First and foremost, there IS a difference between a macaron and a macaroon. Many people use the spellings interchangeably and if you try to google it you may just get more confused. That’s how common it is. I am going to save you a lot of time and confusion and give you the most notable differences between the two.
WHICH IS WHICH?
Macaron: is two cookies made from almond flour with a filling in the middle, like a sandwich.
These are Macarons. One “O”.
Macaroon: is a cookie made of coconut shreds in a little mound (most commonly). Often it has a chocolate coating.
These are Macaroons. Two “o”s. To make it easier we are just going to throw coconut in front of the word.
Remembering the two on your own can be hard. How can you remember the kind with coconuts has TWO O’s? Will this help?
PRONUNCIATION
The two are not even pronounced the same way.
Macaron: Dictionary.com gives this exact pronunciation: [mah-kuh–rohn, ‐ron]. It is tough to determine from the actual sound of the pronunciation if it’s a hard O like rhyming with “bone” or if its an O rhyming with “lawn” or “Ron” (This one is my best guess) but either way it’s still more accurate than saying the complete wrong cookie.
(Coconut) Macaroon: being ROON as in rhyming with “racoon”.
INGREDIENTS
The two cookies do have similar base ingredients, but the end results are two vastly different products. But I will mention that they are both gluten free!
Macaron: Almond flour, egg whites, confectioners’ sugar, and sugar are pretty much guaranteed ingredients. The filling is usually made up of a buttercream, jelly, or ganache. Although, macaron flavors have gotten creative. I have seen variations from different cultures using their prominent ingredients and I have seen them as an appetizer, giving them a completely different flavoring than the well-known sweet macaron.
(Coconut) Macaroon: The guaranteed ingredients here are sugar, egg whites, and coconut. This is a very basic recipe that can be changed up by just throwing in an extra flavor like chocolate or pineapple.
PREP TIME
Macaron: This decadent dessert is much more of a process. These are on a more experienced level. Each step requires some extra care. Here is a step-by-step guide if you are interested in giving it a shot.
(Coconut) Macaroon: These coconut wonders are a simple project that can be done in as quickly as ten minutes. You can really make them as basic or complicated as you want, using as little as the 3 basic ingredients. Here is a simple, well-rated coconut macaroon recipe.
ORIGIN
While the actual origins of the cookies are hazy, they are more prominent in certain places.
Macaron: There is debate on where they truly started because they have been around for a very long time, but what we do know is that they were perfected in France. These are often considered more of a delicacy, not coming at a very cheap price. These small cookies (1-3 inches) are usually well above $1.00 per cookie, especially if you are lucky enough to try them in a French setting.
(Coconut) Macaroon: They have variations in different countries but America is known for the coconut macaroon. These are quite inexpensive to make or buy. You can usually find mix for a couple of dollars or buy them by the dozen for less than $0.50 a cookie.
Macaron day was on March 20th, and although we are big fans of those as well, it is NOT what today is about. Today (May 31st) is National (Coconut) Macaroon Day.
Now you can be the pretentious friend that corrects everyone else when they pronounce either cookie wrong! Just make sure you keep them straight 😊
With this original buttercream frosting, your Macarons will be more delicious.
Featured image via Alexandra Gron on Unsplash
