Best Macarons in New York

best macarons in nyc

Continuing with the topic of gluten-free desserts, I have to admit that nothing makes my heart beat faster than a few tiny sweet confections known as macarons.

Made out of almond flour, egg whites, and sugar, these naturally gluten-free delights look and taste so perfect. While the homeland of macarons is France, New Yorkers are lucky to have some of the world’s best pastry shops ready to serve their best fine dough recipes.

As with any other delicatessen, there is a science that stands behind creating the best macaron possible (for instance, the cookie-to-filling ratio should be between 1:1 and 2:1 ratio). I am not a pastry chef and not even a baker, but as a regular macaron eater, I know some places in New York that serve macarons just the way I love them, crisp on top and chewy in the middle. Okay, let’s start our “mmmmm list”!

City Guide: the Best Macarons in New York

Ladurée

864 Madison Ave.; laduree.com

Ladurée is my absolute favorite place to shop for macarons. Created in the best traditions of French baking, this gorgeously decorated cafe provides so many macaron options that sometimes it’s really hard to make up your mind.

You might be surprised to learn this, but the brand uses the same recipe that Laduree’s grandfather, Pierre Desfontaines, created in the middle of the 20th century.

Monsieur Desfontaines was the first to have the idea of using ganache filling between two macaron shells and established the entire gastronomic movement of macarons lovers in the 2010s.

Favorite flavor: Pétale de Rose.

Macaron Cafe

303 Greenwich Street; macaroncafe.com

Stepping away from an exclusive pastry shop, this cafe serves delicious lunch bites and a big variety of coffees.

My favorite thing about this place is that they create seasonal flavors that are so unique and yummy (how do a pumpkin and violet flower macaron sound to you?).

Macaron Cafe is also the land of ombre-colored macarons that make enjoying these sweet delights an even greater visual pleasure.

Favorite flavors: Creme Brulee and Dulce De Leche.

Michel Cluizel Macarons

Macaron Parlour

111 St. Marks Place; macaronparlour.com

If you’re a real foodie who loves experimenting with different flavors, this macaron shop is for you. While Macaron Parlour still serves traditional flavors, some of the fillings are so unique and incredibly tasty.

You’ll never believe that macarons could taste so different from anything else you ever tried before!

By the way, every now and then the store sells exclusive emoji macarons—if you want to try these, make sure to stock the bakery on Facebook as emojiroons get sold out in a matter of hours.

Favorite flavors: Elvis (peanut butter and caramelized banana) and Tiramisu.

Best macaron shops in New York

Michel Cluizel

199 Madison Ave.; website: cluizel.us

Created by a family of chocolate makers, this elite cafe and shop serve some of the best macarons in Midtown. This gorgeous cafe is located way too close to Ben’s office, so every time I visit him, we end up indulging in luxury handmade chocolate and macarons at Michel Cluizel.

Favorite flavors: Lavender and Caramel.

Sugar and Plumm

377 Amsterdam Ave.; sugarandplumm.com

This colorful cafe is one of my favorite meeting spots on the Upper West Side. The store has a smaller selection of macarons than others on this list, but it’s definitely worth checking out.

In fact, it’s a perfect location to meet with friends who are not necessarily into macarons. Since this cafe offers a wide range of cakes, milkshakes, cookies, chocolate, and ice cream, it’s a perfect place for any kind of dessert lover!

Favorite flavor: Rosewater Lychee.

Baked by Melissa

2325 Broadway; bakedbymelissa.com

Tiny macarons go even smaller at this dessert shop, famous for miniature cupcakes. In other words, if you’re a macaron lover who is trying to cut down on calories, this place is perfect for you.

Each of those miniature macarons contains fewer than 50 calories, so you can trick yourself by eating your normal number of pieces (for me, it’s never less than three) while consuming half the calories. Sounds like a good deal, right?

Favorite flavor: Sugar Cookie.

spring brunch table decor - macarons

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17 Comments

  1. Jana Williams wrote:

    Oh My, These Look So Good That it Makes Me Want to Get on a Plane Headed for NY Right Now! I Know This Sounds Horrible But I Really Don’t Like Low Fat, Low Calorie, Carb Free, Gluten Free Food! I Mean if I’m Going to Eat a Dessert Than I’m Going to Eat a “Real” Dessert With Real Butter, Real Cream, & Real Sugar! I’d Rather Eat a Smaller Portion of a Real Dessert Than Eating a Big Portion of a Low Calorie Dessert! However I Do Like a Lot of Healthy Foods Too Like Salads, Yogurt, Grilled Chicken, Veggies, & Fruit, Actually I Really Love Fruits & Veggies! I’m Just Not Going to Give Up the Yummy Fattening Foods That I Love, It’S Just Never Going to Happen! I Think Everything in Moderation is Ok By My Book! We Must Have Similar Taste in Foods Because You Picked All of My Favorite Flavors! I’m a Huge Fan of Using Lavender in Many Confections Like Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies (I Don’t Like Lemon in Sweet Dishes So I Just Leave it Out) or This Delicious Dessert That I Got Off of Pinterest Called Lavender Rose Cakes! I Also Love to Make Honey Lavender Panda Cottas, I Made Them About Two Weeks Ago & There Not Too Hard to Make Either! I Also Really Love Caramel or Dulce De Leche in Deserts and I Just Know That I Would Absolutely Love the Pumpkin & Violet Macarons and I Think Pumpkin & Violet is a Fun & Unique Pairing! I Bet a Rose Macaron Would Be Good Because I’ve Seen a Lot of People Use Rose Water or Rose Hips in Desserts and it’s Such a Mild Flavor! I’ve Had Rose Cupcakes With a Rose Whipped Cream Icing, I Know it Sounds a Little Odd But it’s Delicious! I Really Love Macarons But Unfortunately There Aren’t Many Places Where I Live That Sell Macarons! Generally if I Want a Good Gourmet Entree or Dessert I Have to Make it Myself But I Really Don’t Mind Because I Absolutely Love to Cook! The Only Problem is I Have a Lot of Chronic Pain & Health Problems So I Really Don’t Cook as Much as I Would Like to! I Watch the Cooking Channel All the Time Because It’s a Great Stress Reliever for Me for Some a Reason, it Just Calms Me Down! Sometimes I Wish I Would Have Gone to Culinary School Instead of Becoming an Aesthetician & Makeup Artist But I’m a Little Too Old to Do That Now! I Will Leave You the URL to the Lavender Rose Cakes Recipe & I Will Leave You a Pic Too, in Case Your Interested Because it’s Actually Fairly Easy to Make! Well Thanks Again for Sharing This With Us, I Really Do Appreciate it & Maybe if I Ever Visit New York I Can Check Out Some of These Amazing Places! I’m So Sorry for Rambling But I Just Really Love Stuff Like This! Have a Blessed Day Sweetie! – https://www.ricardocuisine.com/en/recipes/4708-lavender-rose-cakeshttps://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/923c23f7ceb1653ee826d83b02d43a15fcae2550ae4e87c63a71b4b067e8b4f8.jpg

    Posted 7.17.17
  2. Macaron Parlour’s emoji macarons sound so much fun! Loved this round up, thanks for sharing

    LuxuryColumnist

    Posted 6.5.16
  3. Thank you so much, Amanda! I loooooove macarons too and it’s always great to know where to find the best ones!

    Posted 4.26.16
  4. I can’t agree more, Michelle! However, having any macaron cafes next to me is dangerous as I can’t stop eating these colorful delights! ;)))

    Posted 4.26.16
  5. Yum! Laduree is my favorite place for macarons! They are delish & lucky for me the store is right near my office :)

    http://www.michellespaige.com/

    Posted 4.26.16
  6. Please do! These are so yummy! I’m addicted!

    Posted 4.20.16
  7. I love the pop of color in those heels! This is a great post, because macarons are so yummy and I need to know where the best ones are. haha
    http://www.lipstickisalife.com/

    Posted 4.19.16
  8. DippyWrites wrote:

    There’s a Laudree in Covent Garden, London so I’ll have to check out their macaroons!

    http://www.dippywrites.com

    Posted 4.18.16

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