macaroon

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{{Infobox prepared food

| name = Macaroon

| image = Almond macaroon and coconut macaroon.jpeg

| image_size =

| caption = Almond and coconut macaroons

| alternate_name =

| place_of_origin = Middle East; Italy; France

| region =Mediterranean basin

| creator =

| course = Snack

| type = Biscuit

| served =

| main_ingredient = Almonds (or coconuts), egg whites

| variations =

| other = Cream filling, different flavors other than those shown

}}

File:A plate of coconut and chocolate coconut macaroons served on Passover.jpg and chocolate coconut macaroons served on Passover]]

A macaroon ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|m|æ|k|ə|ˈ|r|uː|n}} {{respell|MAK|ə|ROON}}) is a small cake or cookie, originally made from ground almonds, egg whites, and sugar,{{OEtymD|macaroon}} but now often with coconut or other nuts. They may also include jam, chocolate, or other flavorings.{{cite news |url=https://thestar.com/life/food-and-drink/mark-towhey-s-chocolate-macaroons/article_e074078d-83ab-581c-8111-c4fc2bb23f1a.html |title=Mark Towhey's chocolate macaroons |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=December 17, 2023}}

Etymology

The name macaroon is borrowed from French {{Lang|fr|macaron}}, in turn from the Sicilian {{Lang|scn|maccarone}}, a variant form of {{Lang|scn|maccherone}}, the same word as macaroni. The origin of that is unclear; it may be from medieval Greek μακαρία, 'barley broth', or μακαρώνεια, 'funeral chant'. The etymology connecting it to Italian {{Lang|it|maccare}}, 'to bruise'{{cite web | title=A Brief history of Macaroons | url=https://cor.ca/2013/03/a-brief-history-of-macaroons/ | publisher=Judy Pister | work=COR online | date=March 29, 2013}} is now rejected.{{Cite book |title=Oxford English Dictionary |year=2023 |chapter=macaroon, macaron, macaroni}} The origin of the word may also have referred to a sort of pasta or macaroni.{{Cite news |last=Jurafsky |first=Dan |date=2011-11-16 |title=Macarons, Macaroons, Macaroni |url=https://slate.com/human-interest/2011/11/macarons-macaroons-and-macaroni-the-curious-history.html |access-date=2025-06-02 |work=Slate |language=en-US |issn=1091-2339}}

Origins

Macaroons can be traced to a French monastery of the 8th century in the city of Cormery.{{Cite web |url=https://thegoodlifefrance.com/cormery-macarons-loire-valley-speciality/ | title=Cormery Macarons, Loire Valley speciality - The Good Life France |website=thegoodlifefrance.com | date=2021-07-26}} Later, two Benedictine nuns, Sister Marguerite and Sister Marie-Elisabeth, came to Nancy, France seeking asylum during the French Revolution. The two women paid for their housing by baking and selling macaroons, and thus became known as the "Macaroon Sisters".{{Cite news | url=https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/the-jewish-history-of-macaroons/ | title=The Jewish History of Macaroons | first=Joanna | last=O'Leary | work=70 Faces Media | date=March 23, 2021}}

Macaroons became a popular treat for Jews on Passover because they had no flour or leavening, as macaroons are leavened by egg whites.{{Cite news | url=https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/coconut-macaroons-passover | title=How Coconut Macaroons Earned a Place on the Passover Table | first=Sam | last=Lin-Sommer | work=Atlas Obscura | date=April 15, 2022}}{{Cite news | url=https://tylerpaper.com/arena/parade/toasted-coconut-macaroons-are-the-passover-treat-everyone-loves/article_be27afaf-601b-5663-978d-4c7eccc715f7.html | title=Toasted Coconut Macaroons Are the Passover Treat Everyone Loves | work=Tyler Morning Telegraph}}

Recipes for macaroons appeared in recipe books at least as early as 1725 (Robert Smith's Court Cookery, or the Complete English Cook), and use egg whites and almond paste. Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management (1861) includes a typical traditional recipe.{{cite book |first=Isabella |last=Beeton |title=The Book of Household Management |url=https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/b/beeton/isabella/household/chapter35.html |chapter=XXXV: Recipes |publisher=University of Adelaide |date=17 December 2014 |access-date=4 January 2010 |archive-date=28 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091128154446/http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/b/beeton/isabella/household/chapter35.html |url-status=dead }} Over time, coconut was added to the ground almonds and, in certain recipes, replaced them. Potato starch is sometimes included in the recipe to give the macaroons more body.

Nutrition

Mass-produced commercial macaroons are generally about half an ounce, or 14 grams, in weight. They do not undergo a high amount of food processing, containing only coconut, sweetener, starch, egg whites and flavoring, if any. At about 60–70 calories each, however, they contain about 3–4 grams of saturated fat due to the coconut, and 3–4 grams of added sugar, depending on the particular flavor. They are Ovo-vegetarian (not Lactarian or vegan as they contain egg whites), and contain no gluten, dairy, cholesterol, or sulfites.

Preparation

Some recipes use sweetened condensed milk.{{cite web |title=Coconut Macaroons |url=https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/coconut-macaroons-recipe3-1916155 |website=Food Network |first=Ina |last=Garten |year=2002}}{{cite web |title=Paradise Macaroons |url=https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/paradise-macaroons-recipe-2009367 |website=Food Network |first=Alton |last=Brown |year=2008}} Macaroons are sometimes baked on edible rice paper placed on a baking tray.

Regional varieties

=France=

There are many regional variations of French macaroon. The coconut macaroon is known as the 'Congolais',{{cite journal | jstor=10.1525/gfc.2009.9.2.14 | title=The Macaroon and Madame Blanchez | publisher=University of California Press | last=Meyers | first=Cindy | journal=Gastronomica: The Journal of Critical Food Studies | number=2 | year=2009 | volume=9 | pages=14–18| doi=10.1525/gfc.2009.9.2.14 }}{{cite web |title=Recipe from le congolais ou rocher à la noix de coco |url=https://chefsimon.com/gourmets/chef-simon/recettes/congolais |publisher=Chefsimon.com | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629102744/http://chefsimon.com/congolais.html |archive-date=29 June 2011 |url-status=live}} or {{Lang|fr|le rocher à la noix de coco}}.

=Germany=

Mandelhörnchen (almond crescents) are a common treat in Germany. Made of a flour similar to that of the macaroon, they are formed to resemble a crescent, then covered in sliced almonds and dipped in chocolate.{{Cite web |title=Mandelhörnchen: Süße Leckerei selber machen | trans-title=Almond croissant: Make your own sweet treat |url=https://www.bunte.de/meldungen/mandelhoernchen-suesse-leckerei-selber-machen-63290.html | work=Bunte |date=December 13, 2013 |language=de}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.lecker.de/mandelhoernchen-39895.html |title=Mandelhörnchen selber backen - so geht's | trans-title=Bake almond croissants yourself - here's how |website=lecker.de |language=de}}

=India=

Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu and Mangalore in Karnataka have their own varieties of macaroon made with cashews and egg whites, adapted from those introduced in colonial times.{{cite web |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/Food/in-search-of-thoothukudi-macaroon/article4170768.ece | first=Olympia | last=Shilpa Gerald |title=In search of Thoothukudi macaroon |work=The Hindu |date=December 8, 2012}}

=Ireland=

A macaroon chocolate bar is made by Wilton Candy in County Kildare, described as macaroon pieces in Irish milk chocolate. It was first made in 1937.{{cite web|title=The Irish Macaroon Bar|url=http://www.irelandlogue.com/best-blogs/the-irish-macaroon-bar.html|work=irelandlogue.com|date=24 September 2006|access-date=29 March 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160330015335/http://www.irelandlogue.com/best-blogs/the-irish-macaroon-bar.html |archive-date=30 March 2016 |url-status=dead}}

=Italy=

Italy has a wide tradition of cookies and confections made from ground almonds, including pignoli. Ricciarelli are a soft almond variety originating from Siena. Amaretti di Saronno are a crunchy variety from Saronno.{{Cn|date=June 2025}}

=Philippines=

File:Filipino Coconut Macaroons.jpg coconut macaroons]]

Philippine coconut macaroons are uniquely cake-like in texture. They are slightly crunchy on the outside and soft, moist, and chewy on the inside. They are usually baked into small, colourful cupcake wrappers and topped with a raisin. They are popular during holidays and special occasions.{{cite web |url=http://www.kawalingpinoy.com/filipino-coconut-macaroons/ |title=Filipino Coconut Macaroons | first=Lalaine | last=Manalo | work=Kawaling Pinoy | date=September 5, 2013}}{{cite web |url=https://www.angsarap.net/2013/05/31/filipino-style-coconut-macaroons/ |title=Filipino Style Coconut Macaroons | author=Raymund |publisher=Ang Sarap |date=2 June 2016 }}{{cite web |title=Coconut Macaroons |url=http://www.pinaycookingcorner.com/2013/07/coconut-macaroons.html | first=Tina | last=de Guzman |publisher=Pinay in Texas| date=July 2013}}

=Spain=

The carajito (little love or darling) is a macaroon variant made with hazelnuts and honey from the town of Salas, Asturias in northern Spain.{{cite web |url=http://ogarfelo.blogspot.com/2011/08/carajitos-del-profesor.html |last=Llano |first=Loly |title=Carajitos del Profesor |work=O Garfelo}}

=Scotland=

The Scottish macaroon has a dense, sugary centre and is covered in chocolate and roasted coconut. Traditionally, it was made with leftover mashed potatoes and icing sugar.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}} Modern commercial versions eliminate the mashed potato because of shelf-life limitations.

Macaroon bars were created in 1931 by Lees of Scotland. They are made from a combination (depending on the producer) of sugar, glucose, water, and egg white. These ingredients make a fondant centre. This recipe was reportedly discovered by accident in Coatbridge in when confectioner John Justice Lees was said to have botched the formula for making a chocolate fondant bar and threw coconut over it in disgust, producing the first macaroon bar.{{cite news | url=https://www.scotsman.com/business/lees-miquel-targets-new-markets-2454941 | title=Lees' Miquel targets new markets | work=The Scotsman | last=Reid | first=Scott | date=September 18, 2006}}

=United States=

File:Macaroons.jpg

File:Coconut macaroon.jpg

Macaroons come in a variety of flavors, including coconut, chocolate, chocolate chip, vanilla, and almond.

Commercially-made macaroons are generally dense, moist, and sweet. They are available in a few flavors and are often dipped in chocolate. Homemade macaroons and varieties produced by smaller bakeries are commonly light and fluffy. Macaroons made with coconuts are often piped with a star-shaped tip, whereas macaroons made with nuts are more likely to be shaped individually due to the stiffness of the dough.{{Cn|date=June 2025}}