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Coconut Macaroons are delicious, gluten-free cookies made with just a couple of ingredients. They are easy to make and come together in a matter of minutes.
There is nothing quite like a chewy coconut macaroons. The white chocolate-dipped bottom covered with colorful sprinkles will make this the most sought after cookie on your Christmas tray. Make these with your kids and watch their eyes light up. These are such a blast to put together!
Big thanks to Marina from Let The Baking Begin for sharing such an amazing recipe! She is an amazing baker and everything I’ve made from her blog has turned out great. You should also check out her beautiful Napoleon Cake if you’re a sweets freak.
How to Make Coconut Macaroon
- Preheat your oven and line baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the shredded coconut, coconut oil, egg whites, sugar and vanilla in a bowl until sticky.
- Use an ice-cream scoop to form macaroons. Place tightly packed scoops directly on baking sheet.
- Bake in the oven at 250°F. Allow to completely cool.
- Melt your white chocolate until smooth.
- Dip the cookie bottoms into the white chocolate, then directly into a bowl filled with emerald sprinkles. Place on parchment paper to set. Drizzle remaining white chocolate over the top of macaroons. Sprinkle with red sprinkles.
Tips for success
- Weigh Your Ingredients. Weighing your ingredients will ensure that you get the absolute perfect texture. Yes, it’s a little perfectionist, but so worth it!
- Use sweetened coconut. Use sweetened coconut shreds to get that quintessential, ooey-gooey texture.
- Melt chocolate in intervals. Melt the white chocolate in 10 second intervals to prevent overcooking. If you microwave it for too long, it will become crumbly and unsalvageable.
- Use an ice cream scoop. To keep your cookies consistent in size, use a small or medium ice cream scoop.
- Or, shape your macaroons by hand. You can also scoop out the filling and shape the macaroons with well-oiled hands by rolling between your palms.
FAQ
Where do coconut macaroons come from?
To be honest, no one really knows. The consensus for where these delectable treats came from is almost evenly split between Italy and Spain.
Why did my coconut macaroons spread?
Your macaroons will spread while baking if you don’t incorporate your batter well enough. You should mix the ingredients together until they are nice and sticky to prevent speeding.
What is the difference between a macaroon and a macaron?
A macaroon is a coconut cookie, while a macaron is a delicate French sandwich cookie. They often get mixed up because of the similar spelling but couldn’t be more different! Check out my recipe for The Perfect French Macarons if you have a hankering for this cookie.
Storing Macaroons
- Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or, store them in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
- Freezing: Freeze the macaroons for up to 2 months. Store them in a sealed air tight container or a freezer-safe bag to keep the cookies from soaking up any smells in your freezer.
Other Cookies To Try
- Pecan Crescent Cookies – Buttery and full of nuts. These cookies are all about the texture.
- 4 Ingredient Nutella Cookies – This chocolate hazelnut spread always up levels cookies.
- Amaretti Cookies Recipe – Amaretto liquor cookies pair perfect with a cup of coffee.
- Easy Coconut Candy Recipe – Chocolate covered coconut balls? Sign me up.
- Nutella Stuffed Snowball Cookies – These Nutella stuffed cookies are a chocoholics best friend.
Recipe
Coconut Macaroon Recipe
Print Pin
Servings
12 Macaroons
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 45 minutes mins
Recipe contributed by: Natalya Drozhzhin
Coconut Macaroons are delicious, gluten-free cookies made with just a couple of ingredients. They are easy to make and come together in a matter of minutes.
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut (180g)
- 2 tsp coconut oil
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 2 Egg Whites (60g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Decoration
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips Guittard is a good brand
- green and red sprinkles
US Units – Metric
Instructions
Cookies
Place the oven rack in the middle and preheat your oven to 250°F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a small bowl, combine coconut, coconut oil, egg whites, sugar, and vanilla until the mixture is sticky.
Using a small or medium ice cream scoope, tightly pack each scoop and release onto the parchment paper.
Bake for about 25-30 minutes for larger-sized macaroons (about 7 pieces) and about 20 minutes for smaller-sized (12-15 pieces) macaroons. Once baked remove from the oven and allow to completely cool.
Decoration
In a small bowl, microwave the chocolate in 10 second intervals, mixing well between each until the chocolate chips just start to melt. Continue whisking until the chocolate is completely melted. If it needs a little bit more time, do not heat for more than 5 seconds at a time at this point.
Dip the bottom of each macaroon into the white chocolate, then immediately into the emerald sprinkles and place on parchment paper to set. Drizzle the remaining chocolate with a fork over all of the macaroons and pop on some red sprinkles.
Nutrition Facts
Coconut Macaroon Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 130 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 5g25%
Cholesterol 2mg1%
Sodium 40mg2%
Potassium 61mg2%
Carbohydrates 17g6%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 17g19%
Protein 1g2%
Calcium 16mg2%
Iron 0.2mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Posted December 7, 2020
About Author
SandraDec 9, 2022 Can i used unsweetened coconut to decrease the sweetness due to the added sugar and white chocolate which is very sweet?
Also, for the metric unit version, is it 112.5 grams or 180 grams of coconut. Thank youNatalya DrozhzhinDec 10, 2022 Hey there Sandra, Yes you can definitely use unsweetened coconut. And yes, It would be 180 grams. Thank you for the questions. I hope this helps. Happy holidays!
Natalya DrozhzhinDec 9, 2021 Hi Jenn - Sorry for the confusion. We updated the recipe card to include coconut oil in the macaroon batter. Hope this helps!
Karine BabayanNov 16, 2021 Looks delicious and easy to make. Please update the instructions. The oil is listed in the step 2, instead of step 1. Definitely going to make them for Christmas!
Natalya DrozhzhinNov 16, 2021 Hi Karine - Thanks for the kind words! You're 100% correct. Updating that now and thanks for pointing it out. Can't wait to hear how they turn out for your Christmas spread!
Maggie KimJan 31, 2021 You are actually the most helpful, the most generous with your tutorials, the most thorough. I’m so glad I clicked on your website after searching on Google for macarons.
Natalya DrozhzhinFeb 1, 2021 That is so sweet, Maggie! Thank you! I'm so glad you find the instructions helpful and clear!
Maggie KimJan 31, 2021 Amazing macaroons! Rather than dip bottom in chocolate I mixed in dark chocolate chips. DELISH!!!!
Natalya DrozhzhinFeb 1, 2021 I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Byung A. FallgrenDec 31, 2020 So delicious looking!
Natalya DrozhzhinDec 31, 2020 Thank you very much!
RebeccaDec 23, 2020 Does the chocolate need to be room temp before dipping the coconut clusters in?
Natalya DrozhzhinDec 24, 2020 Hi Rebecca, you want to fully melt them and dip the coconut macaroons in right away. Enjoy
ElisabethDec 22, 2020 When and what do you use the coconut oil for? I read and re-read and couldn't see where in the recipe it is used, though it is in the ingredient list.
Natalya DrozhzhinDec 22, 2020 Hi Elisabeth, good catch, you would add it in the first step.
AnneDec 15, 2020 Shouldn’t they be baked at 350 degrees instead of 250? At 250, they just spread and didn’t brown at all
Natalya DrozhzhinDec 15, 2020 Hi Anne, this recipe should hold up a shape. Just make sure that the oven is preheated.
Kathy MorrisonDec 15, 2020 Gum drop cake
janaDec 8, 2020 can you do italian stromboli please i need it
Natalya DrozhzhinDec 9, 2020 Hey Jana, one day! 🙂
Lynne A JohnsonOct 5, 2020 These are so pretty! Must try this Christmas!
Natalya DrozhzhinOct 5, 2020 Thank you Lynne. They really are perfect for Christmas. I hope you love them, come back and let me know how it went!