America's Test Kitchen Coconut Macaroons Recipe | Gastronomy (2024)

Table of Contents
Related Leave a Reply FAQs References

Recipe

25Dec 2009

Coconut Macaroons

Filed Under:

  • Cookie
  • Dessert
  • Recipe

15 Comments

America's Test Kitchen Coconut Macaroons Recipe | Gastronomy (1)

I pulled off something pretty sweet this holiday season. For the first time ever, I managed to cross everyone off of my gift list without ever stepping foot inside a mall. Food books of every sort arrived without fuss on my doorstep from Amazon.com, gorgeous artisanal chocolates and macarons were ordered from my friends at XT Patisserie, and home baked goods were churned out of my hard-working oven. I loved giving presents that were meaningful in some way and, most importantly, friggin’ tasty.

My mother received a batch of homemade coconut macaroons, her favorite cookie of all time. Compared to her two sugar-craving children, my mother’s sweet tooth is quite minimal. These macaroons are ultra-coconut-y and pleasingly chewy, with just the right amount of sweetness. I dipped a few of the macaroons in chocolate for a little extra pizazz. Best of all, I delivered the cookies in a Tupperware container that she had given me months ago. I don’t know about your mama, but mine loves receiving her precious Tupperwares back. Two gifts in one—that’s the way I roll.

  • 5 cups (20 ounces) sweetened shredded coconut
  • 6 large egg whites
  • 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

America's Test Kitchen Coconut Macaroons Recipe | Gastronomy (2)

Pulse the coconut in a food processor until fine, 1 to 4 pulses. [Some brands of coconut are finely shredded, pulse it just once or twice.] Process the egg whites, sugar, salt, and almond extract together in the food processor until light and foamy, about 15 seconds. Stir the egg mixture into the chopped coconut until combined. Wrap the bowl in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture is thick, about 30 minutes.

America's Test Kitchen Coconut Macaroons Recipe | Gastronomy (3)

Adjust the oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and grease the paper. Using wet hands, roll 1 tablespoon of the mixture at a time into balls and lay them on the prepared baking sheets, spaced about 1 inch apart.

America's Test Kitchen Coconut Macaroons Recipe | Gastronomy (4)

Bake the macaroons until light golden brown, 13 to 15 minutes, switching and rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking. Let the macaroons cool completely on the baking sheets, before serving, about 1 hour.

For Chocolate-Dipped Macaroons

America's Test Kitchen Coconut Macaroons Recipe | Gastronomy (5)

After the macaroons have cooled completely, melt 6 ounces of semisweet chocolate in the microwave, stirring often, 1 to 3 minutes. Dip each macaroon into the melted chocolate to coat, letting the excess drip back into the bowl, then lay it on a clean sheet of parchment paper. Let cool at room temperature until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.

Makes about 24 cookies.

Recipe from The America’s Test Kitchen Family Baking Book

Related

  1. Nice work, Gastronomer. I gave cookies, too, but also a lot of other things. I did *not* go to the Mall, but not everything came from Amazon (though once you have Prime, it seems silly to shop anywhere else, honestly).

    I got something you might want (if you don’t already have it). It’s a mixer paddle for the KitchenAid that has little spatula edges so it scrapes the bowl while it mixes. Be still my heart, ZOMG, etc. And it’s cheap!

    Happy Christmas to you two.

  2. HA! My mom loves macaroons too! I think I bought shredded coconuts years ago, with the goal of making macaroons but never got around to it. Merry Christmas, my dear!

  3. I don’t normally like the coconut macaroon, but those look pretty gosh darn tasty! I certainly wouldn’t kick them out from under my Christmas tree. 🙂

    Hope you are having a merry one!

  4. They do look good, but if your mother is from my generation (and I imagine she is) then we remember coconut macaroons being made from the egg whites and sugar whipped into a meringue, vanilla added and the coconut being folded in. This makes a light rather than a dense macaroon. Of course, you know your mother, and I don’t. To me, this was just a new way of making them. Merry Christmas.

  5. what a great awesome accomplishment! congrats and merry xmas!

  6. Cathy those macaroons look so delicious! You are so good to your mamma! I hope you had a wonderful holiday with your family!

  7. Oh yum, those look amazing! Definitely on my ‘to-make’ list.

  8. This is one of my favorite recipes to make, which I learned from my mother!! Aren’t they just the best?

    xo
    Jen

    p.s. let me know how the bacon brownies go if you decide to make them!!

  9. Were you stuck at the airport? I vaguely remember your tweeting that… hope you made it back ok! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year too!

  10. Jealous of those lucky enough to be part of your gift exchange network! Those look delicious. Hope you’re staying warm wherever you’re celebrating the holidays!

  11. choco-dipped macaroons are my fallback gift/potlucky sweet too — and perfect for my gluten-allergic friends/acquaintances… along with truffles 😉

  12. Aw, yay, thanks for posting up the recipe. I used to make these macaroons quite often when I lived in Orlando, but seem to have lost the recipe when I moved to London. Good to know I can make them again! Thanks so much.

  13. the recipe is great and I plan on doing it tomorrow :)I have just a question, how is it possible that with 5 cups of coconut flakes, only 24 cookies came out? I mean 5 cups is pretty major, or am I wrong? thanks 🙂

  14. Plami – The proportions are correct. America’s Test Kitchen would never lead us astray! Have fun baking the macs!

Leave a Reply

America's Test Kitchen Coconut Macaroons Recipe | Gastronomy (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between macaroons and coconut macaroons? ›

Macaroons are larger, denser and chewier that macarons, and definitely easier to make. Coconut macaroons are flavored with sugar and vanilla, but their main flavor is the coconut itself.

Are coconut macaroons good for you? ›

That said, because macaroons are high in sugar and offer little nutrition, eating too many of them regularly could be problematic, especially if they replace more nutritious foods in your diet. If you do decide to try them, track your symptoms closely to determine if they have any effect.

Are macaroons unhealthy? ›

While generally considered the least healthy part of the macaron, many of the fillings are derived from natural fruits or can be made with sugar-free and keto recipes. Even with the tasty fillings, macarons are still healthier desserts when compared to other sweets, such as cupcakes.

What makes macaroons hard? ›

Macaron Troubleshooting Issue #5: Why Are My Macarons Crispy/Hard? Sometimes if your batter is overmixed it causes your shells to spread more and bake up crispy. They may also just be overbaked!

Why are macaroons so expensive? ›

Why do macarons seem to be so expensive? Macarons are typically more expensive than other baked goods due to their labor-intensive preparation, high-quality ingredients, and delicate nature. How long do macarons last? Macarons typically last for 2-3 days at room temperature, or up to a week in the refrigerator.

Which method of macarons is best? ›

There are a few methods for making macarons including Italian, French, and Swiss. Swiss isn't as common (I've never made them that way), but Italian macarons are pretty popular. The process is a little more involved than the French method, but the results are considered more reliable.

What are the 2 types of macaroons? ›

French macarons are softer with chewy shells and more subtly sweet taste, giving you more of that distinct almond flavour. Whereas Italian macarons are more crisp, even powdery at times and have a more pronounced sweet taste. A trained eye may even be able to tell the difference simply by looking at them.

Should I refrigerate coconut macaroons? ›

If you're planning on eating your macaroons within 2 weeks, then definitely go ahead and keep your coconut macaroons in the refrigerator. That will help them retain moisture so they don't dry out.

Are macaroons bad for diabetics? ›

Baked goods made with whole wheat flour, almond flour, or other low-GI ingredients and less added sugar are fine for diabetics. Some good choices are sugar-free carrot cake, keto chocolate cake, and low-carb coconut macaroons.

Is the paper on coconut macaroons edible? ›

6 Coconut macaroons with chocolate flavoured decoration on edible rice paper.

How fattening are coconut macaroons? ›

Coconut Macaroon - 1 large (3" diameter)
  1. Calories 156.
  2. Total Fat 6.7g 9%
  3. Saturated Fat 5.7g 29%
  4. Monounsaturated Fat 0.7g.
  5. Cholesterol 6.8mg 2%
  6. Sodium 97mg 4%
  7. Total Carbohydrates 22g 8%
  8. Dietary Fiber 1.8g 6%
Dec 20, 2017

How many macarons can you eat a day? ›

They really appreciate the small bite, and know there is an one-macaron-a-day limit. Since macarons can be kept for a long time, there is no rush to eat them all.

Why do people eat macaroons? ›

Macarons offer a unique combination of textures and flavors, are visually stunning, and are associated with luxury and elegance. Their unique preparation process makes macarons a truly special dessert, which explains why some people consider them the best dessert.

Why are coconut macaroons different? ›

Coconut macaroons: Think of the coconut macaroon as a cousin to the above macaroons. These tasty goodies are made with shredded coconut, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, vanilla, and salt. More importantly, they look different from the above two – they often look a little more round and a little lumpier.

Is desiccated coconut the same as macaroon coconut? ›

There are two different styles of coconut macaroons—those made with unsweetened, desiccated coconut (which is the kind that has been fully dried and contains no additives) and those made with moist, sweetened, shredded ribbons of coconut.

Do coconut macaroons have to be refrigerated? ›

Store the Macaroons in a covered container in the refrigerator or they can be frozen. Can be served cold or at room temperature.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Prof. An Powlowski

Last Updated:

Views: 6559

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (64 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Prof. An Powlowski

Birthday: 1992-09-29

Address: Apt. 994 8891 Orval Hill, Brittnyburgh, AZ 41023-0398

Phone: +26417467956738

Job: District Marketing Strategist

Hobby: Embroidery, Bodybuilding, Motor sports, Amateur radio, Wood carving, Whittling, Air sports

Introduction: My name is Prof. An Powlowski, I am a charming, helpful, attractive, good, graceful, thoughtful, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.