Macarons vs Macaroons - What's the Difference?

Macarons vs Macaroons: One Extra "O" Makes a Difference

The mix-up between macarons and macaroons often begins with pronunciation or translation.

In English today, "macaron" usually means the delicate French almond sandwich cookie with smooth shells and ruffled feet. "Macaroon" usually means a coconut cookie.

But the confusion has followed me for years - whether it's on a top tearoom menu in Paris or on supermarket packaging around the world.

Even a top UK bookshop turned down stocking my first book, simply because they expected "Macaroons" in the title.

Perhaps I'm mad about them, but the Parisian macaron is one of France's great pastry ambassadors. Its name deserves to be defended.

What is a Macaron?

A macaron is an almond-based meringue cookie made with egg whites, sugar and ground almonds. To get the perfect round shape, the batter is piped out using a piping or pastry bag with a plain tip.

The Parisian version has two smooth shells, a little ruffled foot (pied) and sandwiched together with a creamy filling. That filling can be chocolate ganache, jam, fruit curd, buttercream or salted caramel.

This is the kind of macaron you see in Paris pâtisseries. It's a delicate cookie, often colourful and usually sold in classic flavours such as vanilla raspberry, chocolate, pistachio, coffee, lemon, rose or caramel.

The best ones in Paris should not just taste of sugar. They should taste clearly of their main flavour.

What is a Macaroon?

A macaroon is usually a coconut-based cookie made with shredded coconut, egg whites and sugar - even a little honey with a slightly chewy texture.

In France, coconut macaroons are called rochers coco (previously congolais) as their small mounds resemble rocks. They are also shaped into little pyramids, domes or stars, and they are much quicker and easier to make than Parisian macarons. Usually they are shaped using a spoon or rolling - and for pyramids we use moulds.

There is no drying time, no ruffled foot, no careful macaronage and no delicate sandwich filling. You simply mix, shape and bake.

It's not clear when macaroons were created. It makes sense that coconut was only added around the 1800s when coconut was brought from the Far East.

Are They Gluten-Free?

Both macarons and macaroons are usually both gluten-free - but not always.

• Parisian macarons are usually naturally gluten-free because they are made with almond flour, egg whites and sugar.
• Coconut macaroons are also usually gluten-free because they are made with coconut, egg whites and sugar/honey.

However, some traditional regional French macarons may contain flour, so always check the ingredients if gluten is an issue.

A Brief History of the Macaron

The French macaron has a long history from the Renaissance, but the modern Parisian version came much later.

The older macaron was closer to an almond biscuit made with ground almonds, egg whites and sugar. The word is linked to the Italian maccherone or macarone, meaning a fine paste or something crushed. Catherine de Medici and her chefs brought it from Italy when she married the future King of France in 1533, Henri II.

These almond biscuits gradually spread through France, where different towns created their own local versions.

The filled Parisian macaron - two shells sandwiched together with a soft filling - is much more recent.

It is often credited to Pierre Desfontaines, a relation of Louis Ernest Ladurée, in the early 20th century, although food history is rarely as neat as one person inventing one thing on one day.

In the 1860s, pâtissier Claude Gerbet already paved the way for the modern Parisian macaron - hence why it's often called the Gerbet macaron with two almond-meringue shells. Then Luxembourg pastry chef, Camille Studer, then added a buttercream filling between the two shells, calling them Luxemburgerli.

What we do know is this: the filled Parisian macaron became the elegant version now famous around the world, thanks to Ladurée and Pierre Hermé in the 1990s.

The Scottish "Macaroon Bar" Confusion

When I first heard the word "macaroon" many years ago, I thought of the Scottish macaroon bar: an extra sweet fondant centre (made with potato and powdered sugar) and covered with chocolate and shredded coconut.

So for me, the word "macaroon" never meant a Parisian pâtisserie at first. It meant something Scottish, nostalgic and very coconut-covered in bar form (although I made smaller ones as Scottish macaroon bar snowballs).

But I digress and perhaps add to this confusion...

So What's the Macaron vs Macaroon Difference?

In short, macarons are almond-based; macaroons are coconut-based.

• A macaron is usually a delicate French almond meringue cookie, especially the Parisian sandwich style with a filling. Often food colouring is added to the shells for different flavours.
• A macaroon is usually a rustic coconut cookie, often shaped into a mound, pyramid or star, and sometimes dipped in chocolate.

The extra "o" matters - unless you're standing in a French bakery where regional naming traditions can make the whole thing gloriously confusing again.

Want to Explore How to Make Them?

Start with my guide to Types of Macarons in France, then try one of my Parisian-style macaron recipes:

• Raspberry Macarons
• Salted Caramel Macarons
• Pumpkin Spice Macarons

And if you love old-fashioned coconut bakes,
try my French Coconut Macaroons / Rochers Coco.