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It’s officially cookie season!!!
Well, isn’t it always cookie season?!?!
Let’s make some coconut macaroons!!!
If you love all things coconut – especially coconut with a little bit of dark chocolate – then, these cookies are for you.
These coconut macaroons are soft, a little crunchy, chewy, loaded with delicious, sweet, shredded coconut, and just a little dark chocolate for contrast. They are super easy to make. They are sweetened with honey, they are gluten free, and dairy free (if you use a dairy free chocolate), they only require 8 to 10 ingredients, and they are perfect any time of the year.
Make them for Christmas – the cookie season – or make them all year long. Personally, coconut macaroons make me think of summertime due to the tropical coconut taste. But, there is no wrong time to enjoy coconut macaroons!
I think we can all agree on that!!!
Ingredients for coconut macaroons
As always the full list of ingredients, including their measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Let’s discuss the ingredients here for a better understanding.
Shredded Coconut
- unsweetened, dried, shredded coconut – I like to use the long shredded coconut, that is dried. You can use desiccated, dried coconut (it’s coconut that is in tiny rice, sized pieces), your cookie will just result in a slightly different texture. I prefer to use dried coconut that I hydrate and slightly sweeten myself, rather than baker’s coconut that is already hydrated, and sweetened so that I can be in control of the sugar going into my cookie. See notes, if you do use already hydrated, sweetened coconut.
- granulated sugar (optional) – I use just a touch of granulated sugar to sweeten the coconut when I hydrate it to help bring out the coconut flavor a bit. You can skip the sugar, if you prefer.
- filtered water – The water is used to hydrate the dried coconut. Most of the water is absorbed by the coconut, so it is important to use filtered, or bottled water rather than tap water. If you tap water is chlorinated, or has a strong mineral taste, it can affect the taste of the coconut itself.
Coconut macaroon batter
- honey – the sticky, sweet golden honey is what is used to sweeten the coconut macaroon cookies. It’s thick, sticky texture works perfectly here.
- coconut cream – The coconut cream adds richness, and body to the cookies while adding a little more coconut flavor.
- pure vanilla extract – to flavor the cookies.
- almond extract (optional) – Just a hint, of add another dimension of flavor to the cookies. You can easily omit it if you’re not a fan.
- kosher salt – to bring out the flavors in the coconut macaroons.
- coconut flour – The coconut flour helps to absorb any excess moisture in the coconut macaroon batter.
- white rice flour – The white rice flour helps to bind, and keep the shape of the coconut macaroons, while helping to give the cookies a nice chewy texture.
- egg whites – Whipped egg whites are very common in coconut macaroons. The egg whites provide body, structure, and most importantly, binding.
Chocolate coating (optional)
- dark chocolate – I like to use 60 to 70% dark chocolate so the bitterness of the dark chocolate helps to balance out the very sweet coconut macaroon cookie. Of course, you can easily leave off the chocolate, but I love the flavor combo.
- coconut oil – just a tiny bit of coconut oil melted into the chocolate helps keep the chocolate smooth, and soft so that it’s pleasant to bite into.
How to make coconut macaroons
Please see the more through directions in the recipe card below. Let’s give you a snapshot here.
- Bring your eggs to room temp – It’s very important that your eggs are at room temp otherwise they won’t whip up into stiff peaks. If you forget to pull them out of the fridge a few hours in advance, I have a little 10 minute hack that I share in the directions of the recipe card.
- Hydrate the coconut – If using dried coconut (which is what I recommend), you will need to hydrate your coconut. You simply add boiling water, a little sugar (if desired), and allow the coconut to sit in the hot water for 10 minutes.
- Dry out the coconut – After the coconut has hydrated, allow it to dry out for 30 minutes (this all can be done a day in advance).
- Prepare – Preheat your oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix the up the batter.
- Whip up the eggs – Use a hand mixer to whip up the eggs until stiff peaks form.
- Combine – Fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.
- Portion out the cookies – Use a cookie scoop to portion out the cookies into cute little mounds of coconut.
- Bake the cookies.
- Cool – allow the cookies to cool completely.
- Melt the chocolate – along with the coconut oil.
- Dip the coconut macaroons into the chocolate – just a touch of chocolate on the bottom of the coconut macaroons adds great flavor.
- Allow the chocolate to set.
- Serve – Soft, tender, a little bit crunchy, and so good!
What is a coconut macaroon?
A coconut macaroon is a soft cookie that has shredded coconut in it. The bottom of the cookie is often dipped in chocolate. The primary flavor of the cookie is coconut.
What is normally in a coconut macaroon?
Traditionally, a coconut macaroon contains sweetened condensed milk as the way to sweeten the cookie, shredded coconut, and whipped egg whites. And then it is often dipped in that little bit of chocolate.
My coconut macaroons do not have any sweetened condensed milk.
Instead, my coconut macaroons are sweetened with honey, and have coconut cream for a creamy element. I do use coconut flour, and white rice flour to help bind the cookies, and absorb any excess liquid.
What is the difference between macarons and coconut macaroons?
These two cookies are often confused. I think because the names are fairly similar in spelling. However, they are not alike at all.
A macaron is a French cookie. It is meringue based sandwich cookie that is made with almond flour, egg whites, and sugar. It often has food coloring, giving it a bright distinct colorful look. The cookie is often made into fun, unique flavors. The sandwich cookie is filled with buttercream ganache, or jams.
Macarons are a finicky cookie to make that requires experience. If you have ever had one from a bakery, they are quite the delicious treat.
Whereas coconut macaroons are made using shredded coconut as the main ingredient, and flavor. Coconut macaroons are very easy to make and can be made by beginner bakers.
Is this coconut macaroons recipe gluten free?
Yes.
Although, I do add flour to my coconut macaroons recipe to help with binding, I use coconut flour, and white rice flour which keeps the coconut macaroons gluten free.
Is this coconut macaroons recipe dairy free?
With a simple substitution, yes.
Simply use dairy free chocolate, or omit the chocolate, and these cookies are dairy free.
Do I have to dip my coconut macaroons in chocolate?
No. you can easily leave the coconut macaroons plain.
However, I do recommend the chocolate. Not only is chocolate and coconut a great flavor combo, but the bitterness of the dark chocolate helps to balance out the sweetness of the coconut macaroon.
Either way, they are still very delicious.
Are coconut macaroons healthy?
Yes. Coconut macaroons are healthier than most average cookies.
These coconut macaroons are considerably lighter on calories, fat, sugar, and carbs than your traditional cookie. Likely, the reason being that there are no added oils, or butter in the cookies. Most of the fat comes from the shredded coconut itself. And, there isn’t much flour in the cookies keeping them lower in refined carbs,
Also, using only egg whites keeps them light without the fat from the egg yolks.
That being said, they are still very much a dessert to be enjoyed with moderation.
Are coconut macaroons easy to make?
Yes. coconut macaroons are very easy to make.
The hardest part is waiting for them to cool when they come out of the oven. And, for the chocolate to set after they are dipped into the chocolate.
Still, they are worth the wait.
Equipment I used to make coconut macaroons
While you don’t need these exact tools to make these coconut macaroons, they are very helpful. And, they are equipment I use regularly when baking. (Affiliate Links)
- adjustable measuring cup – for measuring the sticky honey
- measuring spoons – these are my favorite
- mixing bowls – you will need two bowls for this recipe.
- cordless hand mixer – love having a cordless hand mixer, makes everything easier.
- rimmed baking pan – this one is my favorite!
- medium cookie scoop – makes measuring out, and shaping the cookies so easy.
- cooling rack – helps the cookies to cool down a bit faster.
Ingredients I use to make coconut macaroons
While you can buy most of the ingredients in the store, I thought it would be helpful to link some of the ingredients here so you know what you’re looking for. (Affiliate Links)
- shredded coconut – I have a hard time finding unsweetened coconut in long shreds at my store, so I did purchase this ingredient online.
- coconut cream – You want canned coconut cream. You will leave all of the water behind. See notes in the recipe card for ways to use up leftover coconut cream.
- coconut flour – Easy to find in most stores these days, but just in case, you can buy it here.
- white rice flour – Same with the coconut flour, you can usually find white rice flour easily, just in case, you can buy it here.
- coconut oil – even though I use a tiny bit of coconut oil in the chocolate, I use it in a lot of baking recipes, so I like to keep a large amount on hand – it lasts forever. This one is my favorite brand.
Reasons you will LOVE these coconut macaroons
- They’re the coconut lover’s cookie.
- They’re soft,
- and a little crunchy,
- dark chocolate is involved.
- They’re easy to make.
- They’re perfect any time of the year.
- They’re naturally gluten free,
- can be made dairy free,
- and, they’re sweetened with honey.
- They’re perfect for sharing.
- Or, for keeping to yourself,
- because they are addicting.
More cookie recipes for you to love!!!
- peanut butter blossom cookies
- thumbprint cookies
- three Christmas cookies, from one simple dough
- healthy chocolate oatmeal cookies
- pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies
- pecan pie cookies (without corn syrup)
- crunchy no bake chocolate cookies
- chewy gluten free molasses cookies
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know how it went. Leave a comment below, along with a star rating. It’s really helps my blog out. Thanks.
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Coconut Macaroons (Sweetened with Honey)
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Hydrating the coconut: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 23 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 33 minutes
- Yield: 18 macaroons 1x
- Category: baking, dessert, cookies
- Method: mixing, baking
- Cuisine: gluten free, vegetarian, dairy free
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Coconut macaroons are soft cookies that are packed with shredded coconut, dipped in chocolate. They are easy to make. And, perfect for sharing, anytime of the year.
Ingredients
Shredded coconut
- 2 cups unsweetened, dried, shredded coconut (see notes)
- optional: 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar (see notes)
- 1 1/4 cup boiling water (filtered is best)
Coconut macaroon batter
- 2/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup coconut cream (the solidified cream from a can, not stirred into the coconut water)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- optional: 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons coconut flour
- 3 tablespoons white rice flour
- 2 large egg whites, room temp
Chocolate coating (optional)
- 4 ounces dark chocolate, broken up (I like 60 to 70% cocoa)
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Bring your eggs to room temp – Remember to bring our eggs to room temp. Allow them to sit out for 3 hours at room temp. If you forget, you can allow the eggs to sit in a bowl of warm (NOT HOT) water for 10 minutes. Be sure to dry off the eggs well. Tip: Since we are beating egg whites and you don’t want any egg yolks in the egg whites, otherwise they won’t whip – I like to set out 4 eggs so I have backups in case I get that tiny bit of yolk in the egg whites while I am separating them.
- Hydrate the coconut – (see notes on the type of coconut I recommend, and why I hydrate it). Note: if using baker’s shredded coconut that is already sweetened, and already hydrated, you can skip this step. I do not recommend skipping this step if using dehydrated coconut. You can do this step up to 1 day in advance, if you want. Place the sugar (if using) in a medium bowl and add the 1 1/4 cup of boiling water (use filtered water, if possible – the water is absorbed by the coconut, so tap water can affect the flavor of the coconut), stir the sugar to dissolve in the water. Add the dried, shredded coconut, gently stir the coconut into the water to make sure it gets fully hydrated. Allow the coconut to sit in the hot water for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The coconut will soften, and soak up most of the liquid.
- dry out the coconut – Once the coconut has hydrated, and it has soaked up most of the liquid – drain any of the remaining liquid by passing it through a fine mesh siv. Then, line a small or medium, rimmed baking sheet with 2 layers of paper towel (or a clean kitchen towel), and lay the coconut out on the baking sheet in an even layer. Use more paper towels to pat the top of the coconut dry. Allow the coconut to sit on the baking sheet for at least 30 minutes to dry off. Note: don’t skip the drying out step, if your coconut has too much liquid on it, the cookies will be a runny mess – trust me. You can do these first two steps up to 1 day in advance. If you’re not ready to make the cookies yet, transfer the coconut to an air tight container and store at room temp.
- Prepare – While the coconut is drying out, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. At this time, line a medium rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper – set aside.
- Mix the cookie batter – When the coconut is almost done drying out, add the honey, coconut cream, vanilla, almond extract (if using), and kosher salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until no more lumps remain in the coconut cream, and it is fully combined. Then, add the coconut flour, and white rice flour to the bowl and whisk until well combined. Once the coconut has dried out for the 30 minutes, transfer the coconut to the mixing bowl with the honey, coconut cream mixture – and shake off as much coconut from the paper towels as you can. The coconut should still be hydrated, and flexible – but not sopping wet at this point. Use a spatula to gently mix the coconut into the mixture, it should be pretty thick.
- Whip up the egg whites – To a separate, clean medium mixing bowl add the egg whites – making sure there isn’t any egg yolks in the egg whites – this will prevent the egg whites from whipping up. Use a hand mixer (or, you can use a stand mixer) to beat the eggs on medium speed until they become foamy. Then, turn the speed up to high and beat until the eggs double in size, become opaque white, and hold stiff peaks. This entire process will take 2 to 3 minutes.
- Combine – Add about 1/4 of the whipped egg whites to the coconut mixture, and use a spatula to fold the egg whites into the batter, this loosens of the thick batter. Then, add the remaining egg whites and gently fold it into the batter until egg whites are no longer visible, and it’s well mixed.
- Portion out the cookies – Measure out 1.5 tablespoons of the coconut mixture, in a tightly packed heap. I highly recommend using a spring loaded medium sized cookie scoop, like this one (affiliate link), to create uniform cookies – and to make the process faster. The cookies do need to be tightly packed, otherwise they won’t hold together, and they fall apart. I use the back of a spoon to press half of the batter into the cookie scoop, then fill the remaining cookie scoop up with more batter, and use the spoon to press it into the cookie scoop. Use the spring release to place it onto the baking sheet. Repeat, until you have worked through all of the batter. You will have 17 to 18 cookies. The cookies don’t spread at all, so you can keep them pretty close together (about 1 inch apart).
- Bake – Bake the cookies for 20 to 23 minutes, or until the bottoms of the macaroons start to look golden brown, and a few of the coconut pieces on top start to look browned. The cookies will no longer look wet.
- Cool – Allow the macaroons to cool on the pan, that is placed on a cooling rack until the are completely cooled. It’s important to allow the cookies to cool complexly on the baking sheet before moving them, they are very delicate until they are cooled.
- Melt the chocolate – (optional step). Break up the chocolate bar into a microwave safe bowl, add the coconut oil (this keeps the chocolate just a touch softer, making the macaroons easier to eat) – microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until all of the chocolate is melted. Alternately, you can use a double boiler to melt the chocolate. I like to transfer the melted chocolate to a small ramekin/bowl, so that it’s the right size for dipping the macaroon into.
- Dip the coconut macaroons into the chocolate – Grab a cooled a coconut macaroon, and dip the bottom 1/8 to 1/4 inch of the cookie into the chocolate, lift up, and hold the macaroon on it’s side to allow any excess chocolate to drip off. Place the chocolate dipped macaroon back onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Repeat until you have dipped all of the macaroons into the chocolate.
- Allow the chocolate to set – Allow the chocolate to set completely. If you want to speed this step up, you can pop the tray of macaroons into the fridge for a few minutes.
- Serve/store – Once the chocolate is set, you can enjoy the coconut macaroons immediately. If storing leftovers, store them in an air tight container, at room temp, for up to 4 days. They are still very good when they’re leftover, but like most cookies – they are at their best enjoyed the same day they are made.
Notes
types of coconut – I prefer to use a longer shredded coconut that is unsweetened and dried. I can’t always find this type of coconut in my grocery store. I bought mine on Amazon, you can purchase yours here (affiliate link). If all you have is desiccated coconut, which is smaller pieces, that will work too, just know the macaroons will have a slightly grainier texture. I would still hydrate your coconut if using the desiccated variety.
Why I hydrate and sweeten my own coconut – You can purchase baker’s coconut, which is hydrated, and already sweetened for you – but, I like to be in control of the sugar in my recipes, so I hydrate and sweeten my own coconut. You could use sweetened, and hydrated baker’s coconut for this recipe and skip the hydrating step, if you want. However, keep in mind that the cookies will be quite a bit sweeter. If using dried shredded coconut, or dried desiccated coconut, I do not recommend skipping the hydrating step. If you don’t hydrate your dried coconut the macaroon turns out very dry, crumbly, and in my opinion, an unpleasant texture.
Sugar for coconut – I wanted to just slightly sweeten my dried coconut when I hydrated it to help bring out the coconut flavor. You can skip the sugar, if you prefer – the cookies are plenty sweet with just the honey.
Dairy free – to keep these cookies dairy free, be sure to use a dairy free dark chocolate, or omit it completely.
What to do with leftover coconut cream – You can use it to make coconut whip, which I use in my easy coconut Irish coffees (vegan), you can use it in my anything you have chickpea curry (add a little broth, or water to thin it out). Or, you can use some of it in smoothies, or some of it as the base for an extra creamy matcha latte, or any coffee latte drink.
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