National Chocolate Macaroon Day Date in the current year: June 3, 2024

The term “macaroon” refers to a cookie or small cake made from ground almonds, shredded coconut, or other nuts instead of flour. Macaroons are believed to have originated in Italy. Their name derives from the Italian word ammaccare that means “to crush”, referring to the original main ingredient of the pastry — almond paste.

The recipe was brought to France in the first half of the 16th century by Italian monks and pastry chefs who accompanied Catherine de’ Medici, the Italian wife of King Henry II. About two and a half centuries later, two Benedictine nuns, Sister Marie-Elisabeth and Sister Marguerite, came to Nancy during the French Revolution in search of asylum. They made their living by baking and selling macaroons, which earned them the nickname “the Macaroon Sisters”.

Macaroons spread across Europe thanks to Jews. Italian Jews took a liking to the recipe because it didn’t require any flour or leavening, which made macaroons the perfect dessert for Passover, a Jewish holiday during which all leavened foods are prohibited. Eventually macaroons became a popular year-round treat among European Jews.

It was Jewish immigrants who brought macaroons to the United States. Although French macarons made with almond flour are arguably the best known kind of macaroons, the most common macaroon variation in the United States is actually the coconut macaroon. Almond was replaced with shredded coconut because almond macaroons were harder to make and too fragile to transport safely.

While French macarons have a perfect round shape, coconut macaroons are often piped from a pastry bag with a star-shaped tip. Light and fluffy, they become even more delicious when dipped in chocolate. In fact, chocolate macaroons are so popular that they have their own holiday, celebrated just three days after National Macaroon Day.

To celebrate National Chocolate Macaroon Day, treat yourself to some delicious cookies with coffee or tea and don’t forget to spread the word about the holiday on social media with the hashtags #NationalChocolateMacaroonDay and #ChocolateMacaroonDay. And keep in mind that everything tastes better when shared with your loved ones!

Unlike French macarons, chocolate macaroons are very easy to make even if you’re not an experienced baker. In fact, there is a no-bake recipe for chocolate macaroons that you can use to celebrate National Chocolate Macaroon Day without putting too much effort in the preparation.

Mix 2 cups quick oats, 1 cup shredded coconut and ¼ cup cocoa powder (unsweetened) in a bowl. Combine 2 cups white sugar, ½ cup milk and ½ cup butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. As soon as the mixture starts to boil, remove it from the heat and stir into dry ingredients. Scoop batter by spoonfools onto a sheet of baking paper and let your chocolate macaroons cool to room temperature before serving.