By Lucy Yanckello, Ph.D.
What is a macaron? What are macarons made of?
Macarons are small, sweet French sandwich cookies. They are made of meringue, almond flour, and sugar and can be filled with various delicacies including buttercream, ganache, marzipan, and jam. The macaron is a very popular French sweet, but it was actually first made in Italy in the late 1400s, arriving in France in the early 16th century.
Is a macaron considered a cookie? Do macarons taste like cookies?
Macarons are considered cookies. The macaron was originally a simple chewy almond cookie, but evolved into the sandwich version with filling around the 1830s. Although they are considered a cookie, they have a different taste and texture than most cookies. When made correctly, macarons have a crispy shell on the outside and a soft, chewy inside – so moist that they dissolve in your mouth.
What is the difference between macarons vs. macaroons?
When comparing the ingredients in a recipe for macarons vs. macaroons, the list is pretty similar since both are made with meringue and sugar. Where they differ is the flour component. While macarons are made with finely ground almond flour, macaroons are made with sweetened flaked coconut.
There are other key differences between macarons and macaroons. Macarons are uniform in size and are much more technical of a recipe, making them harder for home bakers to master. Macaroons are spoon drop cookies and thus irregular in shape and size making them much easier to make. Macarons are also like a sandwich, with a filling inside two shells, whereas macaroons are solid throughout.
What is the difference between macarons vs. whoopie pie?
Macarons and whoopie pies are very different. Both whoopie pies and macarons are sandwich cookies but that might be their only similarity. Whoopie pies are the creamy, cakey counterpart to the crisp, dainty macaron. The ingredients in a whoopie pie are much more similar to a cake than a cookie, especially a macaron. Whoopies pies are made with butter, sugar, whole eggs, milk, flour, and cocoa and usually have buttercream sandwiched in the middle.
What is the difference between macarons vs. meringues?
Meringue is a base ingredient of a macaron. When making meringue, egg whites and sugar are whipped into a meringue and baked to a crispy texture. There can be flavors and colors added, but there are no other ingredients. A macaron is made of two pieces of baked meringue, sandwiched around a filling.
Are macarons healthier than other desserts?
Macarons do have ingredients that are beneficial to our health. For example, almond flour is high in protein and fiber and lower in carbohydrates than other types of flour. However, it is important to remember that macarons are still a dessert and should be enjoyed in moderation.
Why are macarons so expensive?
Macarons take time to master and require a complicated process to get right – not to mention some of the ingredients are expensive, too! Almond flour is much higher in cost than the all-purpose flour that most other baked treats are made with. And almond flour is necessary for the light crunchy exterior texture that the cookies are known for.
Macarons take a lot more skill and time to perfect than, say, the standard chocolate chip cookie. For a macaron, batter must be precisely piped onto parchment paper at the correct height with the correct pressure in order to make sure each cookie is the same size. The cookies must then sit for a time at room temperature before being put into the oven, and the process isn’t done once the cookies come out. They then have to be filled and placed into the refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours to allow the filling to soften the shells before they can be enjoyed.
Can you make macarons at home?
Macarons can be made at home but require some skill and patience. However, they can be a fun challenge for the home cook. Luckily, businesses like Wildgrain will do the hard work for you to prepare the macarons, and you can just thaw the macarons!
Where can I buy the best macarons online to make at home?
At Wildgrain, we specialize in making high-quality, fresh baked goods that are delivered directly to your door. Wildgrain is the first bake-from-frozen delivery subscription service for breads, pastries, and fresh pastas. Some of our popular baked goods include macarons, croissants, fudge brownies, and croissants. Learn more about Wildgrain and our artisanal baking and cooking methods.
About the Author
Lucy Yanckello received her Ph.D. in nutrition from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. She currently works as a medical writer and enjoys being able to help people better understand nutrition and science.
This content is for informational use only and does not replace professional nutrition and/or medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It is not a substitute for and should not be relied upon for specific nutrition and/or medical recommendations. Please talk with your doctor about any questions or concerns.
