Video recipe by Vic Chin

Chewy, sweet coconut macaroons, embellished with rich, dark chocolate, make irresistible party fare, and are terrific for anyone avoiding gluten.

Chewy, crunchy coconut macaroons are one of my husband’s favorites—and he does not have a big sweet tooth (unlucky for him since I love to bake all the time!). He does, however, have a hard time saying no to these and if I’m not careful (or I don’t keep them carefully hidden) they’ll just disappear.

The great thing about these cookies, besides the fact that my husband loves them and they’re delicious, is that they are a terrific option for anyone who is gluten-free or lactose intolerant. Making them is an ideal option for a party or gathering where you might have with multiple dietary requirements, whether for yourself or your guests. These are also a favorite for Passover.

Coconut macaroons only use a handful of easy-to-find ingredients that you may already have on hand. You can keep them plain, dip them in chocolate like I have suggested here, or take them over the top by drizzling any remaining melted chocolate over the tops of the macaroons.

[ad fullwidth]

By the way, don’t confuse these with the delicate, meringue and almond-based French macarons, which are amazing but a completely different confection.

Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons (Wendy Goodfriend)

Recipe: Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons

Makes about 30 macaroons

Ingredients:

1 (14oz) bag sweetened shredded dried coconut
4 large egg whites, lightly beaten
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp kosher salt
8 oz semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

In a mixing bowl, stir together the coconut, egg whites, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until well combined. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour.

[gallery type="mosaic" link="none" columns="1" size="full" ids="123640,123642,123643,123646,123647"]

Position 2 racks evenly in the oven and preheat to 300°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Scoop up a tablespoonful of the coconut mixture and form it into a rounded dome on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat to use up all the coconut mixture, spacing the macaroons evenly on the baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Line the baking sheet with a new sheet of parchment paper.

Scoop up a tablespoonful of the coconut mixture and form it into a rounded dome on the prepared baking sheet. (Wendy Goodfriend)

Bake until golden brown, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. (Wendy Goodfriend)

Melt the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until smooth. Dip the bottom of each macaroon into the melted chocolate (scraping any excess off with a little rubber spatula or a spoon if you like) then place, chocolate side down, on the baking sheet. Refrigerate until the chocolate firms up, about 1 hour.

Dip the bottom of each macaroon into the melted chocolate (scraping any excess off with a little rubber spatula or a spoon if you like) then place, chocolate side down, on the baking sheet. (Wendy Goodfriend)

The macaroons can be stored in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Serve the Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons (Wendy Goodfriend)

macaroonsmacaroons

Cookie Recipe: Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons

Macaroons

Move Over, Pierre Hermé!