Macaronisasweetmeringue-basedconfectionmadewitheggs,icingsugar,granulatedsugar,almondpowderorgroundalmond,andfoodcolouring.LarousseGastronomiquecitesthemacaronasbeingcreatedin791inaconventnearCormery.SomehavetraceditsFrenchdebutbacktothearrivalofCatherinede'Medici'sItalianpastrychefswhomshebroughtwithherin1533uponmarryingHenryIIofFrance.In1792,macaronsbegantogainfamewhentwoCarmelitenuns,seekingasyluminNancyduringtheFrenchRevolution,bakedandsoldthemacaroncookiesinordertopayfortheirhousing.Thesenunsbecameknownasthe"MacaronSisters".Intheseearlystages,macaronswereservedwithoutspecialflavorsorfillings.

　　Itwasnotuntilthe1830sthatmacaronsbegantobeservedtwo-by-twowiththeadditionofjams,liqueurs,andspices.Themacaronasitisknowntoday,composedoftwoalmondmeringuediscsfilledwithalayerofbuttercream,jam,organachefilling,wasoriginallycalledthe"Gerbet"orthe"Parismacaron."PierreDesfontainesoftheFrenchpâtisserieLaduréehassometimesbeencreditedwithitscreationintheearlypartofthe20thcentury,butanotherbaker,ClaudeGerbet,alsoclaimstohaveinventedit.