Have you ever been hypnotized by small round colorful confections while staring in the window of a pastry shop? Macarons have that effect on everyone! Macarons have won the hearts of people all over the world. But their color and form are not their only shining attributes. The most important thing is their divine taste. When you try macarons once, you will never forget the perfection of their taste, form, color, and texture. 

Macarons have found their fans not only in France, where they come from but also far beyond the border of this country. In this article, we will find out what is so special about macarons and what they taste like. 

What Do Macarons Taste Like? 

Macarons have different flavors, therefore their tastes differ. However, all macarons have a delicate sweet, nutty taste which is perfectly balanced with their texture. The taste of nuts comes from almond flour – the base of macarons. And whipped egg whites give a cloudy soft texture.

Macarons Taste Ultimate Guide

Macarons are almond-flour-based confections made with egg white, sugar, and almond flour. The set of ingredients is similar to another French dessert – meringues. Macarons look like sandwiches since they consist of two bases with a filling of jam, confiture, or cream between them. History says that macarons were brought to France from Italy by Catherine de Medici.

However, France became the country that made macarons popular. The first written recipe also comes from France. Macarons, as we know them now (with two parts and filling like a sandwich), were made in the middle of the XIX century in Paris. 

Nowadays, the best macarons are considered to be made by confectionery Ladurée founded in 1862 in Paris. Every day they produce nearly 15 000 macarons and sell them for 30$ for 8 macarons. 

We should not confuse macarons with macaroons. Although the names are similar, macarons are almond flour-based, while macaroons are made of shredded coconut and are usually covered by chocolate. 

How would you describe a macaron? It is easier to taste a macaron than to describe it. But it can be described as a perfect combination of inside softness and outside crunchiness filled with delicious jam, cream, or ganache. Almond flour creates a light taste of nuts which in combination with filling makes them soft and airy. 

It takes years and patience to make a perfect macaron that melts in your mouth. The surface of a macaron should be smooth, without cracks or bumps. The filling should be light. It should provide a perfect layer between two parts of a macaron and not spill out. And the most interesting part – the outside of a perfect macaron is a bit crispy, while inside, it is soft and chewy. 

There are two classic recipes for macarons – French and Italian. The main difference between them is meringue. In the French recipe, uncooked French meringue is used, which is less sweet and stable, while in the Italian recipe, cooked Italian meringue is used, which is more stable and sweeter. Italian macarons are crispier and generally sweeter.

Do Macarons Actually Taste Good? 

Macarons taste very good. The sweet filling is balanced by a lovely nutty flavor. And The crunchiness of the shell combines amazingly well with the thick, smooth filling. Macarons are the perfect sweet light dessert.

The taste of macarons is similar to marzipan, which is also made of almonds. The basic idea of such a light dessert is to be able to try more macarons and not to be full from one or two, like with other desserts. It is possible because of the light texture and moderate sweetness of the macarons to devour 4 or more and still not feel bloated or ill.

See also: Ultimate Guide to Plantains – Taste, Look, Smell & Pairing!

Are Macarons Crispy or Soft?  

Macarons are soft and crispy at the same time. They are cloudy, soft, and a bit chewy inside and crispy outside. The most important thing is the balance, macarons should not be too crispy or too soft and never mushy. 

The texture of macarons is an indication of the quality. Before the first bite, you can always tell if the macaron is good just by its texture. The perfect macaron is indeed a piece of art. They are soft and delicate but not too mushy and, at the same time, crispy but not thick and do not fall apart after the first bite. And they should never have any lumps.

The secret of such texture lies in detailed recipe and accuracy. All ingredients have to be added with accuracy to the gram and in necessary conditions. For example, flour should be sifted 3 times and not less. Therefore, confectioners must act with the accuracy of a surgeon.

Are Macarons Really Sweet?

Macarons are sweet thanks to their flavor-packed filling. However, they are not too sweet as the outer meringue shell is incredibly light and airy. The nutty flavor also balances the sweet filling to create an amazing dessert.

The sweetness of macarons depends on the recipe. Usually, Italian macarons are sweeter than French. If you want to make macarons at home, the best way to reduce the sweetness is to add some salt to dry ingredients. 

See also: What Do Dates Taste Like? A Guide to This Awesome Fruit!

Macarons Flavors Table Comparison

How Many Flavors of Macarons Are There? 

There are hundreds of different flavors of macarons. The most common include chocolate, vanilla, pistachio, raspberry, strawberry, passionfruit, lemon, caramel. If a flavor exists, you can probably find a macaron with that filling!

Macaron flavor	Description
Pistachio	This flavor is one of the people’s favorites. Its nutty, creamy taste will make your day brighter. It is not too sweet, perfectly delicate, and light. Be aware, they can cause addiction.
Raspberry	Raspberry taste is classic in any sense, and it still plays well for a macaron. The best thing in raspberry macaron is a sweet raspberry jam. This simple joy will brighten even the gloomiest day.
Strawberry	These strawberry macarons look like sweet pink clouds. Each bite of these macarons is filled with awesome strawberry flavor. Strawberry flavor and delicate cream will bring you happy summer memories.
Almond	Almond macarons are traditional ones. Almond flour is strengthened with added creamy filling.
Passionfruit	Buttercream with passionfruit powder makes these macarons special. It has a light and fresh taste. This macaron is incredibly refreshing on a hot day.
Coffee	Coffee fans from all over the world are crazy about coffee macarons. They have a strong and rich coffee taste. These are perfect treats for caffeine addicts.
Lemon	What can be more refreshing than the citrus taste of lemon? If you are tired of the sweetness of other macarons, these lemon ones will give you a kick of sourness. The sourness of lemon perfectly balances the sweetness of macarons.
Salted caramel	Do you love all things caramel? Then dive into this amazingly yummy salted caramel meringue buttercream. It gives macarons the rich taste of salted caramel.
Chocolate	Chocolate lovers, these macarons are made for you. Be aware that they are sweet, and the chocolate ganache will satisfy your sweet tooth.
Hazelnut	The taste of hazelnut macarons is even nuttier. They are not too sweet and perfectly combine the taste of two nuts – almond and hazelnut.
Lavender	Recently it became popular to add lavender into food – cakes, cookies, and macarons. The light creamy floral flavor is not for everyone, but it will also find its lovers.
Vanilla	Another old good classic flavor – vanilla. Vanilla buttercream compliments the taste of traditional almond macaron and makes it melt in your mouth.
Rose	This unique floral flavor, like lavender, can be appreciated only by a few.
Apricot	If you miss the fruity flavor, apricot macarons can bring you true pleasure. Apricot jam makes them unforgettable.
Tiramisu	Sometimes macarons have not only simple flavors of caramel or chocolate but also the flavor of other desserts. These macarons have a light taste of espresso with mascarpone cheese filling and notes of cinnamon. Double pleasure – almond macarons and tiramisu.
Gingerbread	We are used to talking about summer flavors of macarons, but there are also winter flavors. Gingerbread macarons are bringing a festive Christmas mood to your house. These macarons are filled with the flavors of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves – everything to warm you up.

Every year more and more new flavors of macarons are created. There is no limit to human creativity. Some new exotic flavors include rose and lavender. All of the tastes are different and unique, and there is a perfect macaron for everyone.

What Is The Best Macaron Flavor?

The most popular and tastiest macaron flavor is chocolate. You can’t go wrong with a light, airy, crunchy shell combined with a rich chocolatey filling. This is a must-try macaron flavor. 

Conclusion

Lately, French macarons have become widely popular all over the world thanks to their beautiful design and amazing flavor. These cookies are a piece of French art, although originally coming from Italy. Macarons are perfectly balanced in their light nutty taste, sweetness, and texture, crispy on the outside and soft inside. 

Since there are a great variety of flavors – you are free to find your favorite – whether it be vanilla, Christmas gingerbread, or exotic passionfruit. All of them are light and tasty!

If you want to make them at home, be patient because they are very tricky. Even professional confectioners struggle to make macarons in their first few attempts. But if you want to reach that level of confectionery art, you should know that practice makes perfect. 

See also: What Does Pomegranate Taste Like? Is It Sweet or Bitter?

Macarons Taste FAQ

Is Macaron a Cookie?

Yes, a macaron is a cookie. Macarons are meringue-based sandwich cookies with filling between parts. Although the base of cookies is the same, the variety of flavors is provided by different fillings. The most widespread fillings are jam, ganache, and buttercream.

Are Macarons Still Popular? 

Yes, macarons are still popular. Despite the fact that they became trendy on social media, they are still holding on to their popularity. The image of luxurious enjoying a coffee with a few macarons in a Parisian cafe will be forever timeless.

What Do Macarons Have In Them?

Classic macaron recipe contains almond flour, which is the base of the macarons, egg whites, sugar, and a bit of salt. To create different flavors, confectioners add food coloring and food supplements. The filling can also be different – fruit jam, cream, buttercream, or ganache.

Why Are Macarons So Expensive?

Macarons are expensive because their production requires not only costly ingredients, such as almond flour but also time and a high level of expertise. Not every confectioner can make perfect macarons. So labor costs cause an elevated price.