A macaron is a dainty, cream-filled sandwich cookie from France that is taking the pastry industry by storm. This versatile cookie is the perfect base for hundreds of unique flavor combinations, and is simply made from sugar, egg whites and almond flour. Be careful not to confuse a macaron with a macaroon (a pillowy mound made of sugar, egg whites and sweetened, shredded coconut).

The cookie portion of a macaron should be smooth and almost glossy. A good macaron’s cookie will have a thin crust but soft and chewy interior. In terms of the filling, it can range from a rich ganache to a dense fruit preserve. Either way, the filling should be relatively thick so it doesn’t squeeze out once bitten into. The cookie-to-filling ratio should also be about 1 : 1, so the cookie and filling can both be enjoyed equally.

All of the macarons pictured in this post are from Crème Macarons, a company created by my dear friend Kim. She has truly perfectly combination of delicious flavors and elegant design. To order some of her beautiful macarons, and to learn how to decorate your own at home, check out Crème Macarons here.

For a basic yet delicious macaron recipe, check out The Food Network Kitchen’s French Macaron’s here. The recipe has the most fundamental ingredients and steps for a macaron cookie and filling, then some additional unique flavor ideas you can experiment with at home. Happy baking!