The 12 Best Macaron Flavors — Ranked and Explained
Picking macaron flavors sounds simple until you're staring at 12 options and can't decide. Here's our honest guide to all 12 flavors we make — ranked roughly from most universally loved to most interesting.
1. Salted Caramel
Our most-requested flavor. House-made caramel with a subtle touch of sea salt — the salt amplifies the sweetness without tipping into savory. Crowd-pleasing, sophisticated, and consistently excellent. If you're ordering for someone who "doesn't really have a preference," order this.
2. Dark Chocolate
Rich Belgian dark chocolate ganache. Not sweet-chocolate, not milk-chocolate — this is the real thing. Deep, slightly bitter, satisfying. The best macaron flavor for people who think they don't like sweets.
3. Pistachio
Real ground pistachios in a creamy filling — slightly nutty, lightly sweet, with that distinctive pistachio earthiness. One of the most classic French macaron flavors. Often the first one that sells out.
4. Raspberry
Bright, tart raspberry preserves against a sweet almond shell. The contrast is the point. Vivid pink, beautiful to look at, and the flavor is unmistakably raspberry — not the fake kind.
5. Vanilla Bean
Madagascar vanilla bean buttercream. It sounds basic until you taste a good one — real vanilla, seeds visible in the filling, clean and aromatic. The control group. If someone's vanilla macaron is bad, the rest of the menu is probably bad too.
6. Espresso
Bold espresso ganache. Not coffee-flavored in the vague sense — actually tastes like coffee. Deep, slightly bitter, excellent with a morning cup. One of our favorites to make.
7. Lemon
Bright lemon curd filling, citrus-forward and slightly tart. Refreshing in a way most macaron flavors aren't. Excellent for spring and summer. Pairs well with tea.
8. Rose
Rose-water buttercream. Delicate and floral without being perfume-y. A Parisian classic — this flavor has been in Ladurée's lineup for over a century. Polarizing for people who've had bad rose-flavored things, but converts almost everyone who tries it done right.
9. Strawberry
Real strawberry puree in the buttercream. Sweet and fresh. Popular with anyone who leans toward fruit flavors. Great for spring showers and birthday parties.
10. Coconut
Toasted coconut filling with a tropical, slightly chewy quality. Different enough from the other flavors to stand out. A good pick if you want variety in a gift box.
11. Hazelnut
Praline hazelnut filling — think of it as a more sophisticated Nutella. Creamy, nutty, slightly sweet. Excellent for people who love coffee and chocolate adjacent flavors.
12. Lavender
Floral, fragrant, and the most adventurous in our lineup. Dried lavender in the buttercream — aromatic and distinct. Not for everyone, but the people who love it really love it. Beautiful purple shells.
How to Order the Right Flavors
If it's for you: order what sounds best. If it's a gift: Salted Caramel, Dark Chocolate, Pistachio, and Vanilla Bean are the safest combination. If you want variety: pick one from each category (fruit, chocolate, floral, classic).