Frequently Asked Questions
What are French Macarons?
A French Macaron is a delicate, meringue-based sandwich cookie made with almond flour, egg whites, and sugar. French macarons use a French meringue, made by whipping egg whites with sugar, while Italian macarons use an Italian meringue, created by slowly drizzling hot sugar syrup into the egg whites as they whip. We use the French method for our Macarons! (Macaroons are an Italian confection made from sugar, shredded coconut, and egg whites. Many people mix up the two!)
How long will it take to receive my order?
All of our baked goods, macaron shells, buttercreams, jams, and fillings are made from scratch to order, rather than batching and freezing products. Many recipes call for overnight dough resting, or we may be receiving a lot of orders at once! Because of this, expected delivery times are between 5 to 7 business days. If we are able to fulfill the order sooner, you’ll receive an email regarding your order! You will be able to select contactless, or in person delivery and a delivery window. If you want to expedite your order, feel free to contact us to see what we can do!
What can I customize?
When you place a custom order, you're welcome to customize every aspect of your order! From custom flavors to custom colors, we’d love to bring life to your creative vision. We can write messages, or even add gender reveal fillings. We also work with a local artist to offer hand painted designs! Feel free to ask about any customizations and we’ll do our best to make your dreams come true!
How do we reduce waste?
California Macarons was inspired by my love for baking, and my love for California! Because of that, I try to take extra measures to ensure that we have as little of a carbon foot print as possible. Orders are delivered in batches to reduce gas emissions, all packaging and bags are paper products and easily recycled or reusable, any unused ingredients or materials are repurposed for other recipes, and we offer Mystery Boxes full of left over goods at a discounted price!
Why do we offer Vietnamese Baguettes?
The baguette was introduced to Vietnam by the French in the mid-19th century and became a staple food by the early 20th century. In the 1950s, a distinctly Vietnamese style of sandwich developed in Saigon, becoming a popular street food, also known as bánh mì Sài Gòn. Following the Vietnam War, overseas Vietnamese popularized the bánh mì sandwich in countries such as Australia, Canada and the United States. The bánh mì is one of my personal favorites! A classic California delicacy and a perfect addition for a French inspired bakery. Order some today!
Are Macarons allergy safe or vegan?
Macarons are made with eggs, sugar, and almond flour, so they will be inherently gluten free. All purpose flour can be substituted to accommodate nut allergies. This does, however, affect the texture of the cookie a little bit. Egg-free Macarons can be made using aquafaba, which is made from chickpeas. Contact Us to place a custom order if you’d like vegan or nut-free macarons. They can also easily be made dairy free. Visit the Contact Us page if you have any questions about allergies.
How many items can I order?
The more the merrier! We just ask that if you want more than 40 total pieces of any combination of our baked goods that you place a custom order on our Custom Orders & Events page, or select “Large Order” for your delivery option. We look forward to serving you!
Where can I receive my order?
Currently, we offer delivery to San Diego County. We have shipped Nationwide in the past and we do plan to offer Nationwide Shipping again, once the system fits our standards. Surrounding counties such as Orange County, Oceanside, or Los Angeles may be available upon special request for an additional fee. Visit the Custom Orders & Events page to place an inquiry.
Why can’t I get just one?
What if you don’t want 6 croissants or 12 macarons? Why can’t you just order one? Currently, we are offering handmade, made-to-order batches of baked goods. Eventually, we plan to make our way into the San Diego Farmer’s Market, and we plan on doing many pop ups in the future where you will be able to get single pieces of our delectable, handmade macarons and baked goods. Until then, feel free to share with your friends, family, coworkers, or neighbors and be sure to let them know you got them from California Macarons! Thank you for supporting local businesses!