These naturally gluten free homemade coconut macaroons are sweet, moist, and chewy on the inside with a delightfully crisp exterior. They’re quick and easy (no dough chilling required!), and come together with just 5 simple ingredients. I originally published this recipe in 2013, and included a variation in my cookbook Sally’s Cookie Addiction.
When done right, coconut macaroons taste like the irresistible coconut center of an Almond Joy or Mounds bar. Chewy, moist, and sweet! When done wrong, they’re dry and fall apart easily.
The recipe below is my all-time favorite, and its perfect combination of ingredients produces oh-so-moist and tender macaroons with delightfully crisp exteriors. They’re a favorite in my collection of naturally gluten free dessert recipes. You can leave them plain (with just 5 ingredients), or add a dunk in chocolate and/or almond on top.
Coconut Macaroons Details
- Just 5 ingredients in the base recipe
- Can leave plain or add toppings/add-ins
- Dough comes together in 1 bowl
- No cookie dough chilling required
- Naturally gluten free and dairy free
And remember, these are coconut macaroons, not macarons. If you want to learn how to make those delicate sandwich cookies, I have an in-depth French macarons tutorial.
3 Notes About The Coconut:
- Use Sweetened Coconut: Sweetened coconut is extremely moist and a little sticky, which is exactly what you want for these cookies. Unsweetened coconut can work instead, but you may need to increase the egg whites and add more sugar. For best results, use sweetened.
- Measure Accurately: You need 4 and 3/4 cups (about 385g) of sweetened shredded coconut, which is a little less than a standard 14-ounce package.
- Chop It/Pulse It: Pulse the coconut shreds in the food processor a few times to chop up the pieces. Why? Smaller pieces of coconut help the cookies hold their shape better—the cookies will be more compact this way. If you don’t have a food processor, spread the coconut onto a cutting board and give it all a rough chop.
Here are the ingredients you need:
Finer pieces of coconut help the macaroons hold shape better; I pulse it with a food processor a few times to break down the shreds:
Make the Coconut Macaroons Dough
Even though the process is really easy, I want to walk you through a few steps so you can have success on the first try. This has been my favorite recipe for decades, and I’ve picked up on several tricks (learn from my mistakes!).
In addition to coconut, egg whites are a main ingredient in this dough. More specifically, beaten egg whites. In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer, you’ll beat the egg whites, sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract together on medium-high speed until foamy and the sugar is mostly dissolved. The trick here is to not over-beat the egg whites—this should really only take 1 minute.
If you over-beat the eggs, you’ll end up with a stiff meringue-like mixture, and the baked macaroons will be very dry.
Here’s what you’re looking for (on the left):
Fold the chopped coconut shreds into the egg white mixture. After that, use a medium cookie scoop to shape 1.5 Tablespoon portions of dough onto a lined baking sheet. I usually fit 12 on a standard 12×17-inch half baking sheet.
Coconut macaroons do not spread much while baking. Sometimes they can leak a little sugar/egg white liquid, but if you chopped the coconut up enough, this shouldn’t really happen.
Bake until a little toasty on top, about 20 minutes at 325°F (163°C).
Avoid Over-Baking
Bake for only a precise 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Over-baking will dry out your coconut macaroons.
Can I Add Add-Ins or Toppings?
Yes, absolutely! Macaroons can be dressed up in so many different ways. While they’re absolutely incredible plain, I love dipping the bottoms in melted dark chocolate. Other varieties:
- Chocolate almond macaroons: Pictured below! These remind me of an Almond Joy candy bar. Instructions in the recipe notes.
- Sprinkle loaded macaroons: Carefully fold 1/3 cup (about 57g) sprinkles in the coconut macaroon dough before scooping and baking. Avoid nonpareils (the little balls).
- White chocolate cranberry macaroons: Add 3/4 cup (about 100g) of dried cranberries to the dough when you add the shredded coconut. Melt 4 ounces of pure white chocolate and drizzle over cooled macaroons.
- Strawberry macaroons: Here’s my strawberry coconut macaroons recipe.
- Almond butter macaroons: Here’s my almond butter coconut macaroons recipe.
If you’re looking for a moist and chewy coconut macaroon with a toasty exterior, you’ve come to the right place. When you’re feeling fancy, dress the simple recipe up with any of my suggested varieties in the recipe notes. Be sure to try my almond butter coconut macaroons, too!
More Coconut Recipes
Coconut Macaroons
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour (includes cooling)
Yield: 18 large cookies (or 24 small)
Category: Cookies
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American
Description
These naturally gluten free and dairy free homemade coconut macaroons are sweet, moist, and chewy on the inside with a delightfully crisp exterior. They’re quick and easy (no dough chilling required!), and come together with just 5 simple ingredients. Avoid over-baking.
Instructions
- Preliminary Note: I recommend pulsing the coconut in the food processor a few times to cut it down and break it up. Finer pieces of coconut make a tighter, more compact coconut macaroon that will hold its shape. Measure 4 and 3/4 cups after it’s been pulsed. If you do not have a food processor, spread the coconut onto a large cutting board and roughly chop it.
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Set aside.
- Make the macaroons: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract together on medium-high speed until foamy and the sugar is mostly dissolved, only about 1 minute. Do not over-beat. Fold in the chopped coconut, making sure the coconut is evenly moistened.
- Using a medium cookie scoop or a spoon, scoop 1.5 Tablespoons (about 30g) of the mixture and arrange on prepared baking sheets at least 2 inches apart. (For smaller cookies, measure 1 Tablespoon (about 18-20g) per cookie.)
- Bake until lightly browned around the edges and tops, about 20 minutes. Make sure to rotate the pan to help ensure even baking.
- Cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheets, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The bottoms may be sticky, so use a thin spatula to help release them from the mat/parchment paper.
- Dip in chocolate (optional): Melt the chopped chocolate, either in a double boiler or the microwave. Microwave in 20-second increments, stirring after each until completely melted. Dip each cooled coconut macaroon in the melted chocolate and place back onto the baking sheets. Allow chocolate to set in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
- Macaroons stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Macaroons, with or without chocolate, freeze well up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. You can prepare the coconut macaroon dough up to 3 days in advance; cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to bake.
- Can I use unsweetened coconut? I love unsweetened coconut for a lot of baking recipes, however, it’s not the best choice for this macaroon recipe. The macaroons will taste dry. Feel free to try increasing the egg whites and sugar, if you’d like.
- Chocolate Almond Coconut Macaroons: Follow recipe above. Melt an additional 2 ounces of chocolate. (10 ounces in total.) Dip the bottoms of the cooled macaroons in the chocolate, as directed in the recipe above, and then drizzle remaining chocolate on top of each. Press 1 almond into the tops while the chocolate drizzle is still wet.
- Sprinkle Loaded Macaroons: Carefully fold 1/3 cup (about 57g) sprinkles in the coconut macaroon dough before scooping and baking. Avoid nonpareils (the little balls).
- White Chocolate Cranberry Macaroons: Add 3/4 cup (about 100g) of dried cranberries to the dough when you add the shredded coconut. Melt 4 ounces of pure white chocolate and drizzle over cooled macaroons.
Keywords: coconut macaroons