Not the sandwich cookie from France that is incredibly challenging to make but the easy to whip up cookie with coconut. These coconut macaroons are not only gluten free, nut free, and dairy free, but are fabulously delicious and addicting!

A close up shot of coconut macaroons on parchment paper

Quick Words From the Pastry Chef

Definitely not to be confused with French Macarons. These are pronounced mac-a-roooooooons versus the French mac-a-rON. This simple three ingredient goody is super easy to bake and something you can use leftover egg whites for as I always have a ton of leftover egg whites. Also, it’s a perfect gluten free and nut free snack for those who live that gluten and/or nut and/or dairy free lifestyle whether by choice or by allergy.

A Brief History

Coconut macaroons have a very old and interesting background. They actually date back to 8th or 9th century Italian monasteries and did not contain coconut but almond paste. The word macaroon comes from the Italian word “ammaccare” which means to crush as it had almond paste in it. From Italy, it was transported to France by sailors where it became refined. Since these delights only had almonds, sugar, and egg whites and no flour nor leavening agent, they were popular among Italians Jews during Passover.

Around the 19th century, coconut replaced the almonds as using coconut made it easier to make and transport. North America strongly took on this replacement when a bakery found themselves with a surplus and lovely excess of coconuts. Read all about it here!

A few coconut macaroons on a cooling rack after being drizzled in chocolate

About the Ingredients

Shredded Coconut: Sweetened coconut is most common in stores, but if you happen to only have unsweetened increase the sugar to 120g.
Egg whites: Fresh or carton egg whites work just fine. I put both grams and each for the egg whites in case anyone else has a large container of egg whites just hanging out in their fridge……
Chocolate: This is optional but dark chocolate dipped or drizzled macaroons are always better in my book 😀

Major Allergens Present: Eggs
** Please note that coconuts are classified as a tree nut according to the FDA, however most people with tree nut allergies can safely consume coconut. Please know your allergy before baking.

About the Equipment

Food processor: I like to use a food processor to break up the long strands of coconut. The long strands have a tendency to burn at the tips and make your macaroons fall apart easier because they’re not as compatible. However, a food processor is optional and you can opt to not shred the coconut or use a knife and cutting board.

Coconut macaroons with a chocolate drizzle on some parchment paper

Understanding the How and Why of Coconut Macaroons:

Make the Batter (Dough..?):

The method of preparation is a little different than other recipes than just combining the ingredients; it calls for warming the egg whites and sugar together. This helps keeps the macaroon from falling apart. I also use a food processor to cut through the long coconut strands because I hate when the tips burn in the oven. It also keeps them more uniformly spherical. If you do not have a food processor you can just use a sharp knife and chop away. Once you have the ingredients prepared, mix them all together and cool.

Scoop and Bake:

The key is firmly packing in the coconut mixture into the scoop or ball. This also helps keep it together instead of falling apart when baking. Since these do not spread there is no fear of them baking into one. However, you should still bake them spaced out to encourage even browning and baking. I also need to double pan my macaroons because my oven causes the bottoms to burn!

Drizzle Coconut Macaroons in Chocolate:

This is totally optional, so if you do not like chocolate then skip this step! I prefer drizzle because it’s faster, but you can dip half in which always looks pretty.

Coconut macaroons on a tray after being drizzled in chocolate

Extra Tips and Tricks for Successful Coconut Macaroons:

Making Coconut Macaroons

Chop or blend in a food processor the shredded coconut strands. This will keep your macaroons more compact which will prevent them from falling apart easily. It also helps prevent any coconut tips from burning.
Warming the sugar and the egg whites will also help keep the macaroon from being too crumbly as well as keeping the macaroons moist. When warming make sure to be stirring with a spatula constantly since it is over direct heat. Warm just until the sugar has dissolved.
Don’t forget to rotate the macaroons in the oven! We do not want one side to be completely baked and the other side to not.
When scooping or spooning make sure to really pack it in. Again, this helps keep your macaroons intact.
When baking, I usually double pan due to the nature of my old oven where it is heated from the bottom and not evenly dispersed in the oven. This may not be the case for you and your oven but know your oven’s tendencies before baking.

How to Spice up These Coconut Macaroons:

Use white or milk chocolate instead of dark!
Add in a tablespoon of almond extract and top the freshly drizzled chocolate with toasted almond bits.

Life Expectancy, Storing, and Freezing Capabilities:

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 days.
Pre-scooped and freeze the batter for up to 3 months.

A head on shot of a few macaroons stacked high

Troubleshooting Coconut Macaroons:

My egg white syrup has weird white things in it! You cooked your egg whites. Definitely throw it away and start fresh. This time lower the heat, and continuously stir with a whisk or spatula scraping the bottom.
My macaroons are falling apart while baking and/or after baking! You did not pack the batter (dough..?) firmly enough into the scoop or into balls. Pack it in firmly!

Something else going wrong? Reach out and we will troubleshoot together!