My grandfather loves coconut. Coconut pie, coconut cookies – whatever it is – he’s all over it. But his all time favorite coconut goodie are coconut macaroons. So in honor of him and National Macaroon Day today, I thought I’d share my recipe for my Signature Coconut Macaroons. These are in a whole other realm from those hard and flavorless cookies you find at the grocery store. They have a crisp, caramelized sugar outside and a gooey sweet center. They are super addicting and below you’ll find the recipe for these yummy macaroons, along with two additional options to amp up the deliciousness!
What’s the Difference between Macarons and Macaroons?
Aside from both being delicious and similar in spelling, macarons and macaroons are entirely different cookies. First off, a macaroon is coconut based, whereas a macaron is meringue based. The amount of difficulty in making them are extreme opposites—one will have you stressing in the kitchen for hours while the other can be whipped up in minutes. Macarons range in color and flavors and macaroons are limited in variety. You can read more about both desserts’ histories and origins here.
How Long do Macaroons Last after Baking?
If by some crazy reason you don’t gobble them all up on the same day that you make them, macaroons can last up to 3 months in the freezer.
Coconut Macaroon Recipe
Coconut Macaroon
Sweetened stacks of coconut are crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. These bites of coconut are a delicious Summer dessert!
- 14 ounces of sweetened shredded coconut
- 2 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 4 large egg whites (room temperature)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
Optional:
- 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 ounce coconut oil
- 2 ounces finely chopped macadamia nuts
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Combine the coconut, sweetened condensed milk, salt, and almond extract in a bowl.
- In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue mixing until the mixture forms medium peaks.
- Gently fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture. Scoop tablespoon size mounds onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer the parchment to a cooling rack.
Optional: These delicious treats are good as is, but I wanted to give you options if you want to take it up a notch (or two).
- Chocolate Drizzle Style: Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave and stir until well combined. Chocolate should be silky looking. Take a spoon and drizzle the chocolate back and forth over the macaroon. Chocolate will not harden.
- Candy Bar Style: Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave and stir until well combined. Chocolate should be silky looking. Take the macaroon and dip the top of it into the chocolate. Place it back on the parchment paper and top is with the macadamia nuts.
- These coconut macaroons are ridiculously good. They definitely taste the best on the day you made them, but they should stay good for 2 days in a sealed container.
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