National Macaroon Day (May 31)

May 31st closes out the month with one of the more misunderstood cookies on the calendar. The macaroon gets confused with the French macaron constantly and the two have almost nothing in common beyond a shared ancestor and a similar name.

National Macaroon Day is specifically about the coconut version, chewy, golden, and considerably easier to make than its more delicate look-alike. It’s a good day to bake something simple and understand a bit of the history behind a cookie that has been around in various forms for centuries.

When is the Holiday?

Every year on May 31st.

Who Invented It?

No official founder. Likely a promotional push from coconut producers or bakeries who wanted to give the macaroon its own moment. The cookie is popular enough that it didn’t need much of a platform to find an audience.

The History of the Holiday

Macaroons started in Italian monasteries, originally made with crushed almonds. The name comes from the Italian maccarone, meaning paste, which describes the original texture well. They spread through monastic communities into France, where they evolved regionally, and eventually made their way to the US in the 19th century when shredded coconut became widely available. That’s when the chewy coconut version most people recognize today took shape.

Jewish communities adopted macaroons for Passover because they contain no flour or leavening agents, making them one of the few baked goods that fit the dietary restrictions of the holiday. That association is strong enough that macaroons are now one of the most recognizable Passover foods in American Jewish households.

Scotland also has its own version, the macaroon bar, which is fondant-based, covered in chocolate and coconut, and bears almost no resemblance to the coconut cookie beyond the name. The French Revolution produced its own macaroon story too. Two nuns in Nancy reportedly began making and selling almond macaroons to support themselves during the upheaval, and the local version became known as the Macarons de Nancy in their honor.

Top 5 Facts About the Holiday

1. Macaroons and macarons are not the same thing. Macaroons are coconut-based, chewy, and relatively simple to make. Macarons are almond flour sandwich cookies with a smooth shell and a ganache or buttercream filling. The names look similar. The cookies do not.

2. The coconut version is a relatively recent development. The original macaroon used almonds. The coconut version only emerged in the 19th century when shredded coconut became a widely available commercial product in the US.

3. Macaroons are one of the most common Passover foods. No flour, no leavening, naturally gluten-free. They fit the dietary requirements of the holiday in a way that most baked goods don’t, which is why they’ve become so closely associated with it.

4. Two nuns helped put macaroons on the map in France. During the French Revolution, two Carmelite nuns in Nancy began making and selling almond macaroons as a way to support themselves. The Macarons de Nancy named in their honor are still made there today.

5. Scotland has its own completely different macaroon. The Scottish macaroon bar is made from fondant, coated in chocolate and desiccated coconut. It shares the name but nothing else. Worth knowing before you order one expecting a chewy coconut cookie.

Coloring Page

Print the macaroon coloring sheet for younger kids to use while the baking is happening. Works well alongside the two-ingredient recipe if you want a simple activity that keeps children involved without requiring much adult supervision.

Activities to Celebrate

Making macaroons from scratch is the most obvious way to mark the day and the two-ingredient version on the recipe list below is genuinely as simple as it sounds. Shredded coconut and egg whites, scooped and baked. Good enough to eat on their own and a solid base to build from if you want to add chocolate, almonds, or a drizzle of something on top.

A macaroon bar setup works well for a group. Bake a batch of plain coconut macaroons and set out melted chocolate, chopped nuts, sea salt, dried fruit, and sprinkles for people to customize. The dipping and decorating stage is where younger children can get involved without handling the oven.

A tasting that compares different regional versions is worth doing if you can source the ingredients. Classic American coconut macaroons alongside Filipino-style versions baked in mini cupcake liners and a Scottish macaroon bar give you a genuinely interesting range and a good conversation about how the same name can attach to completely different things in different countries.

Making a gift box of homemade macaroons is an easy and well-received end-of-month gesture. They travel well, keep for a few days, and look better in a clear bag with a ribbon than their simplicity would suggest.

Related Recipes for the Holiday

Two-Ingredient Coconut Macaroons – shredded sweetened coconut and egg whites. The fastest version on this list and a good starting point for baking with children.

Perfect Coconut Macaroons – crispy outside, chewy center, the classic version done properly. A good base recipe to have down before trying variations.

Chocolate Chip Coconut Macaroons – mini chocolate chips mixed into the batter before baking. Chocolate in every bite without any extra steps.

Coconut Macaroons with Chocolate Drizzle – the standard recipe finished with melted dark or milk chocolate drizzled on top. Adds a decorative finish and balances the sweetness.

Filipino Coconut Macaroons – denser and more cake-like, baked in mini cupcake liners with condensed milk and vanilla. A noticeably different texture from the American version and worth trying for comparison.

Vegan Aquafaba Coconut Macaroons – aquafaba from canned chickpeas replaces the egg whites. Light, chewy, and genuinely good for a dairy and egg-free option.

Dulce de Leche Coconut Macaroons – filled or topped with thick dulce de leche for a caramel-forward version. Good served warm or chilled.

Low Carb Chocolate Chip Coconut Macaroons – unsweetened coconut, sugar-free chocolate chips, and a sugar substitute. Keeps the texture and flavor without the carbs.

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Links to Resources

Silicone Macaroon Baking Mat Set – non-stick, reusable, and produces evenly shaped macaroons with less cleanup than parchment paper.

Cookie Scoop Set (Small, Medium, Large) – consistent sizing means consistent baking times. Worth using if you’re making a large batch and want them all to come out the same.

Coconut Shredder Tool – useful if you’re working with fresh coconut rather than packaged shredded. Makes the prep faster and safer than using a knife.

Related Holidays

National Almond Day (February 16) – almonds were the original macaroon ingredient before coconut took over. A good prompt to try the almond version and see where the cookie started.

National Chocolate Chip Day (May 15) – lands earlier in the same month and pairs naturally with today. Adding chocolate chips to macaroons is one of the easier upgrades on this list.

National Macaron Day (March 20) – the French sandwich cookie that shares a name and a distant ancestor. Making both on their respective days is the clearest way to understand the difference between them.

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