The BEST Coconut Macaroons for the true coconut lovers out there! These easy macaroons are made without sweetened condensed milk so the delicate, sweet flavor of coconut really shines through. Chewy on the inside and perfectly toasted on the outside, dry coconut macaroons are a thing of the past. Love coconut? You simply must try these Almond Joy Cookies and Coconut Cream Pie!
Coconut Macaroons
Last night we had a “team meeting” for Reece’s soccer team. At least that’s what we were told. We arrived at the park to a crowd of parents and kids and the head of the league explaining to us that our kids wouldn’t be able to play this year due to a lack of coaches.
Say what?!?
All the parents started looking at one another hoping that someone would step forward. No one did. I finally turned to Chris and said, “You should just do it. At least we get to pick when and where the practices are.”
Sooo, long story short, Chris is coaching Reece’s team and they’ve already decided on a team name – the Avengers. This is his first time coaching any of the boy’s teams so send good thoughts his way 🙂 It’s a little stressful because we need to buy all the equipment, get the team organized, find out where we can hold practices, etc. BUT at least Reece gets to play soccer this year.
Fortunately for us, we had these coconut macaroons to come home to after all that stress and worry.
The BEST Coconut Macaroons
Our family is seriously into coconut. I get it from my dad and Chris and the boys have developed a love for coconut since I’m always making treats with it. My Dad’s favorite is Coconut Cream Pie and seriously, who can blame him. The boys go nuts for these Raspberry Coconut Magic Bars and I have to admit, they make my top 10 every time. Whether it’s candy, cake, cookies, pie or drinks – everything is better with coconut.
What Makes the Best Coconut Macaroons?
One of my all-time favorite coconut indulgences is macaroons. These are for the true coconut lover. The best coconut macaroons are beautifully toasted on the outside and sweet and chewy in the center. I can’t stand a dry macaroon!
Ingredients Needed
You might be surprised and how few ingredients are needed for this coconut macaroons recipe. You basically have the coconut and then the rest of the ingredients hold it all together and balance out the flavor.
- sugar
- corn syrup
- salt
- sweetened shredded coconut
- egg whites
- vanilla extract
How To Make Coconut Macaroons
While this particular treat might at first seem complicated to make, it’s really not. I always recommend reading through the instructions twice before starting and then pulling out and measuring all ingredients so you’re ready to go.
- Combine water, sugar, corn syrup and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat until the sugar is dissolved.
- Stir coconut and hot syrup mixture together.
- Whisk egg whites and vanilla extract together until foamy and thick.
- Gently fold in the coconut mixture.
- Scoop out mounds of the coconut mixture and bake until nice and golden brown.
- Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
Tips for the Best Macaroons
I make my macaroons without sweetened condensed milk and it really helps that coconut flavor shine through. There are a few tips that will help you make the best coconut macaroons EVER:
- Not too small, not too big. About the size of a golf ball is perfect.
- These macaroons do not spread when baking. The shape/size they are when they go into the oven is the same as when they come out.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop the macaroons. Make sure to really pack that coconut in there!
- Don’t be afraid of brown! That toasted coconut flavor is essential in a good macaroon.
- Line your baking sheet with parchment paper for easy removal.
More Coconut Recipes to Try
- To Die For Carrot Cake
- Raspberry Coconut Magic Bars
- The Best Coconut Cream Pie
- Coconut Cream Pie Cookie Cups
- Strawberry Coconut Smoothie
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How To Make Coconut Macaroons
The Best Coconut Macaroons
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp water
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp light corn syrup
- ½ tsp salt
- 14 oz sweetened shredded coconut
- 2 egg whites room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Combine water, sugar, corn syrup and salt in a small saucepan.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat.
- In a medium-sized, heat-proof bowl, combine shredded coconut and hot syrup, stirring until evenly distributed. Let mixture cool for 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites and vanilla extract together until foamy and thick.
- Gently fold in the coconut mixture.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop out mounds of the coconut mixture. You want golf-ball sized mounds. Space the macaroons 2 inches apart.
- Bake until nice and golden brown, 14-18 minutes, rotating baking sheet if necessary. Place baking sheets on racks and let cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container.
Notes
Tools Needed
Cookie Scoop | Baking Sheet | Parchment Paper | Mixing BowlsNutrition
Originally published August 7, 2014.
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Marlana says
Excellent recipe but I made changes. Used 1/2 the amount of sweetened cocinut called for and replaced the other half with unseetened. Also, I whipped the agg whites and added the HOT sugar syrup in a slow stream to make Italian metengue…then added the coconut. Also switched orange blossom essence for tje vanilla. Stellar results!
Karen says
I was worried about mixing the whipped egg whites with the very thick coconut mixture. But, I did it in the traditional method: 1/3 to loosen, then the rest to fluff. It worked great. And, the macaroons were incredible.
Debs says
I have to agree with other commenters, these are the best coconut macaroons ever! My husband has to keep his sugar intake low, and I prefer mildly sweet versus heavily sweet desserts, so I used unsweetened shredded coconut and the macaroons were to die for. I also love that they are so light, yet the crisp-chewy outside made them feel sooooo rich.
Tina says
Holy caramelized coconut Batman! These are AMAZEBALLS!!!! Have tried many recipes and this one is indeed THE BEST. I baked ours until they were golden on the bottom. So chewy and yummy! Not super sweet like the condensed milk versions. Plan to dip the bottoms in dark chocolate…but had to run here and write a review first!!! Thank you! Happy Mother’s Day!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you so much Tina!
I. G. says
Made a quick batch for dessert with dinner. They came out great! Crispy outside, soft inside. Not dry at all. I also turned down the oven temp, after 10 minutes, because they were browning quickly. Great recipe!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you!
Barbara Dillon says
OMG!! These macaroons are the best I have ever made or eaten. I doubled the recipe and added more coconut than the recipe called for. I have a convection oven and cooked them for close to 20 minutes. That could be because I don’t golf and made them bigger than “Golf Ball” size. Lol!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you so much Barbara!
Michele Kennedy says
Am I missing something? The article mentions sweetened condensed milk, but it does not appear in the recipe. Is there another recipe using sweetened condensed milk?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I think the part where I say I “dont'” use sweetened condensed milk is the part you’re missing.
Gigi says
I very, very lightly toasted the sweetened coconut first, before adding it to the mixture, just until a very little bit of color began to show.
Also, I would use just a teensy, only a tiny smidge, less salt. They turned out beautifully!
Joyce Cornelius says
You say you use condensed milk, but it’s not listed in the ingredients! Why ?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I acutally say I “don’t'” use sweetened condensed milk 🙂
Vivian Ferraro. (BC) Canada says
Is recipe correct asking for 1 tbsp. Corn syrup? Saw in comments giving substitutes for 1 cup
corn syrup.
Appreciate a reply as want to make asap. Thank you.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
The recipe is correct – one tablespoon, thanks Vivian!
Cindy says
I wanted to make these for Mother’s Day. I know I needed corn syrup … I bought a Costco amount of corn syrup.
I’m off to look for more ways to use up a whole bottle
Stef B says
For people getting mush–you really gotta whip those egg whites! It is like making a meringue–you gotta whip em till your arm hurts and they are forming soft peaks. Otherwise, it will just be runny. Mine came out great with two bags, 7 oz each, of coconut. Using ounces vs cups is actually more precise. Thanks for a delicious recipe!
Reba J says
for the egg whites, a pinch of cream of tartar always work for me
Melba says
I made mine as per the recipe and bought the exact bag of coconut you did. Mine came out perfect. The only thing I could think you did differently maybe was the beating of the egg whites.
The only thing I did differently was that I lowered the oven temperature once I put them inside to 350F. I paid attention to them instead of following the time specified and took them out when they looked done.
Steph says
Thank you for posting this! I had the exact same issue and am now trying it for the second time with more coconut. It already looks much better. Thanks again!