Orange Macarons with Orange Curd
Orange French macarons are a delicacy of their own. They are often filled with orange curd, marmalade, and buttercream that almost melts in the mouth. My foolproof macaron recipe is simple and easy, and it will have you making macarons over and over again successfully.
When I had my cake business, macarons weren’t always on the menu, but every now and then, I’d get requests to add a small box alongside a wedding cake or dessert table. That’s actually how these orange macarons came about — a client asked for something citrusy to complement a three-tier orange blossom wedding cake I was making. I had just made a fresh batch of orange curd for the filling, so I thought, why not match it in the macarons too?
They turned out so good — filled with Swiss meringue buttercream and that tangy curd — that I started offering them as an option anytime someone asked for custom favors. Later, I tried filling them with dark chocolate ganache instead (mostly to test a flavor pairing for another cake order), and my son decided those were the winner. Now I always make both versions — and they still make regular appearances at family brunches and birthdays long after I stopped taking custom cake orders.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Two Fillings, One Recipe – Whether you’re into fruity or chocolatey, this macaron has you covered.
- Bright and Beautiful – That pop of orange is gorgeous on a dessert table or gift box.
- Bakery-Level Texture – Light, crisp shells with soft, creamy centers.
- Flavor You Can Build On – The orange base works with buttercream, curd, ganache, or even white chocolate!
Ingredients for macarons
- Egg whites – Always weigh! Fresh or aged, but room temp.
- Almond flour – Finely ground and blanched; no skins.
- Powdered sugar – Icing sugar only, not caster sugar.
- Food coloring – Use gel or powder, not liquid.
- Butter – Unsalted, European-style butter is best for SMBC.
- Chocolate – Use high-quality dark chocolate (60–70%) or bittersweet.
- Orange juice – Fresh is best, but bottled works in a pinch.
Step- by- step: Orange macarons Recipe
Macaron Shells
- Prep the Shells: Pulse the almond flour and powdered sugar in a food processor, then sift them twice. Separate egg whites and bring to room temperature. Prepare baking trays with silicone mats or parchment.
- Make the Meringue – Whip the egg whites and a pinch of salt until foamy. Gradually add granulated sugar and beat to stiff, glossy peaks. Add a few drops of orange gel color. (Optional: Add zest or extract here.)
- Macaronage – Fold the dry ingredients into the meringue until the batter flows like thick lava. Batter should ribbon off the spatula and settle within 10–15 seconds. Avoid overmixing.
- Pipe and Rest – Pipe 1½-inch rounds on the prepared trays. Tap trays to remove air bubbles and smooth tops. Rest 30–60 mins until the surface is dry to the touch.
- Bake – Bake at 300°F / 150°C for 12–14 minutes. Cool completely before removing from trays.
Frosting
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream – In a heatproof bowl, combine the egg whites and sugar. Place over a pan of simmering water (double boiler) and whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves (about 160°F / 71°C). Remove and whip until stiff peaks form, then let the bowl cool. Add soft butter, a little at a time, and beat until smooth and creamy. Mix in vanilla and (optional) a spoonful of orange curd.
Filling
1 Orange Curd (for center filling) – In a saucepan, combine egg yolks, orange juice, lemon juice, sugar, and zest. Cook on low heat, stirring constantly until thickened (coats the back of a spoon). Remove from heat and whisk in butter. Cool completely before using.
2. Chocolate Ganache – Heat cream until just simmering. Pour over chopped dark chocolate. Let sit 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Add optional zest or orange extract. Chill to pipeable consistency.
Assemble
- Pair similar-sized shells.
Option 1: Pipe a ring of Swiss meringue buttercream and spoon orange curd in the center.
Option 2: Fill with chocolate ganache alone.Gently sandwich and chill for 24–48 hours to mature.
Orange Macarons
Orange French macarons are a delicacy on their own. Often filled with orange curd, marmalade, and buttercreams that almost melts in the mouth. My full proof macaron recipe is simple, easy, and effortless that will have you making macarons over and over again successfully
Video
Ingredients
- 100 g (3 large) Egg white
- 100 g (¾ cups) Powdered sugar
- 100 g (1 cups) Almond meal
- ¼ tsp Kosher salt
- 100 g (½ cup) Granulated sugar fine grain
- ¼ tsp Orange zest
- 2 – 4 drops Orange gel food color or powder food colors
- 2 large Egg whites
- 100 g (½ cups) Sugar granulated
- 150 g (¾ cups) Unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 2 large Egg yolks
- 60 ml (¼ cup) Orange juice
- ¼ cup Sugar
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 40 g (3 tbsp) Unsalted butter
- Zest of an Orange
Method
- Prep the Shells: Pulse the almond flour and powdered sugar in a food processor, then sift them twice. Separate egg whites and bring to room temperature. Prepare baking trays with silicone mats or parchment.100 g Powdered sugar, 100 g Almond meal
- Make the Meringue – Whip the egg whites and a pinch of salt in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment until foamy. Gradually add granulated sugar and beat to stiff, glossy peaks. Add a few drops of orange gel color. (Optional: Add zest or extract here.)100 g Egg white, ¼ tsp Kosher salt, 100 g Granulated sugar, ¼ tsp Orange zest
- Macaronage – Fold the dry ingredients into the meringue until the batter flows like thick lava. Batter should ribbon off the spatula and settle within 10–15 seconds. Avoid overmixing.
- Pipe and Rest – Pipe 1½-inch rounds on the prepared trays. Tap trays to remove air bubbles and smooth tops. Rest 30–60 mins until the surface is dry to the touch.2 – 4 drops Orange gel food color
- Bake – Bake at 300°F / 150°C for 12–14 minutes. Cool completely before removing from trays.
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream – In a heatproof bowl, combine the egg whites and sugar. Place over a pan of simmering water (double boiler) and whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves (about 160°F / 71°C). Remove and whip until stiff peaks form, then let the bowl cool. Add soft butter, a little at a time, and beat until smooth and creamy. Mix in vanilla and (optional) a spoonful of orange curd.2 large Egg whites, 100 g Sugar, 150 g Unsalted butter, 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- Orange Curd (for center filling) – In a saucepan, combine egg yolks, orange juice, lemon juice, sugar, and zest. Cook on low heat, stirring constantly until thickened (coats the back of a spoon). Remove from heat and whisk in butter. Cool completely before using.2 large Egg yolks, 60 ml Orange juice , 1 tbsp Lemon juice, 40 g Unsalted butter , Zest of an Orange
- Chocolate Ganache – Heat cream until just simmering. Pour over chopped dark chocolate. Let it sit for a minute. Stir until smooth. Add butter, optional zest, or orange extract. Chill to pipeable consistency.100 g Dark chocolate , 100 g Heavy cream, 2 tbsp Butter, 1 tsp Vanilla , Orange zest
- Assemble – Pair similar-sized shells.Option 1: Pipe a ring of Swiss meringue buttercream and spoon orange curd in the center.Option 2: Fill with chocolate ganache alone.Gently sandwich and chill for 24–48 hours to mature.
Notes
- Use a scale, not measuring cups — accuracy matters.
- Let your shells rest fully before baking to get those perfect feet.
- Whip your Swiss meringue buttercream until smooth and fluffy — don’t panic if it curdles mid-way, just keep whipping.
- For orange curd, stir constantly and never boil — you want it smooth, not scrambled.
- Chill filled macarons for at least 24 hours — they need time to meld.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Mention @veenaazmanov_kitchen or tag #veenaazmanovkitchen!Troubleshooting
- Cracked tops? – Batter didn’t rest or oven was too hot.
- No feet? – Overmixed batter or meringue too soft.
- Hollow shells? – Overbeaten meringue or underbaked shells.
- Oozing filling? – Curd or ganache wasn’t fully cooled or thickened.
- Shells stick to paper? – Underbaked or still warm.
Frequently asked questions
Macarons can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for two days. The shells will keep in the freezer for up to three months, while the fill macarons will freeze for up to a month.
You can — just make sure it’s thick and chilled before using so it doesn’t ooze out.
Yes! Once filled and matured in the fridge for 24 hours, they freeze well for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge before serving.
Yes! The shell recipe makes 20–22 macarons, so you can easily split the batch and use half with curd + buttercream, and half with ganache.
more recipes with oranges
- Moist Orange Bundt Cake
- Frosted Orange Birthday Cake
- One Bowl Almond Orange Cake
- Orange cantaloupe smoothie
- Orange Curd Filling (No-Fail Recipe)
- Fruity Orange Marmalade: No-Pectin
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You make the most amazing desserts!! I’ve never made macarons – I’ve always heard they were temperamental but you make it seem doable. I love the citrus/almond flavor you have in there. Certainly would be just the type of delicate treat I’d love.
Thank you so much, Marisa!! I love desserts!! If I could afford it I’d be having desserts for breakfast lunch and dinner. Macarons are temperamental for sure. But this recipe is a dream. I’ve been using for many many years now. Always works for me.
I absolutely love macarons. I have yet to make them. I am so worried they would be a huge flop. Maybe this video will help me give this a try.
You must try Gloria, you will be surprised at how simple and easy they are.
Hi Veena,
I just came across this post and your macarons look absolutely delish!
I have been trying to make orange macarons with a new stand mixer I got but everytime I add the flavouring, the egg whites are turning back into a foamy liquid. Any idea why this could be? I made sure to use as little as possible to give the flavour without affecting the structure of the egg whites.
I’ll appreciate any feedback.
Thank you 🙂
Hey Mausam. Are you using oil based flavoring? Oil will deflate the whipped egg whites which could be the reason. If you don’t have an oil-free flavoring try one without it and see if it makes a difference.
These macaroons look like little round pillows from Heaven!! The filling of orange buttercream frosting looks so delicious.
Thank you Patty!!
I have never used cream of tartar before guess I should buy to make some homemade macaroon. I m addicted for Orange flavour this s treat for me
Thank you ! Yeah it’s good to have cream of tartar at home.. very useful.
Yes its a great idea to have cream of tartat in the house – always useful.
Mmm. These orange macarons looks so delicious! I would like it with all the fillings you mention. Delish!
Thanks Elaine
I need to gather up the courage to try making my own macarons…these look amazing.
Yes they are easy Sandi. I have a post dedicated just to tips on making perfect macarons you may find useful. Thanks
I’ve never tried making macarons, but I can see you are a great resource for doing so! I’d love to try the ones with orange buttercream or orange ganache. Mouthwatering!
Thanks Andrea.. Yes they are absolutely delicious
Hello Veena,Could you please explain exactly what is tartar,which you use for orange macaroons .
Thank you for yours recipe and yours blog
It’s an acid— specifically, tartaric acid. It’s a byproduct of wine production, the residue left on the barrels, actually. Most commonly, cream of tartar is used as a leavener, because when it’s combined with baking soda, together they produce carbon dioxide gas. That’s the same gas that’s produced by yeast in bread baking. When it’s added to egg whites, it boosts the strength of the individual air bubbles and slows down their natural tendency to deflate. And when added to simple syrup, it prevents sugar’s natural tendency to re-bond and form crystals.
Thank you
They look amazing! I really want to make them! Thank yo for sharing this recipe, Veena!
Thank you darling