Macarons Around the World

The macarons origins, though slightly controversial, come from Europe and its popularity has only continued to grow. The sandwich style cookie has a crunchy exterior and a chewy interior and is usually filled with a buttercream or ganache. These desserts quickly become morish with their bite size nature and fun, bright colors.

The majority of people would say that the macaron is a French dessert but many believe its original origins are from Italy. According to the Italians, they developed the aging technique that gives the cookie its signature feet. This was then brought to France as a gift for royalty and the French made it into the ganache filled sandwich. It sounds to me that both countries had a hand in making the macaron what it is today, but what country is currently producing the best macarons? As I traveled around the world, I was determined to uncover the truth.

I have been fortunate to have traveled to many countries and my mission in each place I went was to find the best macaron. They are pretty easy to find these days (especially in Europe) but some countries had more places to get them than others. While I was in places like Spain or Japan I had to seek them out, whereas in France, Italy, or England they were almost around every corner. I took pictures and notes to compare between each store and country. And although, I never had a bad macaron while abroad, there was a clear winner for the best one.

But before I crown the pastry shop with the best macaron award, I had to know what to look for.

The Price

The prices of macarons can be a little tricky to figure out. They usually fall into a range of $2-$5 for the classic cookie and $5-$10 for specialty designed ones. The pricing is important to know because good quality ones are going to fall close to the $3. If the price of the cookie is lower than this, it may be lesser quality and if it is a lot pricier than this, then you may be getting ripped off.

The Brand

As I went from country to country I noticed that there were brands of macarons that were exactly the same in every place. This could mean that they were mass produced and then shipped to each country. That isn't necessarily bad, but if you are looking for an authentic cookie, it might not be what you want.

The Cookie Quality

There are a few things that every perfect macaron should have. The most visible thing is the feet. The feet of macarons are the crinkly part at the bottom of each shell that go around the base. The top of the shell should be smooth, without lumps or cracks. And the interior should have a slight bite (but not hollow) and then be chewy. You won't really be able to tell if the interior is of good quality by looking at it, like you would the shell and the feet.

So, where did I actually find the best macaron?

Japan

I had to search a little bit for macarons in Japan but they do have them. We found a cute little shop away from the city. We got a box of 9 macarons and had a fun time eating them next to all the hydrangeas. I found that the crunch of the shell wasn't super crisp but still had a bite. The middle of the shell was pretty full and the flavors were fun. It is always fun to see what flavors are more popular in different countries. Some of the cool ones we had here were Ube, kiwi, and green melon. The quality of the cookies can always differ depending on the shop but over all the Japanese macarons were pretty good and I would probably rate them a 7/10.

Italy

The process of making macarons involves combining a meringue into almond flour and powdered sugar. The biggest debate is whether to use the Italian or French meringue method. The Italian method is when you whip egg whites and slowly stream in heated sugar to create the stiff peaks. This usually contains bit more sugar than the French method, leaving the macaron shells with a slightly, less almond forward tasting shell. Also, the shells tend to be a little bit tighter and more uniform. From all the cookies I had in Italy, they were all of good quality and the care of the techniques shown through. You also have a good chance of getting a macaron on top of your gelato. I would rate them an 8.5/10.

England

My time in England was primarily spent in London and every time I had a macaron there is was part of an afternoon tea experience. You can still find single macarons pretty easily if you are just looking for the cookie itself. In the afternoon tea dishes there were a lot of little finger food options, so it wasn't heavily focused on the macaron. However, this made it that the flavors of the cookies paired well with everything else I was eating. I did notice that the shells here were slightly more hollow and the feet were usually wider. Overall, I would recommend them in the afternoon tea to add to the ambiance. I would rate them an 7/10.

Czech Republic

I was visiting Prague and staying near very touristy areas while I was here. The more touristy the area, the more gimmicky the food options become. Because of this, the macarons I had here leaned more on the overpriced and under quality. This is not to say they cookies weren't good, but their main point was to draw in as many people by the flashy colors, rather than the quality of cookie. This was very prevalent in the bright colored shells and out of the norm flavors, such as bubblegum, marzipan, or toffee banana. Mostly for the fact that I was in the tourist areas, I would rate them a 6/10.

Greece

I spent time in Athens and a couple of the smaller islands. I really only saw macarons in Athens and I did have to search for them a bit. Macarons aren't one of Greece's most popular desserts, so they aren't that many places (that I saw) that specialize in higher end macarons. Because of this, the ones I had were on the cheaper side (lesser quality), had a full and chewy shell, and large crinkled feet. One thing that I did note was how the two shells of the one cookie weren't all exactly the same. Although this doesn't impact the actual taste of the cookie, it is a sign of the quality and care put into the making of them. I would rate them a 6/10.

The Netherlands

I found it relatively easy to find macarons in The Netherland and had them multiple times here. However, I did note that a few places were all the same brand (a brand that I saw in other countries as well) which could mean that they were mass produced and shipped in. There can be large brands that make incredible macarons, so this doesn't always directly translate to the quality. In this case, the same branded ones I kept seeing here were on the lower end of quality. They came in simple variety of flavors, but nothing that really blew my mind. They were typically on the thinner side. and had a full filling amount. Macarons aren't The Netherland greatest pastry so no fear, you can find something incredible to try in these cookies aren't calling your name. I would rate them a 7/10.

France

When you think of French desserts, most people would think of macarons. That puts these cookies on a high pedestal, but can they live up to it. As I mentioned in the Italy section, the French method is one of the main two techniques for the meringue in a macaron batter. French meringue is made by whipping the egg whites and slowly adding in granulated sugar until it is whipped to stiff peaks. You then fold in this meringue to the almond and powdered sugar mixture. This leaves you with an almond forward flavor and a more crinkled foot. Macarons are very easy to find in France (they are practically around every corner) and you can find them at in a wide price range. The stores such as Pierre Herme and Laduree specifically cater to macarons and therefore put a lot of effort into them. These are the places you want to go to to find the best macarons. They will be on the pricier side, but when it come to macarons, you truly get what you pay for. I would rate them a 9/10.

The Best In The World

Based off the ratings, you could conclude that the best macarons in the world are in France. I do believe this is the case, however I would like to go one step further. I couldn't count the money I spent or how many cookies I had throughout my travels, but one thing that was very clear was that the best macarons specifically come from Laduree. Laduree is a Parisian company that sells candy, tea, assorted pastries, and most notably, macarons. The brand is on the higher end and presents this way in the packaging and experience you get in the stores. I had a lovely time in all of the stores and the boxes the macarons come in are so nice, I didn't want to throw them away. The cookies have the perfect bite to them and every flavor comes through how you would want it to. Luckily for us, there are over 100 Laduree stores throughout the world, so you there is a good chance you can find one on your next vacation. No matter the country I was in, these macarons were always the highest quality and took the edge over the other macarons in that area. Laduree macarons are a 10/10.

Any Macaron is a Good Macaron

Macarons are one of my favorite desserts and the versatility of flavors is endless. I named Laduree as the overall best cookie, but any macaron is a good macaron. I will continue to try different countrie's and brand's cookies. But for now, I will be waiting till my next Laduree visit.