Macarons Vs. Macaroons. Is there a difference?

There is a popular misconception of the names of these two cookies and our topic of debate. Sadly, nothing makes me cringe more than to hear someone call a macaron pronounced (mak-a-rohn) a macaroon ( pronounced mack-a-roon) when there is a distinct difference.

Now I might be a bit bias as I have had people mispronounce my name my entire life…so much to the point that i don’t even bother correcting them and habitually mis-pronounce my own name myself, however the macaron and macaroon though similar is name, both look and taste very different from one another. Let’s dive in a bit!

 While both cookies share the similarities of being delicate, unleavened, and gluten free cookies that use a meringue base, this is about where the similarities start and unfortunately end. What are the differences you may ask? Well for starters, the ingredients differ in that  a macaroon is made from sweetened condensed milk and uses the main ingredient of shredded coconut.  It stays true to form with its golden brown exterior and is often drizzled or dipped in chocolate before being served. A (Parisian) macaron is made from almond meal, powdered sugar, and a meringue base that puffs up to form smooth surfaced cookies with a hollow center and a ruffled circumference known as “feet”. Finished, the macaron is composed of 2 colorful halves formed into a cookie sandwich filled with assorted jellies, curds, and ganaches and buttercreams. After being chilled for at least 24 hours, the shells “mature” yielding a chewy center that has absorbed the flavor of the filling, and a shell-like crunchy exterior.

I hope you enjoyed our “The More You Know” moment. We serve to educate and inform. On the flip side, no matter what’s in a name, feel free to try one of our delicious macarons. We promise! They won’t disappoint!

Monika