Macaron is the French word for macaroon, but are never the coconut-based cookie. Macarons are one of the most amazing pastries, with hundreds of flavors and fillings. Macarons are made from almond flour and meringue, with even the pros claiming to failure on a regular basis.

Is a macaron a cookie or pastry?

It's no spelling mistake. Macarons, with a single “o,” are meringue-like French cookies made with almond meal and egg whites, sandwiched around ganache, jam, or a cream-based filling, says Pastry Chef Damien Herrgott of Bosie Bakery and Bosie Tea Parlor's three locations in New York City.

What exactly is a macaroon?

A macaroon is a drop cookie made with shredded coconut, egg whites, sugar, other flavorings (like vanilla extract), and sometimes ground almonds. Modern macaroons often call for sweetened condensed milk. Macaroons look more like coconut mounds than traditional cookies.