Coconut Macaroons
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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.)
“My dad described these as “freaking perfection.” I concur.”
What You’ll Need To Make Coconut Macaroons
- Sweetened flaked coconut: The base of the macaroons; I recommend Baker’s Angel Flake for the best results, as there’s a lot of variability in coconut depending on the brand.
- Sweetened condensed milk: A key ingredient for making macaroons, sweetened condensed milk is 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. For this recipe, you’ll use just shy of one can. You’ll have to sacrifice some sweetened condensed milk (try adding it to you coffee!), but your macaroons will be perfect.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a lovely depth of flavor.
- Egg whites: Provide structure and help the macaroons hold their shape.
- Salt: Enhances the overall flavor.
- Semi-sweet chocolate (optional): For dipping or drizzling.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
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 what 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.
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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 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 (see package in the first picture on this page).
- ⅞ cup = ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons
- Make sure to use parchment paper (NOT wax paper) on the baking sheets. The macaroons will stick to wax paper.
- 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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These were DELICIOUS, and so easy! I actually made them with unsweetened, flake coconut (since that’s what was in my pantry) and they turned out amazing!! I actually think they may have been a little too sweet for my taste if I used the sweetened coconut. Will definitely recommend and will make again!!
I’ve made these macaroons about 6 times. They were perfect. Shared the recipe with my sister
I was very disappointed in how these turned out. The mixture was too runny so I was not able to get the proper shape and the worst part was that they were too sweet.
I have been making these macaroons for 3 years now. This is the best recipe ever! I always receive compliments when I make them.
Hi did you find that they hold their shape while cooking as the above review said they were too wet. Thankyou
I have made many times and never runny. As another reviewer said u have t beat the whoop a** out of those egg whites😊😊
My family says they’re the best things they’ve ever tasted! I have some pooling with mine so I’m going to try and whip my egg whites more like I’ve seen in other comments. I just bought 3 more packs of coconut because the 2 batches I made got eaten in less than 24 hours!
I have a question: If by mistake I added a whole can of the sweetened condensed milk by mistake 😣 is there a way to save it? Would I just add more coconut or.or would I improvise with flour?
I’ve made these many times before and our family loves them and request them! Krista
Yes, I think you could probably get away with just adding a bit more coconut. Hope they turn out okay! 🙂
Made theses this evening and they were awesome! I added 1/2 cup toasted chopped almonds and increased the sweetened condensed milk by another tablespoon. No pooling, not dry and as my Aunt said, “sinfully delicious!”
I’ve made these the last few years for Passover and absolutely love them!!! I googled the recipe and was so frustrated that I couldn’t find it. Ended up settling for another recipe and the macaroons came out horrible. The next night I did a google search again cause I had to find it, and wall-a! I remembered the odd recipe directions calling for 7/8 plus 2 tbs. sweetened condensed milk and that’s all I needed for google to find you. Waiting for them to cool now so we can dip them in chocolate! Yummy!!
I love this recipe – I have not made it in a long time but it is the only recipe that has been taped to the inside door of a kitchen cabinet. I started making this particular recipe almost 10 years ago and everyone who has ever had some LOVES IT!! It’s so simple to make and always delicious. Great recipe to do with the kids.
I love that you have your favorite recipe taped to the inside of your kitchen cabinet! We have done this for years with my husband’s recipe for banana bread (best thing on earth). It’s a long standing tradition, but I’ve never heard of anyone else doing it. Warm fuzzies!!
Hi Jeni!
I’ve been looking for a great banana bread recipe. Any chance your husband’s recipe is published anywhere? Thanks 🙂
Hi Michelle I have thee best banana bread ever! Did u find a recipe?
Hello! I have my all time favorite recipes taped to the inside of my cabinet too! 😉 Can’t wait to make these macaroons – they sound delish.
I love this recipe. Super easy and super delicious. I used milk chocolate instead of semi-sweet this time and liked it even better.
The texture was spot on, but too sweet for my palette. Maybe I’ll cut down on the condensed milk, and add in a wee bit of flour for binding.
Don’t add flour as that will affect the texture just use unsweetened coconut Instead.
My wife and I are staying at home these days. We recently cleaned out the freezer and found the bags of coconut we haven’t seen in a couple of years. And we located a can of sweetened condensed milk in the back of the pantry. I decided to give this recipe a try since it was either that or throw the ingredients out. The cookies turned out perfectly. Just makes me wonder how good they might taste with fresh ingredients. And the instructions are so easy even a man can make them. I didn’t have any chocolate, but I will try that once I can return to the grocery. Thanks.