The proper color for a macaroon is a matter of great controversy and personal taste. Snowy-white or toasted golden? As you can see by these pictures, I am a sucker for a well-toasted macaroon. I like to toast the coconut just slightly before even mixing it with the egg whites. Once baked, these turn a lovely golden color with a delicately crunchy shell and a deep coconut flavor.
If you prefer the classic white macaroons, skip the toasting step and keep an eye on your macaroons as they bake. At around 15 minutes, the tips will just be starting to turn golden, and that’s probably when you’ll want to pull them from the oven.
As a coconut lover, I’ve tried dozens of coconut macaroon recipes over the years — be it for the holidays or for friends who eat gluten-free. These are my favorite. Chewy and moist on the inside, crispy and golden on the outside, they are delicious plain but even more irresistible dipped in chocolate. They also keep well for days, which makes them the perfect cookie to make ahead or give as gifts during the holidays.
These coconut macroon cookies earned me a first-place ribbon at the county fair. They remain my husband’s favorites—whenever I make them to give away, he always asks me where his batch is! I especially like the fact that this coconut macaroon recipe makes a small enough batch for the two of us to nibble on. —Penny Ann Habeck, Shawana, Wisconsin
Ingredients:
5 1/4 cups coconut flakes
1 (14 ounce) sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp vanilla extract
melted chocolate (optional for dipping)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees. Line a cookie sheet with non-stick baking paper or parchment paper.
Mix the flour and coconut together in a bowl. Add in the condensed milk and vanilla and stir together until well blended.
Scoop by teaspoonfuls and using wet hands, shape the macaroons into round balls (or triangles if you prefer) before dropping them onto the baking sheet.
Bake for 12-15 minutes until top is golden brown. Immediately remove from baking sheets. Cool completely before dipping in melted chocolate.