Coconut Macaroons
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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
The key ingredient in this recipe is sweetened condensed milk, 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. It’s annoying to have leftover sweetened condensed milk; there’s not much you can do with it except add it to your coffee. For this recipe, you’ll use just shy of one can. You’ll have to sacrifice some sweetened condensed milk, but your macaroons will be perfect.
How To Make Coconut Macaroons
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.Â
You may also like
- Chocolate Toffee Matzo Crack
- Rugelach
- Grandma Annie’s Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread
- Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies
- Sufganiyot (Israeli Donuts)
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
Powered by 
- 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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
If I used unsweetened coconut, how much sugar would you recommend I add? I’m reluctant to use the recommended brand of coconut because of the ingredients in it. Thanks for your help.
Hi Deb, I don’t recommend unsweetened coconut for these macaroons. You might like this one from Alice Medrich; I’ve made them and they are good.
Very good . . . I dipped one edge of each cookie in melted Ghiradelli bittersweet (60%) chocolate, let the excess chocolate drip off, then dipped the chocolate-coated part in finely-chopped almonds. I’m quite happy with how that turned out!
And my wife liked them enough that she wants me to bake 5 dozen for our upcoming neighborhood cookie swap.
I believe my mom used to make macaroons with a little almond extract, so may try that next time. I see that one of your reviewers from a couple years ago found 1/4 tsp of almond extract to be too much, so will probably start with 1/8 tsp, unless you have a different suggestion.
So glad you and your wife enjoyed them, Mark. Almond extract is really strong so I think 1/8 tsp. sounds just right. Please lmk how they turn out!
When I add the recommended amount of condensed milk mixture still seems too dry to mix. Or does it moisten up when u add the egg white? I had to go up to 450 ml/14 ozs of condensed milk. 1 can and a half with 14 ozs of coconut. Come out pretty good though.
Hi, That sounds really strange. While the egg whites do add more moisture and body to the coconut/milk mixture, you shouldn’t have needed so much sweetened condensed milk. Did you use just one 14-ounce bag of coconut?
thks for the reply Jenn. I triple check the 14 oz coconut by doing 5 and one third cups from the bulk food store 14 oz bags as I can only find small bags 200gram bags from my regular grocer resulting in the first batch being edible but lacking. They are coming out better each time but puzzled by the milk measurement.
That makes 2 of us! Glad at least that you’ve figured out a way to make them work! 🙂
I made these tonight and had the same issue with dryness with the condensed milk and coconut mixture. I had a 300 ml can (more than a cup) and 400 g of med flake desiccated coconut. I wonder if there is a difference with angel coconut (haven’t seen that term in the store) and the one I used? I also tried to use egg whites from the carton and discovered it wouldn’t form stiff peaks…Ended up using eggs. Shaped and baked ok, only issue was the dryness.
I made the macaroon’s for my daughter’s ice skating fundraiser. We had a few leftover to taste. They are fantastic! They are golden and slightly crispy on the outside and chewy and moist on the inside! Even the non-coconut lover in the family loveed them! Thank you! I wish I could attach a photo of the four dozen I made.
Can you make these ahead of time and freeze? How long will they stay fresh? I want to make them ahead of time for the holidays
Definitely — they freeze nicely. And in terms of making them ahead, they keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for about a week.
I love these macaroons. Next time, I’d like to make using convection baking. Any recommendation for wat temperature to use when convection baking these delicious morsels?
Thanks a million,
Mary
Glad you like these! When using the convection setting, the rule of thumb is to reduce temp by 25°F. 🙂
I have been making these from your recipe for about a year. Everyone raves about them and ask for the recipe. Always come out perfect. Problem is my Grandson keeps asking to mail him more, he’s away at college. They are habit forming!!
These have become a family favorite. It started with Passover and have been in demand since. Surprisingly, my grandkids prefer them plain, and the youngest granddaughter now helps making them…this time for Chanukah!
These are wonderful macaroons, very delicious. I left some plain and some dipped in chocolate. Followed the recipe to a T
I found your recipe for these wonderful, yet easy-to-prepare macaroons a couple years ago. I have been making my eighty-five year old Mom a steady supply of them ever since. She calls them her “special little treat”. I am a huge fan of all your recipes, so much so that I purchased your book a few months back. All of your recipes are delicious!
💓
I made sure and used parchment paper for baking but they still stuck? Any suggestions on next time?
That’s a head-scratcher as parchment paper should be non-stick. Are you sure it wasn’t wax paper?
A different recipe suggested spraying your parchmont paper with Pam….
can you use unsweetened coconut…
Hi Kim, Unfortunately, unsweetened coconut won’t work here. Sorry!
I used unsweetened coconut and they still turned out good. I dipped half in chocolate then sprinkled a tiny bit of white sugar on top. Not too sweet and slightly healthier.
I made these last Christmas and added them to plates of cookies as little gifts for My neighbors. This year a few neighbors suggested I don’t need to bother with the shortbread but just make the macaroons. Easiest and best recipe EVER. Thank you.
I was hoping to use one 14-oz. can of condensed milk for 2 batches, however, when I measured out the entire can (definitely 14 ounces), it only came to 10 oz.!!! I used Eagle Brand. Now I am wondering what the heck is up with their measurements.
Anyhow, these are absolutely delicious! I made one batch so far and I’m going to be struggling to not eat them all myself before Thanksgiving!
I did not notice on your recipe how many macaroons this will make? Thank you for answering…I need something gluten free for a cookie swap party and thought these would be perfect!
Hi Elaine, this recipe will make 26 macaroons. Hope people enjoy them!
Mine ended up runny! I followed the recipe exactly. I made exact measurements and made sure I stiff peaks before mixing in my egg whites.
I think I figured out why. I weighed the coconut. The weight you gave of 14oz does not equate to the amount given in cups. Disappointing.
Hi Amanda, Sorry you found the measurements to be confusing. I’ve tried to make the amount of coconut as clear as possible – that’s why I have both the ounces and the number of cups needed. (If you take a look at the packaging on the bag here, they handle it in the same way.)
Hi. I have made these many times and really love them. However, I have a question. I have never frozen them before and want to know if I should freeze them with or without the chocolate dip? In other words, should I make them first, then defrost them, then add the chocolate? Or can I just make them with the dip and freeze them? Not sure how the chocolate will freeze or if it will, or what the best way to freeze them would be? Thanks!
Hi Jane, Glad you like them! And either way – dipping them in chocolate before or after freezing them – will work. And to freeze them, let them cool completely first and then and store in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
I have a question. Why do we need eggs in it? Or make soft peaks? I’m just curious if it makes a huge difference or not
Yes, Ash, the eggs are important here. They give the macaroons structure and add moisture. And the stiff peaks are important too. If the egg whites are not beat until stiff, the macaroons will be runny. Hope that clarifies!
Can dark chocolate be used instead of milk chocolate.
Sure! Hope you enjoy. 🙂
Did this work out ok for you? Want to double the recipe because the first time I made them they were so delicious that they did not last 2 days!
Your logic is sound 🙂 so feel free to double it!
I thought the same thing, however, it appeard to be that 14 oz is the weight and not the volume of the contents of each can. I am not sure why they do this. I ended up making a batch with the remainder in the can, which was 5 ounces, and they still are just as delicious. The can seems to have 10 oz. in actual volume, btw.
I believe you are both incorrect. The sweetened condensed milk has 14 ounces on the label but it is WEIGHT NOT VOLUME. 14 ounces of sweetened condensed milk is approximately 10 fluid ounces. If you use one can to make two batches you will be adding approximately 5 fluid ounces instead of 7 fluid ounces the recipe calls for making your macaroons too dry.
Mark, after re-thinking it and doing some quick calculations, you’re absolutely right — thanks so much for weighing in — it takes a village! 🙂
Good catch community. Our BS Metric system here in Canada the eagle brand sweetened condensed milk is 300ml =10ozs w. One problem solved. now I have to get rid of the unsweetened coconut mindset. When I used the 300ml cans calling for 14ozs I would use a can and a half per batch.
I needed something quick to take to a coffee for Breast Cancer Awareness month yesterday. I made these up and sprinkled a little bit of PINK crystal sugar on top for BCA. They got rave reviews.
I thought about dipping them in pink almond bark but they were sweet enough already & I found the pink sugar served my purpose as well. Will definitely make again. They were crunchy on the outside but moist on the inside. A winner & super quick and easy.
I made these for a wedding rehearsal luncheon and they were a hit with so many of the guests that I had to get the recipe out so that they could copy it and bring it home. Beautiful, easy and tasty. I have tried many recipes and this is my keeper. Thanks for sharing!!!
These are delicious. My go to macaroon recipe from now on. I had to bring them to work so I wouldn’t eat them all. The staff devoured them!
Thank you for sharing.
Do these need to be stored in the refrigerator?
No, they’ll keep nicely in an airtight container on your counter. 🙂
So I made these and followed the recipe exactly. I had some drippage that pooled at the bottom of the macaroons. The only thing was my egg whites were a little cool. Is there anything I can do to troubleshoot for next time? Maybe tuck in the coconut at the bottom? I did make them with a slightly larger scoop.
Hi Jules, these macaroons do puddle just a bit around the edges but not nearly as much as most macaroons – so it may be that you didn’t do anything wrong. Are you able to send a photo to jennifer@onceuponachef.com so I can take a peek?
Mine turned out beautifully, but alas! They stuck to the parchment! So wondering how to deal with that? Won’t be fun eating with paper bottoms. ;( Will spraying the parchment affect the finished product?
Hi Deb, That is very strange that they stuck to the parchment. Did you by chance use wax paper by mistake?
These are the VERY BEST! Beautiful presentation with EXCELLENT texture and flavor!
Best i have ever made. If you are wondering how to use up that last bit of condensed milk do try it on toast or even plain bread. When i was a child that was a special treat.
DELICIOUS, I made these just the other day, great recipe!!! They were a Hugh hit, thank you for sharing!
I’ve made this recipe quite a few times and they are delicious! I think they are best with a chocolate dip. Very sweet but that’s fine; it is dessert!
I have made these fabulous macaroons many times over the years – initially got it from Ina Garten’s Food Network site. It is a favorite to bring to bake sales.
Can you substitute maple syrup for the vanilla extract?
Sure, Mabel. It won’t have as potent a flavor as the vanilla extract, but it’s doable. Hope you enjoy!
These are wonderful. Have made them twice for my sister who loves Almond Joys. She said these are even better than the candy bar! I preheat my oven per instructions, but learned that my oven must be a little too hot. So, immediately after putting cookies in oven, lower temp to 320 and they turn out perfect. Thank you Jenn!
I made these today for a gift for a retirement party. The recipe was so easy to follow and simple. I baked them for 23 minutes and turned the pans halfway through baking. They came out perfect and we dipped them in chocolate. They’re absolutely delicious and I’m so glad I made them! Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
Just made these and at 19 minutes they were over cooked. Should not be in longer than 16 minutes. They are dry, not chewy either.
Sorry, you had a problem with these Audrey! Did you wait until the oven was fully preheated before putting the macaroons in?
Truly outstanding recipe! Your metric measurements are so valuable. They helped me easily scale up the recipe for 1.5 bags of coconut. With a #30 scoop (~1 Tbsp+), I made 29 cookies over two 1/2 sheets with parchment. My first attempt ever at this cookie delivered a wonderful and most encouraging result. Thank you for your contributions to make us all excel in our kitchens.
I asked about using silpat rather than parchment paper. I love using silpat on my cookie sheets. The silpat worked perfectly as did the recipe. My reviewers loved them, and surprisingly they preferred the macaroons without the chocolate. I’m freezing some to serve to my relatives who have Celiac Disease. I hope freezing them until the 4th July works.
Rave reviews on this recipe. I followed it exactly the way you recommended. I served them for a luncheon and everyone asked for the recipe. I agree that less than a can of condensed milk is required for optimal results. Thank you for this great recipe! White chocolate was as equally delicious as the dark chocolate.
Can’t wait to try these. Do I dip them in the chocolate while still warm or wait until they are cool.
Hi Mary, let them cool before dipping them. Hope you enjoy!
Cookies spread out and resemblance to hay stacks. How come they spread out even though we followed directions.
Hi Lorraine, Sorry you had a problem with these — The macaroons may be a little runny on the bottom if the egg whites aren’t stiff enough. Make sure you beat those egg whites to a stiff peak.
Jenn-what is the best way to store these if I make them a few days in advance?
Hi Patti, The macaroons keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for about a week. Enjoy!
The macaroons were lovely and delicious, the only thing is that the ones that I made turned out a little too chewy. Any idea what I did wrong?
Hi Teesha, you actually didn’t do anything wrong; these are supposed to be a bit chewy on the inside! 🙂
These are in fact, the best macaroons ever!!!They leave my friends and family begging for more. I always make a double batch, which quickly disappear. I make the recipe exactly as written, except, that I double it to use an entire can of sweetened condensed milk (so as not to waste it).
Thank you for sharing such a phenomenal recipe!!
So I’ve made these several times and everyone who tries them, loves them! I tweak the recipe a tad bit and add a little bit of unsweetened coconut and just a bit more sweetened condensed milk for the mix itself and it’s the perfect texture every time. I also dip the bottoms in chocolate and drizzle the tops with salted caramel and more chocolate. I work for a luxury hotel and my directors, managers and chefs that have tried them absolutely love them!
These were absolutely delicious and very easy to make! The only adjustment I have is that it took almost double the amount of chocolate to cover the bottoms of all the cookies.
These are so easy to make and they are delicious!!
My family can’t get enough of them. They are the first dessert to go at any family dinner!!!
Jenn, You are my go to girl! These are delicious. Also love Caesar salad dressing, actually everything you make! Xo
Hi Jenn I have made this recipe many times and even given it away as gifts! My question is if I made this with unsweetened shredded coconut, how do you think it will change the recipe? Can I use the same amount as the sweetened? Thanks for your input. Sharon
Hi Sharon, I don’t recommend this recipe with unsweetened coconut. You might like this one from Alice Medrich; I’ve made them and they are good.
Hi Jenn – I just got these out of the oven and they are so delicious! I can’t wait to share them this weekend. Quick question – I bought the 14 oz bag of Baker’s sweetened coconut. The bags used to say 5 1/3 cup (which is what your directions call for. However, the new bags say “Value 5 cup size” but they are still listed as 14 oz bags. Is that missing 1/3 cup of coconut making my results different?
Always best to go with weight, Angela, so no worries!
I love these macaroons and every time I make them for a company, I get compliments. My mother in law just “ordered” them for Mother’s Day. I do not change recipe.
I have the perfect suggestion for using up the extra bit of condensed milk – it simply involves the rest of the can and a teaspoon (or other weapon of your choice). And do make sure no-one is looking or they will want to share!
I bring these every year to Passover dinner and they are a big hit. Very easy to make the night before and keep refrigerated. I melt my chocolate in the microwave to keep it simple. I use both milk chocolate and milk chocolate – I prefer the dark ! I use a cookie scooper or a 1 tsp mixing spoon to keep the size of my macaroons somewhat uniform because they do spread a bit while cooking.
I followed the recipe exactly as written with one small change. I used melted Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips to dip the bottoms of the cookies because I had them leftover from holiday baking. They were still delicious and received rave reviews. More than one person said they were the best macaroons they ever had. I have double ovens, so I put one cookie sheet of macaroons in each one. I did spin each cookie sheet about half way through for even baking. I can’t wait to make these again! Thank you for a wonderful recipe.