Gluten Free Coconut Macaroons are coconut-filled chewy deliciousness! They're easy to make and use only 5 ingredients, 6 if you dip them in chocolate. If you're looking for a traditional cookie that happens to be gluten free, dairy free, and a little healthy, you're in the right place! Whip them up for family or friends in about half an hour!
I was inspired to make this recipe when I had extra egg whites on hand and lots of kids and grandkids around! The macaroons were especially popular with the coconut-lovers in the group.
As with most of my recipes, I keep trying the recipe over and over again until I find the simplest way to make it while still getting great results. Typical recipes for coconut macaroons often require whipping the egg whites until they form peaks. I tried mine both ways, with whipped egg whites and without. I couldn't see a difference in the finished cookies.
Ingredients
- Egg Whites - I usually use the whites of large eggs, and I've included the total weight of them. As long as you use the whites of 4 eggs, I wouldn't stress too much about being exact on this, though.
- Coconut - Use either shredded, flaked, or desiccated coconut, whichever you prefer. The recipe is designed for unsweetened coconut. If sweetened coconut is all you can find, reduce the sugar.
- Raw Sugar - I like to use raw sugar, because it's similar in taste to processed sugar without being refined. Organic is always preferable when it's available.
- White Rice Flour - This is one of the most used gluten free flours. It substitutes well for wheat flour in savoury cooking and is often combined with other flours for baking.
- Chocolate Chips - These are totally optional. The macaroons are great without them, but who doesn't love things dipped in chocolate! Choose dairy free chocolate chips if your cookies need to be dairy free. Only pure chocolate chips will melt nicely. Avoid "cookie chips."
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Coconut macaroons are very easy to make!
Whisk egg whites, sugar, flour, and salt until they start to become a little foamy.
Then, stir in coconut until it's combined throughout.
With wet hands, squeeze dough into nice round balls.
If you'd like to dip your macaroons in chocolate, melt chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl over simmering water.
Bake the macaroons until they become a little golden.
Dip the baked macaroons in melted chocolate, place them on a clean sheet of parchment on a tray, and set them in the fridge briefly to chill and harden.
Hint: Be very careful not to allow any moisture to actually get into your chocolate or it will "seize." I didn't have a problem while I was making the cookies, but I learned my lesson the next day.
I had decided to save my leftover chocolate by simply covering the whole setup shown above with the lid of the saucepan. When I thought I'd just reheat hit and drizzle it over some ice cream or something, the chocolate wouldn't melt! The moisture from the water below had condensed over my chocolate, and it seized! It was still edible, but would not melt and drizzle!
Recipe FAQ's
Coconut macaroons are not always gluten free. They often have a little flour in them to stiffen them up. Fortunately, it's not difficult to make them gluten free. I use white rice flour in mine.
Macarons are the pretty little pastel-coloured, cream-filled cookies you see in French patisseries. They're made with egg whites, sugar, and almond flour. Macaroons are these craggy cookies made with coconut, egg whites, and sugar.
Equipment
You don't need much equipment to make these cookies. A whisk is helpful, along with your other simple, basic kitchen utensils.
Storage
Store your cookies in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
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Recipe
Coconut Macaroons
Equipment
- Parchment paper
- 1 Mixing bowl
- Measuring Cups OR kitchen scales
- Measuring Spoons
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Spoon
- 1 baking sheet
Ingredients
- 4 large egg whites
- ½ cup raw sugar
- ¼ cup white rice flour
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2½ cups unsweetened coconut shredded or desiccated
- ¾ cup pure chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C).
- Whisk the egg whites in a medium mixing bowl. Then whisk in the sugar, flour and salt.4 large egg whites½ cup raw sugar¼ cup white rice flour¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- When the first four ingredients are smoothly combined, stir in the coconut with a spoon.2½ cups unsweetened coconut
- With wet hands, shape the batter into balls and set each one onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Place the pan into the centre of the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown around the edges.
- Set the baking sheet of cookies on a wire rack to cool.
- If you would like to add chocolate to your macaroons, melt chocolate chips in a heatproof dish in a pot of simmering water. Cover a baking sheet or tray with clean parchment paper. Dip each cookie into melted chocolate and set it on this clean paper. Then, place the tray of chocolate-dipped cookies into the refrigerator for a few minutes for the chocolate to harden.¾ cup pure chocolate chips
Notes
- Only pure chocolate chips will melt properly. Don't try to use cookie chips.
- Personally, I like to leave my macaroons in the oven an extra 5 minutes, so they become golden and crunchy on the outside.
- Store your cookies in a covered container in the refrigerator.
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