Pastreez is a subscription box for the well-known French pastry, the macaron! Their macarons are baked fresh daily in California by real French chefs, and feature a dairy-free jam filling (instead of buttercream).
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About This Macaron of the Month Club
The Subscription Box: Pastreez
The Cost: $19.90/month + $7.90 shipping
The Products: One dozen macarons in two different featured flavors, handmade in the US by French chefs
Ships to: US
Good to Know: Pastreez macarons are gluten-free and dairy-free.
Our Review
I really love macarons, and until recently it was pretty hard to find them locally. Even though there are a couple of places in town where you can get them now, they're not super convenient to me... So I was pretty excited when this box from Pastreez arrived!
I was a little skeptical about receiving these treats in the mail. If you've ever tried to bake macarons or meringue in general, you know it can be kinda tricky and delicate.
We happily found that they were packaged very well, in a clamshell style container that holds each macaron in place, which was also surrounded with bubble wrap. (Only one had a little bit of a dent in it, which wasn't a big deal to me at all.)
Simple and sweet!
This handwritten note welcomes us to the subscription from Chef Anthony! This month's flavors are Pina Colada and Guava, while next month will be Mojito and Passion Fruit.
They include this visual key card so you can try to figure out which ones are which if you aren't sure. It looks like the box typically includes the "Macaron of the Month" plus one from their regular rotation, so only Guava is pictured.
The box notes that you should refrigerate these treats upon arrival– but the card also says that you should let them warm up to room temperature for about 10 minutes before eating. I sampled my first one cold from the fridge and definitely found the flavor to be muted, so be sure to let these sit for the recommended time, it makes a big difference!
Each box contains 12 macarons in the flavors of the month.
First up was the guava!
I'm not a big fan of tropical fruit flavors, but these surprised me. The jam filling definitely carried most of the flavor, but overall I found them exactly as I expect a macaron to be: light and delicious and not too sweet.
The meringue shells weren't as crisp as they are when they're totally fresh, but they were by no means stale. I've often bought macarons and kept them at home for a few days, and some softening is totally normal. Pastreez lets subscribers know that macarons should keep fresh for up to two weeks in the fridge.
The piña colada macarons were decorated with a bit of coconut. Emily commented that they looked like tiny hamburger buns. 🍔
Coconut can be either hit or miss for me, but I felt like they added a lot to these little treats! The flavor profile was mostly coconut but I could definitely get some pineapple in the jelly filling as well. These ones had a bit more crunch and texture than the guava, too.
Verdict: Even though tropical flavors aren't always my favorite, I was really happy with the selection that Pastreez sent in their subscription box! Everything arrived intact and well-packaged, the flavors were great, and the products themselves fresh. If you want to treat yourself and don't have a macaron bakery in your neighborhood, this is an easy way to get your French pastry fix– and a fun and festive gift idea, too.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? From Pastreez:
Our Box ships 2-3 Business days after you ordered. As we make macarons every day, we ship them fresh.
Value Breakdown: For $19.90 + $7.90 shipping, the subscription box from Pastreez will save you $3 per dozen vs buying their customizable dozen (where you choose your own flavors) and having it shipped to you. I also checked one of our local macaron bakeries and found that they also offer a subscription, which is $105 for three months ($35/month)– so Pastreez is coming out as the better value there, too. This is also more competitive than well-known establishments like L.A.'s Bottega Louis, where a baker's dozen macarons will run you $32.50.
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
What did you think of Pastreez? Would you subscribe to get macarons delivered to your door every month?
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.