something i've learned in the world of making coconut macaroons, it could possibly even be a rule: use coconut chips and not shredded coconut, especially if you're making egg-white based macaroons! last year i made 3 variations of macaroons to take to my parents house for passover. they were kind of meh, except for the chocolate-chocolate ones - those were bomb. this year, i'm bringing over just these because they're super, and sweet and everything that i've ever wanted out of a macaroon - sweet, crunchy, toasty with a bit of chew in the center. i found with this recipe the coconut chips provide a significant amount of structure and texture, where as last year's shredded coconut sadly didn't. i thought about going the chocolate route - dunking, drizzling, chocolate chips - but i thought the cacao nibs would add a subtle chocolate-y-ness, without being too sweet (as these macaroons are a bit on the sweet side for me). make them for passover, make them for easter, or make them just to eat and enjoy :)
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cacao nib, coconut macaroons (gluten + dairy free)
| makes 24 macaroons |
macaroons are inherently versatile, feel free to add what you like, whether it's chocolate, jam, fruit or nuts. also, i halved the recipe here and also made the macaroons smaller than the original recipe - feel free to make them larger but just adjust the cook time if you do.
recipe from Food 52: Alice Mendrich's New Classic Coconut Macaroons
ingredients
- 2 large free-range egg whites
- 1 3/4 cups coconut chips
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons natural cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- scant 1/8 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 1/4 cup cacao nibs
instructions
- in a large heat proof bowl, combine all ingredients except the cacao nibs. set the bowl directly onto a skillet with barely simmering water - if the bowl is buoyant then pour some water out, you want the bowl to touch the skillet. stir macaroon mix with a spatula every few seconds to prevent the bottom from getting burned - 5-7 minutes, until the egg whites look thick and frothy, and the mixture is hot to the touch. set aside for roughly 30 minutes to let the coconut absorb the liquid
- preheat oven to 350° and line two baking sheets with parchment. once the mixture has cooled, add the cacao nibs and stir to combine. using a spoon, scoop about 1/2 tablespoon - 1 tablespoon worth of mix. using your fingers, turn the mix clockwise until you get the shape you like (you could also just plop mounds too, but i thought this gave them a more defined shape). gently slide the macaroons off the spoon onto the parchment keeping about 2-inches between each cookie
- transfer macaroons to the oven (my oven is a bit funky, so i baked each sheet of cookies separately, but feel free to bake them together - just make sure they cook and brown evenly), bake for 5 minutes. turn oven temp down to 325° and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until the macaroons are golden brown, rotating halfway through for even baking. if your macaroons are browning too quickly, lower temp to 300°
- let cookies cool on a cooling rack. these are best eaten the day they are baked, but can be stored in an airtight container, at room temp for up to 3 days
enjoy!
