Chewy Coconut Macaroons
In short: Chewy coconut macaroons made with egg whites, sugar and shredded coconut, golden outside and moist inside, with no flour or dairy. It takes about 33 min in total and makes 20 servings.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 18 min
- Total
- 33 min
- Servings
- 20
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 95 kcal
Coconut macaroons are chewy mounds of coconut held together with egg white and sugar, crisp and golden outside and moist within. They contain no flour or dairy, so they turn up at Passover tables and on gluten-free dessert plates, and they need only a handful of pantry ingredients. Warming the egg whites and sugar first, as here, gives a firmer, chewier macaroon that does not spread in the oven.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, whisk the egg whites, sugar and salt constantly for 3 to 4 minutes, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot to the touch and slightly thick.
- Take the bowl off the heat. Stir in the vanilla and coconut until completely combined. The mixture should hold together when squeezed.
- Scoop heaped tablespoons (about 22 g) of the mixture, pressing each firmly into a mound, and set them 3 cm (1 in) apart on the sheet.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through, until the tips and the bottoms are golden brown.
- Cool on the sheet for 10 minutes. They are fragile and sticky when hot and firm up as they cool.
- If you like, dip the bottoms in melted chocolate and set the macaroons on parchment in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Tips
- Use unsweetened coconut. If you only have sweetened flaked coconut, cut the sugar to 60 g (1/4 cup) and chop the flakes a little so the mounds hold together.
- Press the mixture firmly into the scoop. Loosely packed macaroons crumble, and tightly packed ones stay chewy.
Questions and answers
What is the difference between macaroons and macarons?
A coconut macaroon is a chewy mound of coconut bound with egg white and sugar. A macaron is a delicate almond meringue sandwich cookie with a filling.
How do I store coconut macaroons?
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They freeze well for 3 months.
Why did my macaroons spread flat?
The egg whites were probably not heated enough, or the mixture was too wet. Cook the whites until thick, and add a spoonful more coconut if the mixture looks loose.
How long does it take to make Chewy Coconut Macaroons?
About 33 min in total: 15 min of preparation and 18 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Chewy Coconut Macaroons?
About 95 kcal per serving, with 1 g of protein, 8 g of carbohydrates and 7 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 95 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 8 g |
| Fat | 7 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Sodium | 40 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
