Macarrones de leche: what they are and how to make them

What is it?

Macarrones de leche are a traditional Mexican sweet made of a firm paste of milk caramelised with sugar (similar to a hard cajeta), formed into small rolls or cylinders 5-7 cm long and wrapped in brightly coloured cellophane twisted at the ends like sweets. Their texture is dense, chewy and fudge-like, and their flavour concentrates the deep sweetness of milk slowly cooked with sugar until caramelised. They are sold in markets, regional sweet shops and fairs of central Mexico, especially in the Bajio, the State of Mexico and Mexico City. Together with borrachitos, jamoncillos and coconut sweets, they are part of the classic catalogue of Mexican fair sweets, colourful and affordable.

Origin and history

Macarrones de leche derive from the convent milk sweets of New Spain of the 17th and 18th centuries, heirs to the confectionery techniques brought by Spanish and Portuguese nuns. The word "macarron" in this context does not refer to dry Italian pasta, but to an old sense of the term that in convent confectionery designated an elongated sweet of firm paste. Larousse Cocina records that the macarron de leche is a direct relative of the jamoncillo, the milk sweet in a bar, and of solid cajeta. Mexico Desconocido notes that the traditional sweet shops of central Mexico, especially in Puebla, Tlaxcala, the State of Mexico and Mexico City, have made macarrones de leche since the 19th century as a popular, economical product. The bakeries and sweet shops of markets such as La Merced, San Juan and Sonora in Mexico City keep these sweets alive. The coloured cellophane wrapping is a 20th-century invention to ease distribution and preserve the sweet.

Characteristic ingredients

Making macarron de leche is simple in ingredients but demanding in technique: whole cow's or goat's milk, refined sugar, a pinch of bicarbonate, vanilla and sometimes cinnamon. It is cooked over medium heat for 2-3 hours, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to stop it sticking to the bottom and to incorporate air that whitens and softens the paste. When it reaches the "firm-ball stage" (118-120 degrees C), it is turned out onto cooled marble or a greased table and worked with a spatula until it becomes malleable. While still warm, it is formed into small rolls by hand and left to harden. Once cold, they are wrapped in coloured cellophane: pink, yellow, green, orange or blue, twisting the ends to secure the wrapping. Variants include macarrones with chopped walnut, orange zest, coffee or flavoured with strawberry or vanilla essences. The best are the artisanal ones made in a copper pan.

Cultural significance

Macarrones de leche are an inseparable part of the landscape of traditional Mexican markets and the regional sweet shops of central Mexico. In Mexico City they are found in the markets of Sonora, La Merced, Coyoacan and Jamaica, sold by confectioners who also offer jamoncillos, cocadas, palanquetas and borrachitos. In the State of Mexico, Puebla, Tlaxcala and Hidalgo they are made in family workshops with inherited methods. The sweet is included in the catalogue of the confectionery heritage of central Mexico and, although it has no official denomination of origin, it is part of the collective Mexican gastronomic imagination. The macarron economy supports small producers and artisanal confectioners who compete with difficulty against industrial confectionery. Traditional Mexican cuisine recognised by UNESCO includes regional confectionery among its expressions, and the macarron is an example of popular creativity in transforming milk and sugar into a simple, identitarian sweet recognisable in an instant.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a macarron de leche and a jamoncillo?

The jamoncillo is sold as a large rectangular bar from which portions are cut, generally with walnuts embedded, while the macarron de leche comes in small individual rolls wrapped in cellophane. They share the base of milk caramelised with sugar but differ in shape, presentation and sometimes texture: the macarron can be creamier.

What do macarrones de leche taste like?

They taste of deeply caramelised milk, with a concentrated sweetness, toasted notes from the cooked sugar and sometimes touches of vanilla or cinnamon. The texture is dense, chewy and fudge-like, melting slowly in the mouth and releasing the milky flavour. Some have walnut embedded that adds crunch and toasted notes.

How are macarrones de leche served?

They are eaten as they are, like an individual sweet on the go or to finish a meal, with the cellophane wrapping removed. They go ideally with an Americano coffee, an atole or an infusion. They are common in mixed boxes of typical sweets as a gift, on party sweet tables and as a treat at family gatherings after a meal. Their modest price makes them accessible to all.

Where do macarrones de leche come from?

They come from central Mexico, heirs to the convent confectionery of New Spain of the 17th-18th centuries, with a tradition especially strong in Puebla, Tlaxcala, the State of Mexico and Mexico City. The basic formula of milk caramelised with sugar is pan-European, but the presentation in small rolls and the use of coloured cellophane are 20th-century Mexican adaptations.