Macaron and Macaroon are two confectionery items that are often confused by people in many parts of the world. They have similar spellings, and their names share a common Italian origin in the word ammaccare, which leads to further confusion. However, these two types of cookies are not the same, and their differences will be highlighted in this article.
Key Takeaways
- Macarons are meringue-based confections made with sugar, egg whites, and almond paste, and often have a layer of jam or buttercream in between two cookies.
- Macaroons are cookies made using shredded coconut and condensed milk, along with egg whites and sugar, and are known for their chewiness and coconut flavor.
- The main ingredient in macarons is almond powder, while coconut is the key ingredient in macaroons.
Macaron
Macaron is a confectionery item made with sugar, egg whites, almond paste, and sometimes food coloring. This type of cookie often contains a layer of jam or buttercream between two cookies. Small in size and circular in shape, the cookie is so smooth that it melts in one’s mouth as soon as it is eaten. The cookie is crunchy but smooth and almost weightless, making it a huge hit among kids. Macarons can be made in many flavors, but chocolate-dipped macarons are especially popular in many parts of the world. The key ingredient in macarons remains meringue, or in other words, a paste made with egg whites, sugar, and ground almonds. Macarons look very tempting when made in different colors.
Macaroon
Macaroon is a confectionery item made using shredded coconut and condensed milk, along with egg whites and sugar, to create a delicious cookie. Many people use syrup instead of sugar, and some people use a different binder in place of egg whites, but the finished product looks almost the same even with different ingredients. The chief characteristic of a macaroon is its chewiness and the presence of coconut in its taste. Macaroons remain coconut-based all over the world, although there is a trend of dipping them in chocolate in some places.
Difference between Macaron and Macaroon
- Macaron is a meringue-based confectionery often confused with another type of cookie called macaroon, even though they have different looks, shapes, and ingredients.
- Macaron is made of two cookies with a sweet layer of jam or buttercream inside, while macaroon is a single cookie with shredded coconut as its main ingredient.
- Almond powder is the main ingredient in macaron, whereas it is difficult to imagine a macaroon without coconut.
- Macarons melt away in the mouth due to their smooth texture, while macaroons are chewy in taste.
- Macarons are made in different colors, while macaroons are usually dark brown in color when dipped in chocolate.
- The confusion increases because of the French macaroon, which is a variety of macaron.
- Macarons are two biscuits sandwiched together by a creamy base inside, whereas a macaroon is a single cookie that is coarse in texture but falls apart when bitten into.