biscuit cutter to draw 24 2" circles on a ½ sheet of parchment paper. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and put the paper with the circles underneath the parchment on one of the pans.
- Whip 3 ½ oz egg whites with ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar to soft peak. With the mixer running add 1 ½ oz confectioner sugar. Reduce the speed to medium low and add the food coloring, 1 drop at a time, until you have a color that you like. Whip to full peak.
- Fold the 12 oz macaron base mix into the whites in two batches. Continue folding until it becomes soft and shiny, but not thin and runny (see process photos). Scoop the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe the batter using the circles as a guide to keep the size consistent. Set the pan aside to allow the cookies to dry for 30-60 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300 °F.
- Touch the top of a cookie to make sure it's dry to the touch, it can be a bit tacky but shouldn't completely stick to your finger. Bake for 7-8 minutes then rotate the trays. Bake for another 5-6 minutes until the shells are dry and the centers are soft (see note).
- Allow the shells to cool completely. You can use a small offset spatula to release the shells from the parchment. Be careful handling the shells, it's very easy to crack the smooth surface.
Make the Buttercream Filling
- Combine 4 oz unsalted butter with ¼ teaspoon natural orange extract, remaining macaron base mix and 2 tablespoons orange juice. Whip on medium-high speed until the buttercream lightens in color and becomes aerated.
- Scoop the buttercream into a clean pastry bag fitted with a small plain or star tip. Pour ½ cup orange curd into a clean pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip or use a small spoon.
- Pair up the cooled shells by size. Flip over one shell per pair. Pipe a buttercream ring around the edge of each flipped shell. Pipe or spoon a dollop of curd into the middle of the buttercream rings. Sandwich the cookies gently, handling the cookies by the edges and not the tops.
- The finished cookies should be refrigerated in a covered container for a couple of hours or overnight before serving. The cookies can also be frozen for several weeks.
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Equipment
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