Tender, golden, toasty Coconut Macaroons made with wide coconut flakes are the perfect combo of crunchy and chewy. Lightly sweetened & dairy-free. Gluten-free.
This Coconut Macaroon recipe is made with wide coconut flakes, deliciously golden and crispy on the outside and perfectly tender and moist inside. Adapted from Alice Medrich’s recipe for Coconut Saras, wide coconut flakes give them their incredible texture. Though you can still use shredded coconut successfully, we encourage you to try the coconut chips! We keep the sugar low here, without using sweetened condensed milk in this recipe, making them dairy-free. Enjoy them as straight-up coconut, jazz them up with melted bittersweet chocolate, or try my all-time favorite: add cacao nibs, seeds, nuts, and a sprinkle of coarse salt- simply addicting!
Try these popular cookie recipes: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies and Spicy Chai Molasses Cookies!
Table of Contents
Why you will Love Coconut Macaroons!
- Crunchy and Chewy Texture: Coconut macaroons strike the perfect balance between a crispy exterior and a chewy interior. The combination of wide coconut chips gives them a unique texture that is incredibly enjoyable to bite into. You can use coconut shreds if you can’t find flakes.
- Lower Sugar Content: Unlike some other macaroon recipes that rely on sweetened condensed milk, or large amounts of sugar, this coconut macaroon recipe keeps the sugar content low.
- Ease of Preparation: Making coconut macaroons is relatively simple and straightforward. With 5 basic ingredients, you can whip up a batch of these delightful treats in no time.
- Adaptable Flavors: While coconut itself imparts a delicious flavor, coconut macaroons can be customized to suit different tastes. You can enjoy them as they are, dip them in bittersweet chocolate for added sweetness, add spices, or add seeds, nuts, or dried fruits to enhance the flavors.
Ingredients In Coconut Macaroons
Ingredient Notes
- Wide coconut flakes or coconut chips: The recipe uses wide coconut flakes to give the macaroons a unique texture. Coconut chips and shredded coconut work, too.
- Egg Whites: The recipe requires egg whites (we leave out the egg yolks), which help bind the coconut together and create a structure for the macaroons.
- Sugar: This recipe keeps the sugar content low, so there is no need for sweetened condensed milk or excessive sugar. It strikes a balance between sweetness and flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: The recipe calls for real vanilla extract to enhance the flavor of the macaroons. It adds a subtle and aromatic note to the overall taste.
- Additional Flavors: While the recipe focuses on the delicious taste of coconut, you can customize the flavors by adding ingredients like cacao nibs, cranberries, cherries, almonds, pumpkin seeds, pecans, chocolate chips, sesame seeds, or almond extract. Feel free to dip or drizzle with dark chocolate. These additions can enhance the flavor and add variety to your macaroons.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to make the Best Coconut Macaroons
Step One- Whisk egg whites with sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium heat-proof bowl. We do this by hand, no need for a mixer.
Step Two- Set the bowl over a small pot of simmering water. Whisk for 5 minutes until the mixture is warm and frothy.
Step Three- Fold in the coconut flakes and stir in for 3 minutes until the coconut mixture is fully coated and melts down a bit. Turn the heat off and leave the bowl over the water for 20 minutes, stirring a few times- don’t skip this step; this allows the coconut to soften and absorb the liquid. The coconut flakes will become slightly translucent.
While this sits, preheat the oven to 350F.
Step Four- Make walnut-sized balls using a small 1-ounce cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons each) or use wet hands to compress them into balls. Place on a parchment paper on a baking sheet. They can be a little wiley- but as long as the coconut is touching, they will adhere- so even if they lose shape they still manage to stick together. Alternatively, you can pile them in little mounds if that is easier.
Step Five- Bake for 5 minutes at 350F **then lower heat to 325F for 15 minutes. Turn the tray of cookies halfway through. The macaroons will be toasty and golden brown.
Coconut Macaroon Variations
Leave out 1/2 cup of the coconut flakes and replace with 1/2 cup’s worth of additions (after the coconut has soaked for 20 minutes), such as cocoa nibs, sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds, candied ginger or whatever sounds good. A sprinkle of flaked salt on these before baking is really yummy.
Dip in melted dark chocolate or drizzle with melted chocolate and sprinkle with flaked sea salt.
Coconut Macaroons FAQs
These cookies are at their best crispness the day they are made but are still delicious for up to 3 days if stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Freeze for up to 3 months.
French, Italian, and Swiss macarons are light and airy sandwich cookies made with almond flour meringue and a filling. Coconut macaroons are made with coconut flakes and beaten egg whites and contain no flour.
Coconut flakes, egg whites, sugar, vanilla and salt.
More Favorite Cookie Recipes
Love this recipe? Please let us know in the comments and leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below the recipe card.
Enjoy the cookies; they make a tasty, festive, gluten-free dessert, perfect for the holiday table!
Print
Coconut Macaroon Recipe
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 18–20 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookie, desserts,
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Coconut Macaroons made with wide coconut chips are the perfect combo of crunchy and chewy. Recipe adapted from Alice Medrichs Coconut Saras. Gluten-free.
Ingredients
- 4 large egg whites (1/2 cup)
- 1/2 cup sugar (see notes)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (sub out 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla for almond extract if desired)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups, 225 grams, wide unsweetened coconut flakes or sometimes called coconut chips
Instructions
- Place 1 inch of water in a small pot and bring to a simmer on the stove.
- In a medium bowl heat-proof bowl, whisk egg whites with sugar, vanilla, and salt.
- Set the bowl over the simmering water (not touching). Whisk for 5 minutes until the mixture is warm, expanded and frothy. Fold in the coconut flakes and stir in for 3 minutes until the coconut is fully coated and melts down a bit. Turn the heat off and leave the bowl over the water for 20 minutes, stirring a few times- don’t skip this step; this allows the coconut to soften and absorb the liquid. The coconut flakes will become slightly translucent. While this sits, preheat the oven to 350F.
- Make walnut-sized balls, by pressing into a small 1-ounce cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons portions) or use wet hands to compress them into balls. Place on a parchment paper on a baking sheet. They can be a little wiley- but as long as the coconut is touching, they will adhere- so even if they lose their shape, they still manage to stick together. Alternatively, you can pile them in little mounds if that is easier.
- Bake on the middle for 5 minutes at 350F, ****then lower oven temp to 325F and bake for 14-15 minutes. Turn the tray of cookies halfway through. The macaroons will be toasty and golden brown. Let cool 10 minutes before moving.
- Dip in optional melted chocolate and sprinkle with flaked salt.
Notes
Sugar: We keep these very lightly sweetened. Feel free to add another ¼ cup of sugar if you prefer a sweeter cookie. If adding the melted dark chocolate, this lightly sweetened version really works here!
Variations: Leave out 1/2 cup of the coconut flakes and replace with 1/2 cup’s worth of additions (after the coconut has soaked for 20 minutes) such as cocoa nibs, sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds, candied ginger or whatever sounds good. A sprinkle of flaked salt on these before baking is really yummy.
Chocolate Dipped: After the macaroons cool, melt dark chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl, dip the bottom or half of the cookie in the melted chocolate, and set on a silicone mat or parchment to harden. Drizzle melted chocolate over the top using the prongs of a fork if desired, with a sprinkle of flaked salt.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 104
- Sugar: 5.9 g
- Sodium: 44.1 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 8.3 g
- Fiber: 1.6 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Beautiful, delicious, chewy and not too sweet which I love. A friend sent me 1 pound of flake & 1 pound of toasted coconut that his daughter gave him for Christmas. He sent to me to make goodies for him. You are phenomenal and your plating is gorgeous. Namaste
Great to hear Colette- thanks for circling back and rating!
What a great recipe and thanks to you for making it so easy to scale. I made half recipe as I had two egg whites needing to be used. Per the info that this was light on sweetness I used the tip to add just a little more sugar and I also followed the instruction for replacing some of the coconut choosing small dice of Traina ruby red CA apricots. Yield was 8 delicious macaroons and 14 min was just right cooking time. I look forward to making these again and I’m going to try pepitas in them next time.
So glad to hear you enjoyed Michele!
These are wonderful! They were easy to put together, pretty when done and everyone loved them. I dipped the bottom in dark chocolate and drizzled some on the top. Please try them!
So glad you tried them Cindi!
Greetings! I think I’d like to use chopped dried apricots, the ruby ones from CA grower Traina, in these. Looking at the variations tip in the recipe, I’d leave out 1/2C of the coconut flakes nd stir in equivalent amount of the apricots after the 20 min soak step for the flakes. Do you have any info to share if you think this would not work? Thanks so much.
Sounds good Michele!
THESE are totally divine! I love it with the wide coconut!! Made per directions added cacao nibs, sprinkled the tops with salt and cinnamon. So crunchy crispy and tender with just a touch of sweet.
Great to hear!
Coconut macaroons recipe inspired me to use the wide coconut I had in the back of the fridge. I don’t eat eggs, so the coconut soaked in flax water with vanilla, maple syrup, ginger cayenne (I put in most everything) powder, pecan bits and dried cranberries. I spread it loosely on paper and baked at 350 for 20 minutes, turning over once.
Yummy crispy chewy candy. Thanks a bunch. Blessings
Great to hear Katherine!
Hi Silvia, these look so delicious. I was wondering about storage and how long they might last. They don’t sound freezer wise to me. Thx!
I just froze some, and it worked great! They didn’t last long enough (in our house) to see how long they actually last, but my guess is 4-5 days.
Wow, that’s good news! Thx!
Do you freeze the batter or the finished cookies?
Hi Cynthia, I froze the baked cookies and it worked great!