How to pick macaron flavours
The classics are easy to name and harder to arrange. This guide runs through the five you meet most often, how to balance a box, what suits coffee or a glass of something sparkling, and how to order with allergies in mind.
The classic macaron flavours are vanilla, chocolate ganache, pistachio, raspberry and salted caramel. For a box that suits a table, set sweet fillings against a tart fruit one, keep two or three crowd-pleasers, and add a bolder flavour or two. Check for nut, milk and egg allergies before you choose.
- Classics
- Vanilla, chocolate, pistachio, raspberry, salted caramel
- A balanced box
- A few crowd-pleasers, one tart fruit, one bold
- Salted caramel
- Credited to Henri Le Roux, Brittany, 1977
- In every box
- Almonds and egg; milk in most fillings
Which macaron flavours are the classics?
Five flavours turn up in almost every maison. Ladurée lists vanilla, chocolate, pistachio, raspberry and caramel among its iconic line, and most shops stay close to that set. Vanilla and chocolate are the steady favourites, pistachio sits between sweet and nutty, raspberry brings the tartness, and salted caramel is the youngest of the group: a chocolatier in Brittany, Henri Le Roux, is credited with the salted butter caramel in 1977.
How do you build a balanced box?
A box reads better when the flavours pull in different directions. Too many sweet fillings and they blur together; one sharp fruit resets the palate between bites.
- Start with two or three crowd-pleasers that most people reach for, such as vanilla and chocolate
- Add a tart fruit, raspberry or lemon, to cut the sweetness
- Leave room for one or two bolder picks, pistachio or salted caramel, for the curious
- If it is a gift, lean on the safe flavours and keep the surprises to a couple
| Flavour | Taste profile | Pairs with |
|---|---|---|
| Vanilla | Soft, sweet, familiar | Coffee, black tea |
| Chocolate | Rich ganache, deep cocoa | Espresso, red berries |
| Pistachio | Nutty, gently sweet | Green tea, prosecco |
| Raspberry | Bright and tart | Sparkling wine, champagne |
| Salted caramel | Sweet with a salt edge | Strong coffee, dessert wine |
What goes with coffee, tea or sparkling wine?
Coffee likes the deeper flavours: chocolate and salted caramel hold their own against an espresso, while vanilla softens a strong cup. Tea is gentler, so pistachio and vanilla suit it, and a fruity black tea lifts raspberry. For sparkling wine the tart and nutty ones work best, with raspberry against champagne and pistachio against prosecco both playing on contrast.
Not sure how many to choose? A ready box costs €19, and you set the flavour mix when you order, so there is no need to commit to a single flavour.
How do you choose when someone has an allergy?
Every macaron shell is made with almonds and egg white, and most fillings carry milk, so a box is never free of these. Under EU food information rules a seller has to declare the listed allergens, almonds and milk among them, so ask about a specific flavour before you order for someone with an allergy.
- Almonds, a tree nut, in every shell
- Egg white, in every shell
- Milk, in most buttercream and ganache fillings
Questions and answers
What are the classic macaron flavours?
The classic macaron flavours are vanilla, chocolate, pistachio, raspberry and salted caramel, the set most maisons keep year-round. Vanilla and chocolate are the steady favourites, raspberry brings the tartness, and pistachio and salted caramel are the ones to add for variety.
How many flavours should a macaron box have?
A good box has three to six flavours: enough for variety without turning every bite into a guess. Keep two or three crowd-pleasers, add a tart fruit to balance the sweetness, and leave room for one bolder choice.
What is a salted caramel macaron?
A salted caramel macaron is filled with caramel that has a pinch of salt worked in, which keeps it from tasting flat. The salted butter caramel it comes from is credited to Henri Le Roux, a chocolatier in Brittany, in 1977.
Which macarons go with coffee or sparkling wine?
Chocolate and salted caramel stand up to coffee, while raspberry and pistachio are the ones to serve with sparkling wine. Vanilla is the all-rounder that suits either, and a tart fruit flavour is a reliable match for champagne.
Are macarons safe for people with nut or dairy allergies?
No, macarons are not safe for a nut allergy, because every shell is made with almonds, and most fillings also contain milk and egg. EU rules require a seller to declare these allergens, so ask about a flavour before ordering for someone affected.
Updated: 11 November 2026
Sources
- Our macaron flavours (iconic range) - Ladurée
- Caramel (origin of salted butter caramel) - Wikipedia
- List of 14 allergens - Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI)