From gomemphis.com, Thank God for macaroons.
The macaroon, a cookie with universal appeal, is a staple for many Jewish families during the eight-day observation of Passover.
Because sweetened ground nuts, coconut or a combination of both are leavened by egg whites, they meet the dietary requirements of the spring holiday, which begins at sunset April 16. (...)
Finding the exact origins of most foods is typically a frustrating task. But macaroons have a chronicled history that is firmly Christian.
Almond macaroons originated in an Italian monastery around 1792. The name comes from the Italian word for paste, maccarone, which refers to almond paste. (Macaroni means flour paste.)
A little later, two Carmelite nuns, seeking refuge in the town of Nancy during the French Revolution, paid for their housing by baking and selling macaroon cookies. They became known as "Macaroon Sisters."
As the story goes, the nuns followed the principle: "Almonds are good for girls who do not eat meat."
Italian Jews transmitted this flourless cookie to the Ashkenazim (Eastern European Jews), who added it to both their Passover and everyday pantries, writes Gil Marks in his cookbook, The World of Jewish Desserts. [continue]
All fascinating, but I wish that articles like this would cite sources. What monastery? Where's the documentation?
Related links:
Cookie History
Passover desserts have rich history (scroll down for the part about macaroons)
macaroon definition and etymology
Related book:
The World of Jewish Desserts: More Than 400 Delectable Recipes from Jewish Communities from Alsace to India