macaron

American  

[mah-kuh-rohn, ‐-ron] / ˌmɑ kəˈroʊn, ‐ˈrɒn /

noun

1. a round, colored cookie consisting of a ganache or buttercream filling between two halves made from beaten egg whites mixed with sugar and ground almonds.

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Usage

What’s the difference between a macaroon and a macaron? A macaron is a round, colored sandwich cookie made with egg whites, sugar, and often ground almonds, with a buttercream, ganache, or jam filling. Macarons are known for coming in many different flavors and colors. A macaroon is a kind of drop cookie made with egg whites, sugar, and often coconut—and sometimes with ground almonds and maybe a little flour. The two cookies are made with some of the same basic ingredients, including sugar and egg whites, but they have very different appearances and textures. Macarons look like this:https://twitter.com/bouchon_bakery/status/1204038118069944322Macaroons look like this:https://twitter.com/FoodalBlog/status/1387467462736756739However, the sandwich cookie properly known as a macaron is sometimes called a macaroon. (The reverse is not the case—it’s not common for the simple drop cookies usually made with coconut to be called macarons.)Making macarons requires quite a bit of skill. They’re delicate and often expensive. Macaroons, on the other hand, are much simpler to make—you basically just mix all the ingredients together and then drop balls of the mix onto a cookie sheet. Macaroons are sometimes dipped in chocolate. To remember the difference (and which spelling to use for each word), remember that macaroon is spelled with two O’s, as is coconut, a common ingredient in macaroons. Here’s an example of macaron and macaroon used correctly in a sentence. Example: I asked my mom to make macaroons for my birthday, but she misunderstood and spent all month learning how to make several different flavors and colors of fancy French macarons. Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between macaron and macaroon.

Etymology

Origin of macaron

From French, dating back to 1995–2000; see origin at macaroon ( def. )

Explanation

A macaron is a sweet French cookie with a soft filling between two delicate halves. If you find yourself in Paris, you should visit a patisserie and buy yourself a box of colorful macarons. Macarons are often confused with macaroons, which are slightly heavier coconut cookies served at Passover. The pronunciation is different, but the two treats share a common root, the Italian maccarone, a food made of paste or dough. French macarons are light and airy, containing beaten egg whites, finely ground almonds, and sugar. They come in a rainbow of colors and flavors, with a variety of fillings, and they almost melt in your mouth.

Example Sentences

Mastercard has also released various sensory products exclusive to cardholders, such as custom fragrances and macaron cookies bearing its logo’s signature red and orange coloring.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 21, 2025

Proud of myself, I sat down to enjoy a treat: the macaron on the bedside table that housekeeping must have left in the room we were filming in.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2025

But he’s also wowed his star-studded guests with his decadent chocolate bonbons and plated sweets, which once included a truffle-flavored macaron.

From Salon • Oct. 15, 2024

While the exterior screams cherry blossom, the store’s macaron is a delightful whisper.

From Washington Post • Mar. 31, 2023

I devour the last macaron as we turn down senior hall.

From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed