The High Price Of Macarons Lies In The Flour

Cookie prices are exceptionally costly right now, but some are certainly less affordable than others. While you might be able to score some Oreos at a reasonable price, the rising prices of snacks mean that more complex varieties of cookies are often expensive.

Macarons have long been a notoriously expensive type of cookie, but why is this? While they're colorful, have a delectable texture, and have been popular on Instagram for years, there's more to the high cost of macarons than aesthetics and popularity alone. It turns out that one particular macaron ingredient makes the cookies as expensive as they are. Next time you have to pass up those decadent macarons because they'll put a serious dent in your wallet, don't (entirely) blame rising prices. Instead, blame almond flour, which tends to cost over $10 for a single pound. However, even though this necessary ingredient jacks up the cost, there are still some solid options for purchasing macarons on the cheap.

Many bakers use wheat flour for their cookies, though some deviate from the norm, using alternatives to change the flavor and texture of their baked goods. Macarons are consistently made with the same type of flour, though, and unfortunately for macaron fans, that makes the cookies far more expensive than most others.

Instead of the usual all-purpose variety, macarons are made with almond flour. Just how much more expensive is almond flour than wheat flour, though? On average, whole wheat flour is $4 for a five-pound bag. Almond flour has an average price of $11 for just a pound. Depending on where you buy your baking essentials, you could pay nine times more for this specialty ingredient. Unfortunately, making macarons with a less expensive variety of flour would significantly change the way they taste, and you'd end up with an inferior final product in terms of texture.

Macarons are always pretty pricey, but some stores sell them cheaper than others. While your local bakery might charge sky-high prices for just a few cookies, not every option is as expensive.

One of the best places to buy macarons offers tons of products (macarons included) in bulk. Buying in bulk can often save money, so head to your local Costco for cheaper macarons. On average, macarons sell for $2.10 per cookie. By contrast, one macaron brand sold at Costco is around $12 for 25 cookies, which comes to $1.50 per cookie. Although that's perhaps a bit steep for one small cookie, it's well below the delicacy's average cost. In addition, Costco's macarons are sometimes steeply discounted from their original prices, and some discounted batches of cookies retain the same quality as their full-price counterparts. Almond flour makes macarons jaw-droppingly expensive, but if you choose where you buy them wisely, you can significantly reduce your cookie expenditures.