French Macaron – an almond flour meringue cookie. Photo by JWessel Photography
Macaroon vs macaron? The spelling is just a little different. The delectable treat is a LOT different.
In a city filled with so many wonderful Italian bakeries, it is not a surprise when people ask us for macaroons. They are a delightful treat – perfect for a small afternoon snack or surprise for a friend. These macaroons, as good as they are, have a very different character than our French Macarons. That extra “o” in the spelling is small, yes, but the cookies are very different when it comes down to macaroon vs macaron.
The Macaroon
A coconut macaroon is a drop cookie made of egg whites, sugar, sweetened condensed milk, and coconut. They are most commonly dipped in chocolate, as well. This style of macaroon is most commonly found in Italian bakeries, and in many bakeries throughout the U.S.
Coconut Macaroons – photo by JWessel Photography
The Macaron
The French macaron is a french meringue style sandwich cookie made of almond flour, egg whites, sugar, and confectioner’s sugar. The filling is usually a ganache or jam, but these cookies are amenable to a wide variety of fillings. We’ve used everything from Guiness Stout to Mem Tea to the simply classic salted caramel.
A lot of people ask us how to pronounce “macaron’, so here they are side by side:
The macaroon is pronounced Mack-ah-roon (like kangaroo).
The macaron is pronounced Mack-ah-ron (like Ron Weasley – who is almost as cool as Neville Longbottom, but I digress).
So then, in the macaroon vs macaron debate, which is better? As a French bakery, we feature the French macaron year-round as one of our signature treats, but we enjoy goodies from the world over, so we will also be carrying macaroons for Easter and Passover. Does this mean one is better than the other? Not at all, but the best way to decide is to try them both?
What is your preference in the macaroon vs macaron question? Let us know in the comments.
