Coconut Macaroons

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These coconut macaroons are the epitome of low effort, high reward. They are incredibly soft and pillowy on the inside with a nice chew on the outside. Don’t even get me started on the coconut and chocolate combination! You really can’t go wrong with these… especially during the holiday season.

Why you should make this chewy coconut macaroon recipe:

These easy coconut macaroons are one of the most delicious treats you ca make for a coconut fanatic! Instead of using sweetened condensed milk in the macaroon, this version is a meringue cookie and a perfect opportunity to use up any leftover egg whites you have sitting in your fridge. They have the best chewy texture on the inside from the copious amount of coconut flakes and reminds me of the center of an Almond Joy, just even more delicious of course!

Simple ingredients you’ll need:

Egg whites
Granulated sugar
Shredded coconut: make sure you are using a sweetened variety.
Vanilla extract: you can use almond extract as well.
Chocolate: I use chocolate chips but any form is fine.
Coconut oil

How to make these chewy coconut macaroons:

To start, separate the egg whites from the egg yolks. We won’t be using the yolks for this recipe.
Using an electric mixer, whip egg whites and sugar until they reach stiff peaks.
Using a rubber spatula, lightly fold the coconut and vanilla into the meringue, making sure to not knock too much air out of the meringue.
Scoop the mixture into mounds and bake them on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Dip the bottoms of the cooled coconut macaroons into the melted chocolate.
Drizzle the rest of the chocolate on the tops.
Let the chocolate set and store in an air-tight container.

FAQ:

What if I don’t have a stand mixer or high speed hand mixer?

You can still make these, it’s just going to be an arm workout! You can whip the egg whites and sugar by hand using a whisk. Keep in mind it will take a while to reach a stiff speak though. Honestly, you can get a hand mixer for as little as 15-20 dollars and I promise it’ll come in handy for many other recipes (especially desserts) so it might be worth the small investment for you!

What does a stiff peak look like?

You’ll know the egg whites are done when they’ve reached a stiff peak. But what does this look like? The mixture should be very smooth, shiny and fluffy. When you turn the beater or whisk upside down, the mixture should stay upright and not fall off.

What add-in’s could I try in this recipe?

Although I think these macaroons are very delicious as they are with this simple combination of coconut and chocolate, you can try adding things like dried cherries, dried cranberries, or nuts like almonds or pecans to the coconut mixture before scooping and baking too.

Two easy things to mess up in this recipe:

While separating the egg whites from the yolks, a little yolk ends up in the whites. If this happens, your eggs will not whip properly for the meringue and the coconut batter will be way too thin to scoop.
While folding in the vanilla and coconut, the mixture gets over-mixed and the egg whites don’t stay light and airy. This will result in extremely flat cookies.

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