Coconut Macaroons
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Soft and chewy on the inside, crisp and golden on the outside — these are the perfect coconut macaroons.
As a coconut lover, I’ve tried dozens of recipes for coconut macaroons over the years, and these are my all-time favorite. Chewy and rich on the inside, crisp and golden on the outside, they are delicious plain but even more irresistible dipped in dark chocolate. They also keep well for days on end, making them the perfect holiday cookie to bake ahead or give away. (Be sure not to confuse coconut macaroons with French macarons, which are delicate meringue-based sandwich cookies with a sweet filling.)
What You’ll Need To Make Coconut Macaroons
- Sweetened flaked coconut: The base of the macaroons; I recommend Baker’s Angel Flake for the best results, as there’s a lot of variability in coconut depending on the brand.
- Sweetened condensed milk: A key ingredient for making macaroons, sweetened condensed milk is a canned milk product from which water has been removed and sugar has been added. It’s sticky-sweet and makes the best macaroons. Many recipes call for it but, in my experience, they all have the same problem: too much liquid, which causes the sweet batter to pool around the edges of the macaroons and burn in the oven. This is because recipe developers want to keep their recipes neat and tidy with one whole bag of coconut and one full can of sweetened condensed milk. For this recipe, you’ll use just shy of one can. You’ll have to sacrifice some sweetened condensed milk (try adding it to you coffee!), but your macaroons will be perfect.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a lovely depth of flavor.
- Egg whites: Provide structure and help the macaroons hold their shape.
- Salt: Enhances the overall flavor.
- Semi-sweet chocolate (optional): For dipping or drizzling.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by combining the coconut, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla.
Mix until well combined.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form.
Stiff peaks look like this when you lift the beaters out of the bowl.
Add the egg whites to the coconut mixture and fold until combined.
Using a mini ice cream scoop or two spoons, form heaping tablespoons of the mixture into mounds onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart.
Bake for about 25 minutes, until the bottoms and edges are deeply golden and the tops are lightly golden.
Let the macaroons cool on the baking sheet for a minute, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
If you’d like to dip the macaroons in chocolate, melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, stopping to stir every 30 seconds, until just smooth and creamy. (Alternatively, melt in a double boiler over simmering water.) Dip the bottoms of the macaroons in the chocolate and return to the lined baking sheets.
Refrigerate for about 10 minutes, or until the chocolate is set. That’s all there is to it. Enjoy!
Wondering with to do with those leftover egg yolks? Check out these recipes: Chocolate Cream Pie, Coconut Dream Pie, Millionaire’s Shortbread, Molten Chocolate Cakes, Tres Leches Cake, Rugelach, Banana Pudding Parfaits and Rum Cake.
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Coconut Macaroons
Soft and chewy on the inside, crisp and golden on the outside — these are the perfect coconut macaroons.
Ingredients
- 1 14-oz bag sweetened flaked coconut, such as Baker's Angel Flake (see note)
- ⅞ cup sweetened condensed milk (see note below on measurement)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs whites
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, best quality such as Ghirardelli, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Set two oven racks near the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the coconut, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form. Use a large rubber spatula to fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.
- Using a mini ice cream scoop or two spoons, form heaping tablespoons of the mixture into mounds on the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart. Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back, until the tops and edges are golden. Let cool on the pans for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- If dipping the macaroons in chocolate, melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl at medium power, stopping and stirring at 30 second intervals, until just smooth and creamy. (Alternatively, melt the chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water.) Dip the bottoms of the macaroons in the chocolate, letting any excess drip back into the bowl, and return to the lined baking sheets. Place the macaroons in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to allow the chocolate to set. The cookies keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for about a week.
- Note: There is a lot of variability in coconut depending on the brand you purchase. For the best results, I recommend Baker's Angel Flake (see package in the first picture on this page).
- Note: ⅞ cup = ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons
- Note: Make sure to use parchment paper (NOT wax paper) on the baking sheets. The macaroons will stick to wax paper.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The macaroons can be frozen for up to 3 months. (If you plan to dip them in chocolate, wait until you thaw them to do that.) Let them cool completely and store in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove the cookies from the container and let them come to room temperature.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 macaroon (nutritional data includes optional chocolate)
- Calories: 134
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Sugar: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Sodium: 81 mg
- Cholesterol: 4 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Recipe easy to follow and SO SO GOOD!!! I cheated a little and just used some left over semi sweet chocolate chips .. but still wonderful. Thank you for sharing your recipe
Should the egg whites be room temp or chilled before whipping?
Hi Mell, It’s fine if they are cold. Hope you enjoy!
This was a very easy recipe and they came out beautifully – crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside, excellent. I noticed that the last ones from the bottom of the double batch bowl had a puddle of white around them on the cookie sheet, I think perhaps those are the beaten whites and milk that sat too long and came off the coconut. I wonder if those reviewers who complained that theirs spread out too far and failed mixed the beaten egg whites into the coconut too much and broke them down? I had to be very gentle with that step because the coconut/milk was dense and heavy. I don’t consider myself a baker, so just a thought. Thanks for this and all of your great recipes, Jenn.
Wow, the best I’ve ever had. What a better way to end 2020 with homemade macaroons for the holidays. Bring on 2021 with more great recipes.
2020 – Another Christmas and another two batches of these macaroons! My mail lady mentions these at least a couple of times throughout the year; she loves them! Everyone does. Love the diversity it adds to the Christmas cookie tray. Thanks so much, Jenn!
My macaroons did not stay in a mound. They spread out like a 2 inch cookie. 🙁. I did beat the eggs to stiff peaks and followed measurements exactly.
HI JN, If you’re certain you got the measurements correct and beat the eggs to stiff peaks, I’m not sure why they would’ve spread out so much. A little pooling is normal but they should maintin the heigh. Sorry to hear you had a problem with these!
Same results here. Even flipped the egg whites over my head to confirm stiff peaks! I noticed other recipes include some flour which probably helps absorb unanticipated extra moisture. Prue Leith’s recipe adds 2 tbps of rice flour. Will have to try that later because who keeps extra coconut in the pantry 🙂
These were SO easy to make and unexpectedly SOOOOOO delicious!! I usually don’t like coconut-y things but this reminds me of a GS Samoa. I dipped them in chocolate AND drizzled more on top. This recipe is a keeper!
Would the chocolate melt smooth if I used semisweet morsels? I only have unsweetened and bittersweet chocolate on hand. Thank you.
You could actually use the bittersweet chocolate. While morsels are not the best option for melting because they contain stabilizers to help them retain their shape, you can probably get away with it if you prefer to go with semisweet. Hope that helps!
I took 2 unsweetened coconut flakes and 1 sweetened coconut flakes and two cans of sweetened condensed milk to make about 60 macaroons. Also, added ground cardamom and nutmeg besides vanilla. I made balls like meatballs with my hands. Came out great! Thanks for the recipe.
Followed the recipe exactly, including the condensed milk instructions and the macaroons turned out perfectly! Even the note about rotating the pan in the oven was helpful, all of my cookies browned evenly! Thank you!
These are the Best macaroons , delicious and moist. Instead of dipping the bottoms into chocolate I dipped the sides. It’s also looked very pretty! All my friends went crazy over them. The plus is they are gluten free. A five star recipe in my recipe book! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️