Coconut Macaroons

Sweet Christmas treats cookie recipes.

I am giving little boxes of macaroons this holiday season as a sweet treat.

I love macaroons and especially homemade ones.

Coconut macaroons are my favorite! I’m not referring to delicate and finicky French almond macarons—I mean crispy, coconutty haystacks. A good coconut macaroon tastes excellent: it’s tall and fluffy with crunchy exteriors and soft, chewy interiors. These little cookie cakes are a perfect snack for tea.

How to make coconut macaroons

Coconut macaroons are super simple to make. This is probably the easiest recipe you will ever learn to cook. You need to measure, stir, then bake. You don’t need to whip eggs or chill; mix, bake and enjoy!

Mix. Combine shredded coconut, some flour, and sugar.
Mix the egg whites and stir until they are combined.
Mix. Spread little mounds onto a baking sheet.
Bake. Let it cool, and then enjoy!

Coconut macaroon ingredients

These cookies are easy to make with just four ingredients!

Shredded coconut. Grab a bag of unsweetened shredded, sometimes called fancy coconut. You can find out more about shredded coconut and its wide varieties here.
Sugar. To bring out the natural sweetness in coconut, we will use only enough sugar.
Flour. Many macaroons can be made gluten-free (substitute almond flour or coconut flour!) But the right amount of flour keeps everything together.
Egg Whites. Egg whites will bind everything. They also give macaroons crispy edges and moist middle.

What’s a macaroon?

Macaroons, and coconut cookie cakes made in the shape of a snow-capped mountain, are a great way to get your hands on one. They are dense, moist, and sweet and will be your most accessible cookie. These cookies are also great for baking ahead, as they keep well for days. These coconut macaroons are great for almond joys or mounds bars.

Macaron vs macaroons

What is a macaron?

It is not easy to make macarons from French flat almond floured cookies. They can be sandwiched with different flavors.

What’s a macaroon?

Macaroons can be described as mounded cookie haystacks with shredded coconut. There is only one difference between them, but there is much more to these treats.

A macaron is a treat that I enjoy, but I would only eat it sometimes. Macaroons are my favorite thing to eat.

What is shredded coconut?

When you buy a coconut for baking, you will think of shredded coconut. It is dry but moistened and shredded into thin strips. It can be found in the baking aisle. There are many names for shredded coconut: grated coconut; desiccated coconut; dried shredded coconut; fancy coconut.

Desiccated coconut will be less long than shredded coconut. This will work well for macaroons, but I prefer the texture and consistency of shredded coconut. No matter what kind of shred you choose, get it unsweetened.

Here are some tips and tricks to make coconut macaroons.

Use a cookie scoop! My medium cookie spoon is my favorite. It divides the batter into 1.5 tablespoons of cookies.

Only bake them for a short time. The macaroons should have a bit of golden toastiness. But wait to bake them too long, or they might become dry.

How to decorate macaroons

They can be left plain, or I make them with chocolate chips. However, a little bit of chocolate and a drizzle on top make them extra festive. Peppermint bark macaroons can be made by adding 1/4 teaspoon of mint extract to the batter. Then drizzle with dark or white chocolate and sprinkle with crushed peppermint candy canes.

How to make chocolate-dipped macaroons

Heat 1/4 cup (about 2 cups) of chocolate in a double boiler on low heat. Stir occasionally. Microwave on low for 20 seconds, stirring once in a while, until smooth.
Dip a baked macaroon in the melted chocolate, then place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Optional: Add extra chocolate to the top with a spoon.
Allow the chocolate to set in the refrigerator.

This coconut macaroon recipe is simply the best.

No whipping eggs whites
Condensed milk is not available.
Because the batter is too stiff, macaroons won’t spread.
Because there isn’t much-condensed milk around the edges, your macaroons won’t burn.
It’s super easy. Just four ingredients
These cookies can be made gluten-free by substituting coconut flour or almond flour for flour.
Mega coconutty flavor
The outside is perfectly toasty, while the inside is moist and chewy.
Super fast

What is the shelf life of coconut macaroons?

Coconut macaroons can be stored in an airtight container for up to five days.

Happy macaroons! These were my breakfast choice today.

xoxo Steph

PS – If you have extra, here are some other things you can do with shredded coconut.

Small Batch Triple-Coconut Bread
Blueberry, Coconut, Dark Chocolate Cookie
Sunday Brunch: Christmas Morning Coconut French Toast
Coconut Almond Rice Krispie Treat