Coconut Macaroons
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This coconut macaroon recipe makes cookies that are crisp on the outside, wonderfully chewy inside, and delicious plain or dipped in chocolate.
As a coconut lover, I’ve tried dozens of coconut macaroon recipes over the years, and this is the one I always come back to. The macaroons bake up crisp and golden on the outside while staying rich and chewy in the center. Getting that texture comes down to the right ratio of coconut to sweetened condensed milk. Most recipes call for one full can of condensed milk to one full bag of coconut, presumably to keep things simple, but I’ve found that’s a bit too much liquid—the excess pools around the macaroons as they bake and can burn. Using slightly less condensed milk makes all the difference.
These macaroons are delicious plain, but I especially love them dipped in chocolate. And because they keep well for days, they’re perfect for making ahead for holidays, parties, or gift-giving.
“These are so darn good…easily the most delicious macaroons I’ve ever made!”
What You’ll Need To Make Coconut Macaroons
- Sweetened flaked coconut: I recommend Baker’s Angel Flake for this recipe. The texture and moisture level of packaged coconut can vary quite a bit by brand, which can affect how the macaroons hold together and bake.
- Sweetened condensed milk: Gives the macaroons their sweetness and rich, chewy texture. You’ll use just shy of a full can; using too much can make the mixture overly wet and cause the macaroons to spread and pool as they bake.
- Egg whites: Whipped to stiff peaks and folded into the coconut mixture, they give the macaroons structure and keep them from being overly dense.
- Vanilla extract & salt: Vanilla enhances the coconut flavor, while salt balances the sweetness.
- Semisweet chocolate: Optional, but I love the contrast of bittersweet chocolate with the sweet coconut. It’s melted and used for dipping the bottoms of the cooled macaroons.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Coconut Macaroons
Make the coconut mixture: Combine the coconut, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla in a large bowl and stir until evenly combined. The mixture should be moist and sticky but not loose or runny.
Whip and fold in the egg whites: Beat the egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form. When you lift the beaters, the peaks should stand straight up without drooping. Gently fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture, taking care not to deflate them too much.
Shape and bake: Scoop the mixture into mounds on the baking sheets, then bake until the macaroons are golden on top and around the edges. Let them cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Dip in chocolate: If using the chocolate, melt it gently until smooth. Dip the bottoms of the cooled macaroons in the chocolate, letting any excess drip off, then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate briefly, just until the chocolate is set.
A Few Notes On Coconut Macaroons
Coconut macaroons are especially popular at Passover since they’re naturally flourless and don’t require any leavening. If you’re planning a holiday menu, you can find more ideas in my Passover recipes collection. And despite the similar name, macaroons are quite different from French macarons, the delicate meringue-based sandwich cookies made with almond flour. If those are what you’re looking for, try my French macaron recipe.
More Coconut Sweets You’ll Love
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 egg whites
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, best quality such as Ghirardelli, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). 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 in (2.5 cm) 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.
Notes
- There is a lot of variability in coconut depending on the brand you purchase. For the best results, I recommend Baker’s Angel Flake.
- To measure ⅞ cup of sweetened condensed milk, use ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons.
- Freezing 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
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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The perfect recipe! Easy to make, delicious to eat and a gift everyone loves to receive. 2018 was the first year I included them on our cookie trays and like others who have posted here, they received rave reviews. (Our Maillady said “Holy cow! They. Are. Awesome!”) Of course, this year (2019) again everyone loved them and some people were even waiting for their cookie tray specifically for the macaroons. LOL This recipe has become a staple in our Christmas Gifting and will continue to be for the rest of my baking years. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe with us.
I love this recipe! I have made it several times now for guests and for gifts to rave reviews and requests for “regifting” for the next year. Thank you Jen!
My macaroons turned out great ! The Bakers coconut , made them perfect. I tried another brand of coconut first, and found they were “pooling on the bottom of my cookies”. So I took your advice , and used the Bakers coconut .These cookies are all ready for my Christmas cookie exchange . Thank you !
Just made these and they look great. Not quite as dark as yours on top, because I was worried they would burn on the bottom. Followed your recipe exactly. No running. Wouldn’t mind a tad bit more chocolate, but that’s just me. Using my small scooper, made 20 cookies. Just tasted one–perfection!!! They were slightly crisp on outside and chewy in middle. Thank you so much.
Ok, I made these tonight and I tripled the recipe. These are the most delicious Macaroons I have ever tasted !!!! This is my fav!!! ❤️
Have made these twice now. Different kinds of unsweetened coconut (hard to find) make a difference in texture of the cookies. I wonder why not use the whole can of sweetened condensed milk with two 8 oz packages of unsweetened coconut (there are two oz of milk left over and 2 oz of coconut from two packages) and just make a few more cookies so there are no left-over ingredients.
My 14 year old granddaughter made these for GF holiday cookies to take to her high school friends…LOVED the cookies and did a great job making them.
I made these yesterday and used the little shy of the 2 bags of coconut, 200g and the right amount of the other stuff and mine came out flat ..how do I get them to stay in shape? Thanks
Hi Catherine, If I’m understanding you correctly, it sounds like you used close to 400 grams of coconut, correct? If they were flat, it’s likely that you didn’t beat the egg whites long enough. Make sure you beat them until they form stiff peaks when you lift the beaters out of the bowl. Hope that helps!
Mine turned out watery :(. I see someone else commented about the conversion of the 14 ounce bag not being right when it’s in cups. I couldn’t find anything on here what it should be. I would love to try making these again but need the accurate cup amount
Hi Tara, Sorry you had a problem with these! You’ll need 5 and 1/3 cups of coconut. Let me know if I can help in any other way.
Thank you 😊 I am trying the recipe again tonight. Wish me luck
Good luck!!
So delicious and easy!!
Dear Jenn,
first sorry for my english.
I like your sites and every recipe that I´ve tried was great. But I think that in the recipe for coconut macaroons must be some mistake. For quantity of coconut wasn´t enough two egg whites.
Best regards
Lenka
Hi Lenka, glad you like the recipes on the blog and sorry you had a problem with these. Did you use a 397-gram bag of coconut?
Hi Jenn, no I used 1,397 gram of coconut 🙂 Now I see why it doesn´t work:). Thank you for the reply. I´m going to try them again 🙂
Love those little, moist sugar bombs! No other recipe comes close. Tried it first time two years ago and stuck with it since.
In regards to Lenka’s problem with it needing more whites … the mixture is rather dryish compared to others, and mainly to the “kokosky” styles from Czechia. However, it also depends on the dryness of the coconut. I’ve tried the stuff from bulk bins, sweetened or plain, and both were too desiccated and resulted in a crumbly mess. The sweetened coconut available in packages is nice and moist and great for this recipe. ( I had similar bad results with bulk-bin almonds and hazelnuts as well for other recipes.)
Scrumptious! Thanks, Jen!
2018 Christmas Cookie & got rave reviews! Did dip them in chocolate. Just made them again this year, 2019, and they’re as good as the first time. Will be a staple on my cookie trays for many years to come. Thanks for such a tasty and easy recipe.