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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I’ve made Coconut Macroons before but never whipped the egg whites before. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how ‘fluffy’ they were. I thought they were delicious and will definitely make them again. Please know we are full time RV’rs and the results from baking in an RV oven can sometimes be a surprise so while a bit darker than I would have liked we still enjoyed them very much – my husband thought they were the best so thank you!
I would like to make these for my daughter who is away in college since these are her favorite. Any tips on how I can package it to ship so that they stay fresh and crispy? I will be overnighting them so I would say two days top for transit.
Hi Leslie, these keep nicely for about a week so they should arrive in decent condition, but they won’t maintain the crispy exterior (which would be the case even if you didn’t send them to her and they were just stored on your kitchen counter). Hope she enjoys!
I have to agree with some of the other reviewers; the recipe is too slack and needs a little starch to stabilize and give the macaroons more structure. I’d omit the egg whites completely. Classic recipes use only sweetened condensed milk, coconut, salt, vanilla and a small amount of flour. I like some of your other recipes quite a bit. Blog if you want to…pay no mind to the haters!
Jesus, what a garbage recipe. Duped again by another mommy blogger- I should have know when I saw 7/8th cup 😑😑 DONT WASTE YOUR INGREDIENTS
You don´t have to be rude about it, i made these and they were delicious. Where are your manners for keeping comments to yourself. I´m only 11 and i have way better manners than you.
Brook, you are so awesome! Way to shut down the bullies
Just made 80 macaroons and they all turned out fine!!! I used my smallest ice cream scoop (Tbsp)!!!!
Recipe really easy!! Please try it you will love it…. Promise
She is a classically trained chef and her recipe is to die for. Switch the little tab to metric measurement and you will realize that you judged the recipe and the chef prematurely.
Mine are in the oven now and one pan is running together. And yes they were stiff peaks.
Hi Amy, How did they come out? Did you rotate the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking?
Making these in the UK with cup measurements would be a challenge if you do not have ‘cups’. Cooked in a Celsius fan oven, and for UK cooks, 15 minutes at 165o top two shelves works well. As we are worldwide ‘web cooks’ now, metric measurements would be helpful. As to some cooks disappointment, weight of egg whites would also help as even large eggs vary on amount of white. Great recipe, thank you.
Hi Bea, Glad you enjoyed these! Actually, the majority of my recipes (including this one) do have conversions to weight/metric measurements. To view them, scroll down to the recipe and immediately under the recipe title on the right side, you’ll see a little toggle. If you move it from “cup measures” to metric, you’ll see measurements that will work for you. Hope that helps!
Mine looks perfectly fine and they are not running together
Thanks for your recipe my family loved them. This is my favorite for coconut macaroons.
When prepared correctly, this recipe is second to none. I make slightly smaller cookies using a small spoon to scoop the batter and a fork to move it from the spoon to the parchment paper. Cookies end up with a great texture and crispy peaks!
This is the second recipe I have used from your website.
They turned out perfectly.
Thank you for the photographic instructions, very useful for amateurs like me.
My Jewish family has been trying various macaroon recipes for literally decades. This is the first recipe, even those handed down for generations, that is a really big hit with everyone. Your recipe is circulating through the suburbs of Phoenix and Cleveland. Thank you!
Made these today. Everything worked out well. I didn’t have the recommended chocolate, so I used Hershey’s dark chocolate. Turned out great. Thanks for the recipe.