Baking with kids is a great way to spend time together and teach them about baking. Coconut macaroons are an easy recipe which kids love! They’re an excellent choice for the holidays and taste delicious.
What makes coconut macaroons the perfect holiday cookie?
Coconut macaroons are extremely popular during the holiday season, but they can be enjoyed year-round as well. In addition to being tasty, these little cookies have some benefits which make them even better! They are gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan, so almost anyone can enjoy them.
Macaron vs. Macaroon
The difference between the names macaron and macaroon is quite simple.
Macarons are a French dessert that consists of two cookies with different flavored cream in the middle.
On the other hand, coconut macaroons are a confection made of egg whites, shredded coconut, and sometimes nuts.
Even though there are differences between macarons and macaroons, many people refer to both desserts as macaroons.
What is a coconut macaroon, and why are they so popular?
Coconut macaroon is a type of cookie that contains shredded coconut, sugar, and sometimes butter. The mixture of these three components gives the cookies their fluffy texture.
People eat coconut macaroons at Christmas time because they are simply delicious! Not only are perfect coconut macaroons easy to make, but they taste amazing as well.
Compared to other confections, coconut macaroons are also gentle on the stomach. If you have a sensitive stomach or lactose intolerance, then you should definitely try this confection!
Coconut macaroons ingredients
The ingredients needed for this recipe are:
- 2 cups of coconut mixture or sweetened coconut, shredded
- 1/2 cup of sweetened condensed milk
- 2 Eggs
- 1 tsp. of vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
How to make coconut macaroons
Here’s a default, fantastic recipe to make coconut macaroons:
- Mix the coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla extract.
- Beat the egg whites and salt together with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
- Fold both mixtures together.
- Shape the mixture into balls and place them on a cookie sheet, leaving space between each one.
- Bake for around 23 minutes, or until the tops are just beginning to turn golden brown.
- Allow to cool off before serving.
The best coconut macaroons recipe
Ingredients
- 14 ounces of sweetened coconut flakes
- Two large egg whites, room temperature
- One teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate morsels, melted (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Optional: 1/3 cup finely ground pistachios
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Arrange two oven racks in the center of the oven. Make sure to line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine coconut flakes, condensed milk, and vanilla extract until well blended.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg whites and salt. Just use a hand mixer, whip the mixture until stiff peaks form.
- Fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture gently until thoroughly combined.
- Scoop mixture into balls with a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop and place on a prepared baking sheet, at least 1-2 inches apart. Be warned: the mix will be extremely sticky! It’s OK to get your hands a little wet to shape the balls.
- Bake for around 23-25 minutes, or until the tops start to turn golden brown, rotating pans half the way through. Because every oven is different, keep a keen eye on them!
- Allow macaroons to cool for a few minutes on the pans before transferring to a wire rack to cool entirely.
- If you’re going to dip them in melted chocolate, make sure they’re completely cool first. Dip the lower half of every macaroon in dark chocolate, then in pistachios. Please bring it back to the baking sheet to cool. Repeat with all the remaining macaroons.
- Eat and have fun!
How to keep coconut macaroons fresh
Macaroons can be stored for a long time.
Keep in an airtight jar at room temperature for seven days (or uncovered at room temperature for up to 3 days.)
Separate cookies can be wrapped in parchment paper (after baking and chilling completely) and frozen in an airtight container for three months. Additionally, you can freeze coconut macaroons. When unfreezing, let them come to room temperature before serving.
Coconut macaroon recipe success tips
An adequately prepared coconut macaroon is moist, light, and chewy. When done incorrectly, they are dry and crumbly.
- This recipe calls for sweetened condensed milk. Sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk are not interchangeable – don’t try to replace or you’ll end up with a watery mess.
- If you want to use chocolate in these cookies, make sure to buy the melted dark chocolate.
- In a food processor, pulse the coconut a few times. This aids in the breakdown of the flakes and the formation of a more compact cookie.
- Make use of a cookie scoop. This improves uniformity and guarantees that all cookies bake at the same rate. (You’ll need a medium cookie scoop that yields 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mixture.)
- Fill the cookie scoop halfway with the mixture. This will result in a tighter cookie.
- If you overbake the cookies, they will be dry and crumbly.
- Make sure that you only use egg whites. There shouldn’t be any egg yolk remnants at all! Egg whites are essential in this recipe because they add moisture and structure to the macaroons.
- The egg whites should be mixed in clean, dry, and residue-free bowls. Otherwise, the egg whites may not obtain stiff peaks.
- Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. The macaroons will be runny if the egg whites are not beaten until stiff.
- Macaroons require sweetened coconut flakes. Unfortunately, unsweetened isn’t going to cut it!
- Instead of wax paper, line your prepared baking sheets with parchment paper. The macaroons will adhere to the wax paper.
- Make sure to use the correct amount of sweetened condensed milk. This recipe calls for 3/4 cup plus two tablespoons, not a full cup.
Coconut macaroons recipe tweaks
There are so countless options to customize and decorate macaroon cookies!
Here are some examples:
- To get a deeper coconut flavor, toast the coconut slightly before adding it to the egg whites.
- Lightly add a 1/2 cup of finely diced dried fruit, rainbow sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, or nuts in the mixture.
- Melted chocolate can be drizzled over the cooled macaroons.
- Dip them in white or dark chocolate, then in groundnuts for a different flavor.
- Feel free to use almond extract along with vanilla and see if you like the taste!
Good coconut macaroon without sweetened condensed milk
Dry coconut macaroons are a distant memory, replaced by yummy coconut macaroons that are perfectly baked on the outside. These are perfect for any coconut lover! This excellent recipe is for macaroons produced without sweetened condensed milk, allowing coconut’s gentle, delightful flavor to stand out.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp light corn syrup
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 14 oz sweetened shredded coconut
- ½ tsp salt
- Two egg whites room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking pans with parchment paper. Place aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt.
- Bring to a boil, stirring regularly to dissolve the sugar over medium-high heat. Take the pan off the heat.
- In a medium-sized, heat-proof bowl, add shredded coconut and hot syrup, stirring until equally distributed. Allow 20 minutes for the mixture to cool.
- Preheat the oven temp to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Separately, whisk together the whipped egg whites and vanilla extract until frothy and thick.
- Gently fold in the coconut mixture.
- Scoop mounds of the coconut mixture using a cookie scoop (or two spoons or an ice cream scoop). You want mounds the size of a golf ball. Separate the macarons by 2 inches.
- Bake for 14-18 minutes, flipping the baking sheet halfway through. Put baking sheets over racks and allow macaroons to cool completely.
- Keep refrigerated in an airtight box.
Ending note
The next time you’re in the mood for cookies, give these coconut macaroons a try. They are deliciously sweet and moist with just the right amount of chewiness! These will indeed become your new favorite cookie recipe to bake during Christmas or any other holiday season.
