Coconut Macaroons

FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content.

These simple Coconut Macaroons are made with minimal ingredients thanks to the "secret" -- sweetened condensed milk! These macaroons are sweet, chewy, and completely addictive, especially when dipped and drizzled in chocolate! If you are a coconut lover, you are going to go crazy for these cookies.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American, Vegetarian

Keyword coconut macaroons

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 11 minutes

Total Time 26 minutes

Servings -32 cookies

Calories 114kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $3.21

Ingredients

2/3 cup white all-purpose flour
5-1/2 cups sweetened coconut flakes Note 1
1 can (14 oz.) full fat, regular sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste)
Optional: 1-1/2 cup milk, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate chips + 1 teaspoon coconut or vegetable oil Note 2

US - Metric

Instructions

PREP: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large trays with parchment paper or a Silpat liner and set aside.
COCONUT MACAROONS: In a very large bowl, add in the sweetened coconut flakes, flour, vanilla, and salt. Scoop out every bit of the sweetened condensed milk into the bowl. Use a hand mixer to beat ingredients until just combined; do not overmix. Use a large cookie scoop (1-1/2 tablespoons in size) to get golf ball-sized compressed (press into the cookie scoop) cookies. (See Note 3.)
BAKE: Place cookies on the prepared sheet pans, 1 inch apart. Bake for 11 to 14 minutes or until coconut is lightly toasted on top and bottoms are a very light brown. Don't overbake! Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before gently moving them with a metal spatula to a cooling rack.
OPTIONAL CHOCOLATE: If you want to dip these in chocolate, wait for the cookies to fully cool. Then, add the chocolate chips and coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in bursts of 20 seconds, stirring in between burst for 20-25 seconds until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remember, chocolate is melting even outside of the microwave, so stir for a while to ensure it doesn't get burned. Transfer about 1/4 cup (just eyeball it) of melted chocolate to a plastic bag. Seal the bag without air in it and set aside.
DIP: Generously dip the base of each cooled cookie in the remaining melted chocolate; transfer dipped cookies back to the parchment paper-lined trays. Use scissors to cut a tiny tip off the plastic bag with the remaining melted chocolate and drizzle that chocolate over the cookies. Allow to set up at room temperature.
STORAGE: These cookies will stay fresh, tightly covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in an air-tight container in the fridge for 5-7 days. We like these cookies best within 1-2 days of being made. These cookies freeze and defrost really well without the chocolate. Place all the cookies on a sheet pan in the freezer, freeze until solid, and then transfer to an airtight freezer bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Video

Notes

Note 1: These macaroons rely on very soft, ultra-fresh, coconut for optimal flavor and texture. I even feel the bags at the store to find the softest feeling coconut! Make sure to get sweetened flakes.

Note 2: We love milk chocolate best, but any chocolate works here. If you're worried about sweetness, use semi-sweet or dark chocolate.

Note 3: The cookie scoop will get sticky and need to be washed a few times in the process. I like to spray it with nonstick spray or use another spoon to help coax it out of the cookie scoop. You can leave the cookies as is right out of the scoop for a more rustic appearance, or quickly roll them with your hands for a nicer appearance.

Nutrition information is for Coconut Macaroons without chocolate. There are 176 calories in one serving of these macaroons with the optional chocolate.

Nutrition