Macarons a la Framboise

Alsa Macarons

Photography and text by Corey Amaro.

I stopped in the grocery store aisle and praised the French baker and company that put these on the market. Not that I love boxed goods, but I cannot say I don't like them either….

Macarons in a box. Is better than no Macarons at all. And these are pretty darn good.

I laughed out loud remembering the day French Husband claimed my mother's brownies his most favorite cookie, out of the hundred different cookies she made weekly. My mother was not impressed with French Husband's taste buds. With a bit of hurt in her voice, she said, "Yann they are the only cookie I made from a box!"

As French Husband was new to the English language he responded by saying, "What do you mean made from a box?"

"I didn't make them from scratch! If you are going to compliment the cookie maker you gotta give a compliment that means something. A boxed cookie doesn't mean much!"

French Husband was confused: Box and scratch??? Those words went sailing over his head.

But that didn't stop him from plowing down a few more brownies, with pure satisfaction. My mother shook her head and under her breath uttered, "It is a good thing he is so cute otherwise I would give him a bop!"

To this day she teases him about the boxed brownie. To this day his praises her for ALL of her Cookies!

 

Macarons alsa

The French have created Macarons in a box. Coffee, Chocolate and Raspberry. I stood in the grocery store aisle in disbelief.

Macarons made simple.

A French classic in a box.

Ready available in a few easy steps how could I resist?

Macarons instructions

The pictures on the back of the box show the easy steps to successful Macarons.

Brownies are easy with or without a box. But the box version is darn good… just like the "box versions" of French puff pastry, cream fresh, and fois gras are… Macarons are not so easy to master. The box version makes it easy to feel like one is in Paris at Laduree, wear light green and sipping tea.

As my friend Cheryl in Australia use to say when we were in the monastery together, "Why bark when you gotta dog." (Which means: Why bother doing something (bark) when you have someone doing it for you (dog).)

Yes, why bark. So I bought a box of macarons to take home and make.

 

 

Raspberry-macaron

If you would like to see how Macarons are made check this video out

Making Macarons.

Or if you would like to make your own, how about making Chestnut macarons with a champagne filling? ALSA boxed versions have come up with that blend yet.

Or if you want to just buy the puppies already made Amelie Patisserie can send you some.

 

Macarons a la framboise Pink macarons

As I walked home I thought I gotta another idea– I'll give a box of Macaron's away.

I checked on the internet and many French foodie blogs wrote about ALSA Macarons with flying colors.

Who would like to win a box? Here is the catch: You make them, and send me one… no just teasing!

Tell me what is your favorite cookie (I'll randomly pick a winner tomorrow.)



Comments

91 responses to “Macarons a la Framboise”

  1. Favorite cookie is…..peanut butter chocolate chip……or oatmeal chocolate chip……or chocolate chocolate chip….or a handful of chocolate chips and a good imagination equaling in an an experience that isnt truly a cookie moment but is sweet and tasty none the less.

  2. I’m so excited. Hopefully I will be able to make some and send you one very soon. One of the cooking schools is teaching a class on this every soon and I’m happy to say that I’m taking the class. So looking forward to it!

  3. My favorite, Shortbread cookies aged for at least a month in a cookie tin. Then they melt on your togue.

  4. My fav? French macaron of course! I found a source in Providence, R.I. but they are too sweet-much sweeter than the french version…
    Is there really a champagne with chestnt filling???OMG!
    jackie
    bliss farm antiques

  5. Well, lately, my favorite cookie has been to take small snickers bars and wrap them in peanut butter cookie dough and cook them.
    Also I love a 7 layer bar that I do with graham crackers, toffee, more toffee, chocolate chips, walnuts, pecans and condensed milk on top.
    Or sugar cookies.
    They are all good!

  6. Marie Noelle

    My favourites are – palets bretons (French)
    – cornets de Murat (French)
    – shortbread (Scottish)
    – scones (British)
    ______________
    Have a good day !!!
    xo
    MN

  7. Is it bad to say my favorite cookie is Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough?

  8. My favorite cookies were, are and probably lawys will be Toll House Cookies, slightly overcooked so they are crispy and crunchy. ‘scuse me – I gotta go bake……

  9. The wonderful Toll House chocolate chip cookie!! There is nothing like a Laduree macaron….my favorite when visiting Paris. Would love to try the Alsa macaron!!

  10. jend’isère

    Without entering this contest, I have a related cake comment. In 7th grade we had to bake a chocolate cakes from scratch. Upon completing this venture, our Home Ec teacher, Mrs. Hamilton, cupped her hand to her mouth and confided that now that we know how, boxed cake mixes are just as good!Perhaps this is why they do not teach Home Ec in France?

  11. Hum, my favorite? Too many to name and most of them are evidenced by my extra wide hips. With the holidays coming up, I guess I would have to say a Greek cookie; nuts wrapped in phyllo and covered in syrup. We have always called them paper cookies, a name we gave them as kids for the paper thin dough, but, their proper name is flores. After that? Greek butter cookies dusted in powdered sugar, then? Shortbread!

  12. Molasses cookies! … Still slightly gooey and warm. mmmm

  13. My mother’s thin, crisp ginger cookies are buttery goodness! Thankfully, she has passed the recipe on to me. I also love French Macarons and would eat these up, Corey!

  14. all cookies are my favorite! growing up i would NOT eat anything conventional for breakfast, mom finally discovered i would eat 2 cookies with hot chocolate…so every school morning for 8 years or so – this was it. gosh, no wonder i have high cholesterol! thank you for your wonderful posts! sharon

  15. Cory, I will order some after my Cousins wedding. Weight? I love pepperidge Milano orange cookies. Of course my home made choc, walnut dark chocolate chips.
    I have never had a french Macaron.
    Have you ever had a Maine whoopie Pie? LOL
    I don’t like them.
    yvonne

  16. Oh Corey, this is great news! macarons from box? in so many flavours! I got to find them! got to try them.. can’t wait!. thanks for sharing the news!

  17. My son used to tell people I made things from “scraps” instead of scratch! Made lots of folks scratch their heads…if it is a cookie, I like it…except chocolate chip. Does that make me unAmerican? And now I have so many allergies, I have to be very careful to know ingredients.., kinda takes the fun out of choosing! I love that macarons come in boxes though.

  18. MACEDAMIA AND WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES….MMMMMMM
    VICKY

  19. becky up a hill

    Sugar cookie~!

  20. Shortbread comes first on my list followed closely with a loaded oatmeal cookie. wishing everyone “good luck” on the draw for this great giveaway. Merci.

  21. My American-made boys are a lot like your French Husband. Although I bake from scratch and receive rave reviews for my delicious cookies and brownies, they prefer the box brownies or Oreos. Someday, hopefully, they’ll long for mom’s homemade cookies.
    My favorite of the ones I bake are peanut butter chocolate chip. They are sometimes called peanut blossoms and have chocolate kisses added for the last two minutes. I prefer to simply add the chocolate chips to the batter, roll them into balls, roll then in sugar and plop them on the cookie sheet.
    I’d like to try macarons though.

  22. Hmmm.
    Palmiers- crisp, crunchy and sugary outside, chewy and heavenly inside
    Mudslides- dark chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, with chopped walnuts and a soft center, sprinkled with powdered sugar
    and
    good old Tollhouse drop cookies- hot from the oven, soft, melty and underdone in the center!
    I may cry. I am on a diet until the end of the month when I go to my 40th high school reunion. No cookies for me! But I can dream!

  23. Stephanie M

    I really enjoy cookies that my husband’s ex wife makes. Oatmeal/Chocolate chip with dried cranberries and walnuts. Yum. (I also like her too)

  24. Definitely Toll house cookies with nuts, warm from the oven!
    Can’t wait to see your brocante stuff!!

  25. Every Christmas my husband makes home made Oatmeal Chocolate chip cookies. He never cooks or bakes but for some reason he enjoys doing this once a year. Those are my favorites because they’re made with joy and a loving heart. The whole family looks forward to them every year.

  26. Honestly, I never met a cookie I didn’t love! Chocolate chip,oatmeal,butter…u name it,I love it.

  27. As I was reading I hoped you’d offer a box at the end of the post! I’ll take raspberry. yum. ::Jill

  28. Any cookie with coconut! I also love teacakes and peanut butter cookies. I love just about every cookie! A French macaroon sounds delicious!

  29. My favorite cookie is oatmeal banana chocolate chip!!!! OMG they are sooooooooo good!
    I’ve looked into making macaroons but have not felt brave enough…. Maybe this would do. Do you translate the package?????

  30. My favorite cookie to make is peanut butter with nutty peanut butter. When my son was little he loved to watch me roll the cookie dough into balls, place on the cookie sheet and then he got to squish them down with a fork, making the criss-cross marks. He’s 32 now and still loves this ritual when I make peanut butter cookies 😉 I ordered several dozen FR macaron cookies from Patisserie Amelie earlier this year for a book signing party we hosted with Annette Tatum. They just melted in your mouth! I can’t imagine anything better, BUT would love to have a box of the Chocolat macaron cookie mix to give it a try :-)And I will send you a cookie from the mix!! Promise 🙂

  31. A give-away! What a great idea and so generous! Who doesn’t love a macaron (or two, or three!!!). Fortunately I have a local source, but they are quite expensive, so I don’t indulge very often. My specialty is rich, buttery shortbread. Simply heavenly!

  32. My favorite cookie…. hmmmm, chocolate chip for its old fashioned feel good that’s the way my mother made them taste…. comfort food. My favorite blog, Tongue in Cheek (oh, you didn’t ask that?)…. and do I want to win a box of Macarons? You betcha! Fingers crossed! and the mixing bowl is at the ready!
    Nancy

  33. I don’t have a “favourite” but I do like oatmeal choc. chip, peanut butter, ginger snap, and shortbread. Yummy in the tummy!
    Thanks for sharing Corey.

  34. Lieselotte

    My favourite cookies at this time of year are Vanillekipferl,no trouble to bake them at home from scratch – even for a beginner. Check this out : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanillekipferl

  35. WOW – Your French Macarons looks yummy!! I never have tasted it before 🙁
    My favorite: Millionaire’s Shortbread! It’s described like this: “… three delicious layers; a buttery shortbread, a smooth caramel, and a shiny layer of melted chocolate. Biting into one of these delectable bars is like enjoying both a cookie and a candy bar at the same time!”

  36. Karen Tunnicliffe

    My favourites are my Mum’s rolled oatmeal cookies with a date filling. She would put the oats inbetween layers of wax paper and roll them until they were very fine. The date filling had a bit of orange zest in it and was spread thinly over one of the cookie rounds then topped with another cookie, so, so good. My Mum liked to fuss and make fancy cookies, she would have loved a french macaron. Karen
    P.S. My husband loved her coconut macaroons, the bottom had a thin layer of chocolate on it.

  37. WOOOOOH! Macaroons from a box? Is this real? PICK ME!!!!!!!!! PICK ME!!!!!!!!
    I don’t have a favorite cookie I kinda love them all.

  38. The oatmeal, dark chocolate chunk, roasted pecan and dried tart cherry cookie.

  39. French macarons of course. A bakery 14 blocks from here makes them and it is a special treat to go there. Mom is getting ready to start baking cookies for her Christmas gift baskets. She doesn’t like macarons and doesn’t make them! Maybe I’m adopted…

  40. Pick a favorite? Oh my let’s see…I guess it is oatmeal raisin. I do love them so. Next would be a snickerdoodle…my mom made the best snickerdoodles. Oh and the fun one was a peanut butter cookie…she would get them all ready and then my brother and I would use forks to give them their criss-cross marks so she could bake them. Gotta love a cookie!

  41. Ooo-la-la!! Can’t wait to find this at my local Casino! 🙂

  42. I love to bake and eat oatmeal cookies. Also enjoy baking and decorating holiday cookies with my granddaughter…has become a tradition.

  43. I love peanut butter cookies, and brownies made from a box are good, too!

  44. Laduree ‘citron’ macarons and lemon squares! But I will never turn down any kinda scrath cookie…I’m too weak!
    You didn’t say if the boxed macarons were easy to make and delish? What’s the verdict?

  45. Paula S In New Mexico

    OMG. I would just lie down and die for a box of those! Even just one. Oh what a fantasy!
    My favorite cookie? Lavender Shortbread. Oh and of course, Biscochittos……a New Mexico classic.

  46. Puddle cookies, they are like brownies but far easier.
    Here is the recipe, your chocoholic will love them.
    http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/chocolate-puddle-cookies-recipe.html

  47. Brenda L from TN

    One Grandmother made shortbread cookies with chopped pecans and with powdered sugar on top. She called them “Wedding cakes”. And she also made chocolate Tollhouse cookies and they both were SOOOO good! The other Grandmother made oatmeal and raisin cookies as well as peanut butter cookies with the fork crossing. YUMMY! I really miss them both…Grandmothers and their cookies.
    I think I would like either the chocolate or the cafe macarons…they really sound and look great!

  48. My favourite cookies are called Weaver Cookies but that isn’t what we call them at our house. The first time I made them my daughter was about 15. She came in the kitchen to see what smelled so good but didn’t recognize the cookies cooling on the rack. She asked what they were and I told her the name – and listed all the seeds and nuts that are included. She looked at me in disbelief and said they should be called Birdseed cookies! She was skeptical at best but the smell won her over so she finally tried one. To this day, they are her favourite too!

  49. Denise Solsrud

    just look how many sweet teeth wrote on your blog and i am sure there will be more including me. never ate one. my very favorite cookie for special are the creme wafers. kind of putsy to make ,but actually not too bad,cuz everyone you give them to request them again. they are so delicate and size just fits in your mouth and it just melts. very few ingredients are involved, but they are very special. Bestest,Denise

  50. My sister’s chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. She doesn’t even measure her ingredients and they come out perfect! Warm out of the oven please…and don’t forget the coffee. 🙂

  51. I remember Macaroons from Laduree which were so beautifully lined up in the pastry display! What a thrill just to be in that wonderful place…..my favorite and long-time favorite which makes a very large amount to serve/store — Walnut Sheet Squares with cream cheese frosting. Made in four steps with a baked shortbread bottom, middle section eggs, brown sugar,cocoanut, chopped walnuts, vanilla baked, cooled and swirl frosted with butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar frosting. Cooled and cut into small squares, which are thick. So delecious and rich and easy to store. Yum, and I will make some for the holdidays and hope you would like to try the recipe!

  52. Apple Oatmeal cookies or Macarons, who can choose. I love them both.

  53. just the simple, all american favourite, the OREO! unbakeable, and unbeatable!
    and my favourite macaroon – the caramel au sel.
    Han a Londre

  54. OK—I like macaroons enough to try making them! I guess my favorite cookie is a fruit and nut filled oatmeal one I make, but purchased, I love iced pear cookies, fig newtons and ginger cookies.
    Barb
    Pick me!!!

  55. Made from “scratch” lemon bars. They are
    the BEST!! Yummyyyyy. Marie

  56. My favorite homemade cookie would have to be chocolate chip warm from the oven. For a store bought cookie, my favorite is Danish wedding cookies, yum, yum.

  57. I’m almost ashamed to say it but I love those little almond cookies you get at the Chinese restaurants. I know, how cheesy can you get? But they are just delicious with tea.
    If I’m going with home made then it’s the fudge drops rolled in powdered sugar. Sublime.

  58. Yum! The chocolate ones look good!

  59. My oatmeal chocolate chunk cookies, they have just the right amount of chewiness.

  60. carol in CA

    It has to be SNICKERDOODLES! Everyone loves cinnamon and they stay chewy on the inside. My husband used to take them fishing and all his friends would share. They are gobbled up when I bring them to work.

  61. I am sad to say that I have never had a beautiful macarons!! They are simply art from a box!!! When I was in France I didn’t choose a macaron when we went to the french bakery…too many wonderful things to choose from..wish I would have! My favorite cookie is anything with coconut!!!

  62. I’ll take the cookie monster 😉

  63. One of my favorite cookies is Mexican Wedding Cookies. There is something about the buttery cookie with pecans and coated in powdered sugar that I love. What’s funny is I only eat them during the holidays since my mom only made them at Christmas time. I guess there is really no reason why you can’t eat them any other time.

  64. Lindy Rogers

    I would love one of those if even for the box!

  65. love macarons and don’t think i have a favorite flavor, they all are my favorite.
    that macaron you made on the picture looks sooooo yummy!!!

  66. My favorite has to be the good ol’ American standard, the chocolate chip cookie! But pistachio macarons are a very, very close second. 🙂

  67. I can’t get my favorite cookie anymore. My Aunt Anita used to make Italian tarala cookies. Simple little knots with a light icing and few sprinkles (jimmies for you southerners). Unfortunately, even though she probably made 20,000 of them in her lifetime, I never saw her make them and can’t seem to perfect the recipe now that she is passed away. We pronounce the name like “the dolls”–say it fast–“thedolls.”
    Will continue to try and make them, but they never will be the same. ( I think I probably need her pink Radar range oven to bake them in…:)

  68. Granddaughter Emme ans I have been making chocolate chip cookies since she was able to grab a spoon … now that she’s six we’ve got them down! But those macarons … have had only local versions so can only imagine Laduree and such – and Alsa!

  69. C, my son J (13) jumped on the computer to read your post first and was eager to name his favorite cookie . . .chocolate chip brownie, make traditional choc chip batter and brownie batter then mix together and bake . .and, voila, delicious!

  70. knowing that you are in France now, I thought how apt and American of me to tell
    you my favorite cookie is the classic Nestle Chocolate Chip Cookie will always
    be my favorite. Sometimes, I like to add some coconut flakes to give it a
    different flavor. 🙂
    its nice getting to know you through your blog

  71. Oh, so cool. My fave cookie is what I am craving right now…Pumpkin Oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, yums. I tried macarons and failed miserably, guess I need a little help from ALSA too.

  72. My favorite is just about any cookie that is warm and gooey, fresh from the oven…

  73. Frosted sugar cookies…YUM!

  74. Corey, I asked my boys their favorite cookie and they responded pumpkin cookies with icing frosting. 🙂 Blessings, Kimberly

  75. Just one? Are you kidding? Ok I’d have to say peanut butter (when we lived in Germany and England years ago I couldn’t buy peanut butter and I missed it. But my friend makes a delicious cardamon cookie which I also love. Then there’s chocolate chip and……

  76. My favorite cookie…hum, there are SO MANY favorites….however, I must choose my mother’s Imperils. Butter, sugar, flour, pecans….
    baked…rolled in powdered sugar. Nothing that special, but Christmas is not Christmas without them…..just one of those special tradition things. I would love to make the macaroons, a cookie I’ve never tried because they seem so difficult to make. And, I’d be happy to send you one or more, along with some of my Christmas cookies. My list is up to 18 now!! The Cookie Fairy

  77. Brother Mathew

    Mom’s choc. chip with walnuts and with half the chips. I don’t know how she does it but nobody does it better. Sorry Shelley.
    Shelley makes way better meat loaf than my mom though.

  78. Jonathan from Napa, CA

    My favorite is an Italian ‘unformed’ cookie called “Brutti ma buoni”. It is fabulous but you have to love it for it’s name alone,
    “Ugly but good”.

  79. Honestly, lately my favorite cookie has been the macaroon. I recently went gluten free and to my knowledge the macaroon is something ‘sort of’ on my list of okay to eat. They are fantastic. My 2nd favorite is of course chocolate chip right out of the oven. … I was hoping you’d do a give-away!

  80. mmmm…oatmeal raisin.

  81. Macaroons’ by far..never tried real ones, but i have a dear friend who is a wonderful baker who I think makes pretty good ones:) someday, I will visit France and that will be the first thing I try!!!

  82. My favourite cookie is Australian ANZAC biscuits (or Aussie Oatmeal cookies as I called them while we lived in the USA). They are good with chopped apricots in them & one Christmas I added chopped up candy canes. I tried making macarons once but they were very flat. I’d love to win a box.

  83. Judy B. – Texas

    Moon Rocks…sort of like a Mexican Wedding cookie with orange juice added; very addictive. Time consuming to roll each round cookie in powdered sugar, but they are worth the effort!

  84. My favorite cookies are Triple Chocolate Chip. Chocolate dough with chocolate chips and chocolate chunks. Chocolate to die for!!!

  85. The French macarons are what the Swiss call LUXEMBURGERLI – lit. small Luxembourgers… 🙂 God knows why -, manufactured lovingly by the Confiserie Sprüngli…. Everybody MUST love them, as everybody MUST love the macarons and I never dared telling anybody that alreadythe colours are putting me off. Although, having said that, I LOVE the photos of the Laduré products, and the boxes…. But best I love your Australian girlfriend with her words: Why bark when you gotta dog…. THIS is my find of today and I shall employ from now on- whether it fits the situation or now – made me laugh out loud!!! And I love dogs! Finally a non fattening food blog contribution – thank you Corey

  86. My fave cookie – coconut macaroons.. A little chewy. Yummmmm.

  87. Nancy from Mass

    My favorite cookies are the Lumberjack cookies my Aunt Gladys used to make (she gave me her hand-written recipe for my wedding day…one of my 2 favorite gifts!) They are an old recipe that the lumberjacks used to take into the woods. Made with loads of molasses, they are an energy boost on a long day.
    BTW: I use the Bakers one bowl brownie recipe from the Bakers Chocolate website…they come out great every time!

  88. Pistachio macaroons would be my favorite but when I am feeling down, nothing will do but my grandmother’s oatmeal cookies to sooth my soul!

  89. Hi Corey, I love Molasses cookies….but don’t count me in the prize drawing…I’ve been to France too many times to deprive anyone else from a pkg of French cookies. When my sons were small I would bring them the cookies with the prince on the box..chocolate in the middle…you know the one…we can buy them in the US now.

  90. My favorite changes with my mood. Today, I am making Ginger Crinkles to serve with hot spiced cider tonight. These are crispy ginger cookies that have been rolled in sugar before baking. Good for dunking, if you don’t mind crumbs in your cider! Next week, my favoirite might just be Almond Roca Bars. Think: a thin layer of brown sugar butter cookie, topped with melted milk chocolate and chopped almonds! ahhh mmmmm.

  91. Article Following,each take record link current context do both region yourself prevent sell land member row propose early money stop attack establish county spread answer far circumstance generation attach hope primary common wind too hour nice similar right how expenditure cabinet location period cos religion expect send river transport employee heart soil relation corner category once chief mechanism winner liberal figure bill employ take loan match about believe thus supply simple enter national report most distance afford about court limited administration order formal restaurant yard engine argument retain head coal purpose star say add reading pretty measure

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *