If spring was a cookie, it would be these blackberry lavender macarons! Simple lavender French macaron shells filled with blackberry buttercream and homemade blackberry lavender jam (need I say more?).
I'll walk you through how to make homemade French macarons and give you all my tips and tricks for success!
You might also like these blackberry lavender cupcakes or this blackberry lavender cocktail!
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Ingredient Notes
You just need a few simple ingredients to make these blackberry lavender macarons!
Egg Whites - I've recently started "aging" my egg whites and I've found it helps with my consistency. This is absolutely not necessary, but it's super easy to do so I recommend trying it out. Weigh out 100 grams of egg whites into a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and poke a few holes in the top. Place in the fridge for at least 24 hours but up to 3 days. Make sure to remove the egg whites from the fridge at least an hour before baking.
Almond Flour - If you've ever seen macarons that look bumpy, it's usually because the almond flour isn't ground finely enough. I love using Bob's Red Mill for my almond flour because it's super fine. But if you have lumpy almond flour you can also just pulse it in a food processor for a few seconds to break it up further. Sifting your dry ingredients is also super important for ensuring smooth macarons.
Blackberries - I prefer using fresh blackberries, but you can also use frozen blackberries to make the filling!
Lavender - I use both a combination of dried culinary grade lavender and lavender extract, for these macarons. More on that below! You can find lavender extract in the baking aisle at most grocery stores, or online! Just note that lavender extract is very strong, so a little goes a long way!
The complete list of ingredients and amounts is located in the recipe card below.
What is Culinary Grade Lavender?
When you're baking with flowers like lavender or rose, you always want to make sure it specifies "culinary grade" on the packaging! This ensures that the product is processed properly and intended for human consumption. I typically buy this brand on amazon!
Where to Buy Dried Lavender Flowers?
You can find full bouquets of dried lavender flowers online and at local flower shops! Trader Joe's often has large bundles of dried lavender which is what I used for these photos! I also just keep it around my house at all times.
How to Make Blackberry Jam
Making homemade blackberry jam is super easy! You only need a couple of simple ingredients!
- Fresh or frozen blackberries
- Granulated sugar
- Lemon juice (optional)
- Dried lavender or lavender extract (optional)
- Add all of the jam ingredients to a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Allow the jam to simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently until thickened.
- Transfer the jam to a glass jar and allow to cool to room temperature. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks.
- That's it!
I recommend making the jam the night before you want to make the macarons so that it has time to fully cool. However, if you don't feel like making homemade jam, store-bought is fine! My favorite store-bought blackberry jam is Bonne Maman.
How to Make French Macarons
Sift together almond flour and powdered sugar into a large bowl and set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on medium speed until they become foamy, then add in the cream of tartar.
Turn the mixer up to medium-high and gradually add in the granulated sugar. Once all the sugar is added, turn the mixer to the highest setting and whisk on high until soft peaks form.
Add in the lavender extract, then continue to whisk on high until stiff peaks form.
Using a spatula, gently fold in half of the dry ingredient mixture until fully combined. Then gently fold in the remaining dry ingredients.
Continue to gently fold the batter until it reaches a “flowing lava” consistency. You should be able to make a “figure 8” with the batter before it breaks. As soon as you reach this consistency, stop mixing! If you over-mix the batter, the macarons won’t rise properly in the oven.
Line a large baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
Scoop batter into a large piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Hold the piping bag perpendicular to the silicone mat and pipe 1 inch rounds.
Pick up the baking sheet and drop it onto the counter 3-4 times to help bring any air bubbles to the surface of the macarons. Then use a toothpick to pop any visible air bubbles to make a smooth surface.
Let the macarons sit at room temperature for 30-40 minutes or until a skin forms on the surface. You should be able to lightly touch the surface without any batter being disturbed.
*The macaron batter will look like photo 6 before banging out the excess air, and photo 7 afterwards.
While the macarons are resting, preheat the oven to 300°F.
Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack of the oven for 13-15 minutes or when they do not move on their “feet” when touched.
Let the macarons cool completely on the baking sheet before removing them. They should easily peel off when fully cooled.
Once the macarons are the blackberry jam is cooled, pipe the buttercream around the edge of the macaron shell. Then add a small scoop of blackberry jam in the center (about ½ teaspoon). Then top with the other shell.
Put the assembled blackberry lavender macarons in an airtight container, then place them in the fridge to mature for 12-24 hours. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. However, for the best taste/texture, let them come up to room temperature for about an hour before eating! [Directly out of the fridge they can sometimes be super hard but at room temperature they're perfectly soft and tender!]
Macaron Tips & Tricks
Macarons can be tough so setting yourself up for success is key!
- Buy a kitchen scale if you don’t already have one! Macarons are incredibly finicky, so weighing all your ingredients is super important!
- Clean the mixing bowl and whisk attachment of your stand mixer with lemon juice or white vinegar to make sure there are no trace fats on either (if you don’t, your meringue may not form).
- Use a super sturdy baking sheet that won't warp and conducts heat evenly! These Cuisinart baking sheets are my favorite for macarons! I have 6 of them lol.
- Invest in some silicone macaron mats! They aren’t expensive and they will make your life so much easier!
- Also invest in an oven thermometer! We want our oven as close to 300 degrees as possible to make perfect macarons but just because your oven says it's 300 degrees, doesn't mean it actually is. My oven tends to run hot, so I usually end up having it set to about 290.
Recipe FAQ's
Macarons are finicky, but they're not impossible! It's important to follow the directions carefully but if your first batch doesn't turn out, just keep practicing! Feel free to ask me any questions and I'm happy to help!
Unless you have experience baking macarons, I don't recommend making any changes to the macaron recipe. However you can make substitutions to the blackberry jam!
Almost all macaron issues can be traced to either oven temperature or improper mixing. This is why it's so important to use an oven thermometer and only mix your batter until it starts to flow like lava and then stopping.
Tips for Success!
For best results I always recommend using weight measurements (especially when baking) because it's the most accurate. Kitchen scales are super affordable and also reduce the number of dishes you have to do! However, all my recipes also include US customary measurements for convince. Use this chart to convert measurements for common ingredients!
Substitutions: In all my recipes, I've included substitutions that I know will work, but I cannot guarantee results if you substitute ingredients that I have not recommended. [For example, granulated sugar and honey are indeed both sweeteners but they have very different properties so they can not always be swapped 1:1. Using honey in a cookie recipe that calls for granulated sugar will yield a giant mess.] In the recipe card you'll find links to the specific ingredients/brands that I use.
A note on salt: I almost exclusively use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt because it's the best all-purpose salt for cooking and baking. If you're not using kosher salt, consult this handy guide for a conversion chart! When in doubt, if you're using table salt just reduce the amount by half for baked goods. When cooking, I prefer to under-salt because you can always add more! If you've over-salted, adding a little bit of acid (like lemon juice) can help.
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Recipe Card
Blackberry Lavender Macarons
Special Equipment
Ingredients
Blackberry Lavender Jam
- 454 grams blackberries, fresh or frozen
- 133 grams granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon dried lavender flowers, or ¼ teaspoon lavender extract
Macarons
- 100 grams egg whites, room temperature
- 60 grams granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 110 grams almond flour, sifted
- 200 grams powdered sugar, sifted
- ¼ teaspoon lavender extract paste, optional
Buttercream Filling
- 113 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
- 180 grams powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons blackberry jam
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Blackberry Lavender Jam
- I recommend making the jam the night before you want to make the macarons so that it has time to fully cool.
- Add all of the jam ingredients to a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Allow the jam to simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently until thickened.
- Transfer the jam to a glass jar and allow to cool to room temperature. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Macarons
- Sift together almond flour and powdered sugar into a large bowl and set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on medium speed until they become foamy, then add in the cream of tartar.
- Turn the mixer up to medium-high and gradually add in the granulated sugar (make sure to add the sugar in very slowly so that the meringue doesn’t deflate). Once all the sugar is added, turn the mixer to the highest setting and whisk on high until soft peaks form.
- Add in 2-3 drops of lavender extract paste and then continue to whisk on high until stiff peaks form.
- Using a spatula, gently fold in half of the dry ingredient mixture until fully combined. Then gently fold in the remaining dry ingredients. Continue to gently fold the batter until it reaches a “flowing lava” consistency. You should be able to make a “figure 8” with the batter before it breaks. As soon as you reach this consistency, stop mixing! If you over-mix the batter, the macarons won’t rise properly in the oven.
- Line a large baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Scoop batter into a large piping bag fitted with a round tip. Hold the piping bag perpendicular to the silicone mat and pipe 1 inch rounds. Pick up the baking sheet and drop it onto the counter 3-4 times to help bring any air bubbles to the surface of the macarons. Then use a toothpick to pop any visible air bubbles to make a smooth surface.
- Let the macarons sit at room temperature for 30-40 minutes or until a skin forms on the surface. You should be able to lightly touch the surface without any batter being disturbed.
- While the macarons are resting, preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack of the oven for 13-15 minutes or when they do not move on their “feet” when touched.
- Let the macarons cool completely on the baking sheet before removing them. They should easily peel off when fully cooled. Match up your shells before filling, and then turn one side over.
Blackberry Buttercream Filling
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, cream the butter and powdered sugar together until smooth.
- Add in about 2 teaspoons of your cooled blackberry jam, then beat on high speed for 3-4 minutes or until the buttercream is super light and fluffy.
- Once the macarons are the blackberry jam is cooled, pipe the buttercream around the edge of the macaron shell. Then add a small scoop of blackberry jam in the center (about ½ teaspoon). Then top with the other shell.
- Put the assembled blackberry lavender macarons in an airtight container, then place them in the fridge to mature for 12-24 hours. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. However, for the best taste/texture, let them come up to room temperature for about an hour before eating! [Directly out of the fridge they can sometimes be super hard but at room temperature they're perfectly soft and tender!]
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Angel says
What food colouring do you use and how much? I like the pale colour in these.
Kyleigh Sage says
I didn't use any food coloring in these! This is just the natural macaron color!
AnnaMaria NoelClark says
I made these macarons and they are wonderful. I used lavender in the cookies instead of lavender extract paste. Really good flavor.
Catherine says
Hi! I was wondering if the seeds need to be removed from the jam? Is that a step you usually do?
Kyleigh Sage says
I don't remove the seeds, but you can just pass the jam through a fine-mesh strainer if you prefer it without seeds!
Toni says
We just tried it and it was a huge hit at my house! Everyone really loved it!
Erin says
These were delicious!
Audrey says
What a wonderful flavor combo!
Kayla DiMaggio says
Wow! I have always been nervous to make macaroons but your directions made it super easy to follow and they turned out great! Thanks for sharing!
Ileana says
Yes! The directions were easy to follow! Thank you for this amazing recipe!