- The essential structure of macarons, and the subtleties of flavor development
- What the most popular macaron flavors are, from classic to playful modern twists
- Why artificial flavoring is totally unnecessary (and what we use instead)
By the end, you’ll know all about the different flavors and colors of French macarons.
ANATOMY OF A FRENCH MACARON
BASE: ALMOND MERINGUE SHELLS
FILLINGS: BUTTERCREAM, JAM, OR GANACHE
Most of the flavor differentiation in macarons comes from the fillings, which are usually either rich (e.g., chocolate ganache or salted caramel) or intense (e.g., sharp lemon curd or raspberry preserves) to cut through the soft sweetness of the meringue shell. Color is sometimes added to the fillings but not as much as to the macaron shells. Looking for wholesale macarons to sell in your bakery, cafe, or specialty store? Click here.
MACARON FLAVOR GUIDE
While the French macaron is endlessly adaptable and new flavors are created all the time, there is a core group of traditional flavors that macaron lovers expect to see. If you’re looking for wholesale macarons, these are especially popular and have a high sell-through rate.
CLASSIC MACARON FLAVORS
PISTACHIO: AN ELEGANT SOFT GREEN MACARON
This Parisian macaron is so iconic that it’s even become a popular candle scent. It traditionally gets its flavor from finely ground pistachios folded into the buttercream filling. A few pinches of green vegetable powder are added to enhance the sage green color. Pre-made pistachio paste may be used or artificial pistachio flavoring may be added to a ready-to-use compound (cheaper than pistachio nuts). We prefer the flavor of dry-roasted, freshly ground nuts for our pistachio macaron.
RASPBERRY: A PINK MACARON FILLED WITH TANGY PRESERVES
VANILLA: A CLASSIC IVORY MACARON FLECKED WITH VANILLA SEEDS
LEMON: A SUNNY YELLOW MACARON FILLED WITH TART LEMON CURD
SALTED CARAMEL: A CREAM-COLORED MACARON WITH SALTED CARAMEL FILLING
CHOCOLATE: A VELVETY BROWN MACARON FILLED WITH RICH GANACHE
COFFEE: A TAN MACARON WITH A KICK OF COFFEE OR ESPRESSO
COCONUT: A TROPICAL WHITE MACARON DUSTED WITH TOASTED COCONUT
HAZELNUT BRITTLE: A CRUNCHY, BEIGE MACARON WITH HAZELNUT FILLING AND PRALINE
PLAYFUL OR MODERN FLAVORS
RED VELVET: THE CLASSIC AMERICAN LAYER CAKE IN A DEEP RED MACARON
BIRTHDAY CAKE: SWEET, WHITE MACARONS WITH COLORFUL SPRINKLES
COOKIES AND CREAM: A FRECKLED BLONDE MACARON WITH WHITE BUTTERCREAM
TEA FLAVORS
GREEN TEA: A GRASS GREEN MACARON INFUSED WITH MATCHA TEA
EARL GREY: A STRIKING GRAY MACARON SCENTED WITH BERGAMOT BLACK TEA
FLORAL FLAVORS
BLUEBERRY LAVENDER: A PURPLE MACARON SCENTED WITH LAVENDER
ROSE: A SOFT PINK MACARON WITH A HINT OF ROSEWATER
SEASONAL FLAVORS
PASSION FRUIT: A TROPICAL, PALE YELLOW MACARON
LEMON BERRY: A BRIGHT YELLOW MACARON FILLED WITH BERRY BUTTERCREAM
ORANGE TRUFFLE: A PALE ORANGE MACARON WITH CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CENTER
CHOCOMINT: A SPECKLED, LIGHT GREEN MACARON FILLED WITH RICH CHOCOLATE
PUMPKIN PIE: AN ORANGE MACARON WITH SPICED BUTTERCREAM
MACARON COLOR GUIDE
Color is one of the most fun things about macarons. A tray or tower of macarons can be personalized with a kaleidoscope of colors for special events, brands, holidays, and weddings.
Red Macarons | Raspberry Red Velvet |
Orange Macarons | Orange Macarons Pumpkin Orange Truffle |
Yellow Macarons | Lemon Passion Fruit Lemon Berry |
Purple Macarons | Blueberry Lavender |
Cream | Vanilla Salted Caramel Coconut |
Tan/Brown Macarons | Coffee Chocolate |
Blue-Gray Macarons | Earl Grey |
Green Macarons | Pistachio Chocomint Green Tea |
Multi-Color Macarons | Birthday Cake |
POPULAR HOLIDAY COLOR COMBOS
Macarons are just a few bites and come in a variety of colors, so it’s easy to create a custom color assortment for special events. Think favors in wedding colors, team colors, or logo/brand colors for corporate events. Here are some of the most popular macaron combinations for special occasions:
- Baby Shower / Gender Reveal Parties — Ombre blue (Earl Grey) and pink (Raspberry and Rose)
- Weddings — Any color theme!
- Valentine’s Day — Raspberry, Chocolate, and Salted Caramel
- Easter — Pistachio, Lemon, Raspberry
- Mother’s Day — Rose, Raspberry, and Blueberry Lavender
- St. Patrick’s Day — Pistachio and Green Tea
- Cinco de Mayo — Pistachio, Raspberry, and Coconut
- Pride — Rainbow of macarons, and Birthday Cake
- July 4th — Blueberry Lavender, Red Velvet , and Vanilla
- Halloween — Pumpkin Pie, Blueberry Lavender and Orange Truffle
- Thanksgiving – Pumpkin Pie, Salted Caramel, Cookies & Cream
- Christmas — Red Velvet and Chocomint
- The essential structure of macarons, and the subtleties of flavor development
- What the most popular macaron flavors are, from classic to playful modern twists
- Why artificial flavoring is totally unnecessary (and what we use instead)
By the end, you’ll know all about the different flavors and colors of French macarons.
MACARON FAQ
What are the most popular macaron flavors?
As with ice cream, it might surprise you that the most popular macaron flavors are the simplest—chocolate and vanilla. Many macaron bakeries report salted caramel and pistachio as their top sellers, often followed by lemon or raspberry. Our pre-pack assortment (Dégustation Pack) includes raspberry, pistachio, chocolate, salted caramel, hazelnut brittle, and lemon—a colorful starter set perfect for the macaron newbie.
What are the best fall macaron flavors?
Pumpkin spice is the most popular fall dessert flavor, and macarons are no exception. Anything involving caramel or apples is a close second. Salted caramel is a favorite anytime of year, but goes especially well with fall flavors like pumpkin, apple, and pear. The same goes for chocolate. Caramel apple macarons (sometimes the shells are piped into the shape of an apple!) are filled with a whimsical combination of salted caramel buttercream with a surprise dollop of apple pie filling. Other great ideas for fall macaron flavors are pear, fig, pecan, and chai tea.
What are the best spring macaron flavors?
Dainty and colorful, French macarons seem tailor-made for spring. Pistachio, raspberry, and lemon are a beautiful trio of Easter egg colors. Blueberry lavender and rose add color and a floral note to a spring dessert spread. Naturally free of wheat flour and gluten, macarons are an ideal dessert choice for Passover as well. Orange creamsicles come into season in spring and make a delightful spring macaron.
What are the best summer macaron flavors?
Summer is about celebration. Vacations, showers, graduations, and weddings fill the calendar, and macaron towers and favor boxes are popular at events—in part because they’re so easy to color coordinate. Lighter flavors like lemon berry, passion fruit, and coconut are refreshing in summer heat when chocolate or caramel can be too rich. For celebrations, a variety of dessert-inspired macarons like cookies & cream, birthday cake, and red velvet cake let everyone sample different flavors with less waste.
What are the best winter macaron flavors?
Winter immediately brings to mind chocolate and mint (which we’ve combined in our chocomint flavor), and chocolate of any kind. Chocolate and orange is a classic at Christmas, especially in the UK, so our orange truffle is a fine choice. A mix of red ( red velvet) and green (pistachio or chocomint) makes a festive holiday combo and can be alternated with winter white (coconut or vanilla) in a box, tray, or tower.
TASTEBUDS ARE TRUSTWORTHY: DISCOVER DUVERGER’S MACARON FLAVORS
There are so many eye-catching macarons that disappoint the moment you take a bite—gluey, dry, or overly sweet—it’s very disappointing.. At Duverger, we pride ourselves on crafting authentic macarons by hand with time-honored French technique. It required years to construct a process that would allow us to scale our production while still maintaining handmade quality and using fresh ingredients. We believe it was well worth it. We’re confident our catalog of flavors will exceed your expectations. 11 flavors are USDA-certified organic– we’re the first and only organic wholesale macaron on the market. If you want a French macaron that tastes as good as it looks, it’s impossible to decide with your eyes alone. You must taste them for yourself.
Request your sample of the only certified organic macaron on the wholesale market.