In a city packed with cupcake trucks, gelato shops, artisanal donuts and a dedicated rice pudding store, it’s only fitting that macarons are taking over. The delicate Parisian confections — traditionally made with egg whites, sugar, almond flour and filled with ganache, jam or buttercream — are not to be confused with macaroons, the dense mounds of shredded coconut. Yes, the painstakingly perfect French pastries are seemingly everywhere these days, and we have the scoop on the best new flavors for fall.
Francois Payard Bakery
Multiple locations www.payard.com
Francois Payard gives the Parisian classic a fall flare with his pumpkin macaron, available exclusively during the fall months. Traditional pumpkin pie flavors accent the ganache filling of this sandwich cookie, providing essential tastes of fall. Says Chef Payard, “Everyone associates fall with pumpkins, so I always love making some sort of pumpkin dessert. I wanted to do something different, so I created a spiced pumpkin ganache for pumpkin macarons. The pumpkin really stands out in these macarons.” $2.25 each
MacarOn Cafe
44 E. 59th St. and
161 W. 36th St.
Crisp, chewy and known for lovely flavors like Jasmin, Honey Lavender, Violette Flower and Rose, this fall MacarOn Cafe offers limited-edition (and gluten-free) macarons in seasonal flavors including pumpkin cinnamon and chestnut. $2.50 each
Sugar & Plumm
377 Amsterdam Ave.
With a new Upper West Side outpost, bakery and bistro, Sugar & Plumm has Pichet Ong at the helm in the pastry kitchen, and features two fall flavors on the menu: Pumpkin (with milk chocolate and spiced pumpkin filling) and Green Apple (with a green apple reduction filling infused with white chocolate ganache). $2.45 each
Vendome
411 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn, and Smorgasburg Williamsburg and DUMBO www.vendomenyc.com
Taryn Garcia, whose macaron colors are almost as stunning as they taste, has come up with flavor combos sure to evoke autumn. Look for Roasted Apple + Saigon Cinnamon, Spiced Pumpkin + Toasted Coconut, Black Perigord Truffle + Roasted Chestnut, and Agrimontana Hazelnut. $2.50 each
Dana’s Bakery
Photo editor-turned-baker Dana Loia, the brains behind the namesake macaron line, is known for inventive flavors like Creamsicle and Birthday Cake. This fall Dana has kept it somewhat traditional with Pumpkin Cheesecake (debuting in November) and Champagne (sold in December). $2.50 each
Ladurée
864 Madison Ave.
The first U.S. outpost of the famed Parisian pastry shop introduces its Holiday flavor this fall, complete with two chocolate crispy shells filled with a delicious ganache made of chocolate, candied Clementine peels, cinnamon, star anise and vanilla. $2.80 each
Macaron Parlour Patisserie
111 Saint Mark’s Pl.
www.macaronparlour.comNo stranger to experimentation when it comes to flavors, Christina Ha and Simon Tung of Macaron Parlour have also played around with savory and frozen fillings. This season, they’re offering Nut-Free Pumpkin Pie (a take on the traditional pumpkin flavor, here made with pumpkin seeds), Pecan Pie (with toasted pecans and brown sugar bourbon buttercream), Candied Bacon with Maple Cream Cheese and Apple Cider Caramel (with diced honey crisp apples). $2.50 each
