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Chewy Coconut Macaroons

These 5-ingredient Chewy Coconut Macaroons are crisp and golden on the outside and soft in the center. They’re the perfect treat and are naturally gluten-free!

chewy coconut macaroons with chocolate drizzled on top.
These Chewy Coconut Macarons are the perfect, easy-to-bake treat for all the coconut-lovers in your life!

Why This Recipe Stands Out

With Easter just around the corner, we’re finding ourselves craving all our favorite coconut dessert recipes. Here’s why we love making these Chewy Coconut Macaroons:

  • Holidays: These soft and chewy macaroons are one of our favorite desserts to pass around for Easter. The light, soft texture and coconut flavor just screams spring! They’re also great during Christmas.
  • Simple Ingredients: Chewy macaroons take just 5 simple ingredients – coconut flakes, condensed milk, vanilla, egg whites, and salt – that’s all.
  • Gluten-Free: Since these cookies don’t take flour, they naturally make it onto the list of our favorite gluten-free recipes.
  • Quick and Easy: It couldn’t be easier to make this dessert – from start to finish, these come together in less than 30 minutes!
  • Lots of Cookies: This recipe yields 36 cookies – perfect for passing around at family gatherings.

Key Recipe Ingredients

shredded coconut for chewy coconut macaroons.
  • Shredded Coconut – We use sweetened coconut shreds for this recipe. Make sure you’re opting for the smaller flakes as they will allow the cookies to hold together better than the larger ones.
  • Condensed Milk – We found the best results using sweetened condensed milk, which is essentially sugar and milk. It yields such a wonderfully chewy texture and caramel-like flavor.
  • Vanilla Extract – The vanilla extract combined with the coconut shreds makes the house smell heavenly!
  • Egg Whites – Beaten egg whites bind all the ingredients together and give these macaroons a perfectly fluffy texture.
  • Chocolate – This one’s optional, but we love drizzling some melted dark chocolate on top of these.

Substitutions And Variations

Chewy Coconut Macaroons can be decorated and served in so many different ways. Check out some of our favorite ideas:

  • Festive Macaroons: To make these macaroons even more perfect for Easter, feel free to add pastel sprinkles or a mini chocolate egg on top. Take a look at this recipe for Coconut Macaroon Nutella Nest Cookies.
  • Mix-ins: Try mixing some chopped pecans, walnuts, almonds, or pistachios into these cookies. Dried cranberries, blueberries, or cherries would taste amazing in these.
  • Chocolate: Feel free to drizzle dark, semi-sweet, milk, or white chocolate over these coconut macaroons. We also think this Hot Fudge Sauce or this Salted Caramel Sauce would be truly amazing on macaroons.

Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions

coconut mixture in bowl for chewy coconut macaroons.
  1. In a large bowl, mix together the coconut flakes, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract.
  2. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff peaks form.
  3. Gently fold in egg whites with the coconut mixture until just combined.
  4. Place cookies (1 heaping TB each) onto a lined baking sheet and bake at 325F for 12-18 minutes.
  5. Once cookies have completely cooled, drizzle with melted chocolate, and sprinkle with Kosher salt. Enjoy!

For full list of ingredients and instructions, please see recipe card below.

Make-Ahead

These cookies keep super well. Here’s the best ways to store these coconut macaroons:

  • Room Temp: Keep coconut macaroons in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days.
  • Fridge: In the fridge, these macaroons will stay fresh in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
  • Freezer: To freeze these cookies, we recommend placing them in a single layer on a lined backing tray and freezing them until they’re hard. Then transfer them to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. This trick is called flash freezing. It ensures the cookies won’t stick together.
chewy coconut macaroons stacked on a plate.

Commonly Asked Questions

Can I use toasted coconut for this recipe?

We recommend un-toasted coconut flakes for this recipe. The oven will toast the edges to a nice golden color as they’re baking. If your coconut flakes are already toasted, this could leave your macaroons a little too dark and crisp.

Can I use larger coconut flakes for this recipe?

Stick with smaller coconut shreds for the recipe as these will allow the ingredients to blend well with each other and help our macaroons hold together.

Why is there no sugar in this recipe?

While you’ll see different kinds of sugar used in different macaroon recipes, we find that using sweetened coconut flakes and sweetened condensed milk creates the best chewy, soft texture and provides just the right amount of sweetness. So, there’s no need for any extra sugar in this recipe.

How do I know when my coconut macaroons are done baking?

You’ll know your macaroons are done when the tops turn golden brown and the bottoms are deep gold.

What do coconut macaroons taste like?

If you’ve ever had an Almond Joy bar, you’ve experienced something pretty similar to the taste and texture of coconut macaroons. These treats are slightly crisp on the outside and chewy in the center. They’re sweet, have a light coconut flavor, and are amazing paired with chocolate!

Where can I find coconut flakes?

If you don’t already have sweetened coconut flakes in your pantry, you can find them at most grocery stores (usually in the baking isle). Since shredded coconut is considered a non-perishable item, you can also have it delivered or shipped to your door.

Did you make this?

Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!

chewy coconut macaroons with chocolate drizzled on top.

Chewy Coconut Macaroons

4.61 from 23 ratings
These 5-ingredient Chewy Coconut Macaroons are crisp and golden on the outside and soft in the center. They're the perfect treat for Easter and are naturally gluten-free!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Servings: 36
Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients  

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325F with rack on lower middle position. Line baking sheets with silicone liners or parchment paper. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, stir together the coconut flakes, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract.
  • In a medium bowl, add the egg whites and salt. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form – when you gently lift your beaters up, the egg white mixture should form straight, pointy stiff peaks.
  • Transfer egg mixture into the large bowl with coconut mixture; use rubber spatula to fold together until well combined. Don't over-mix.
  • Form heaping 1-tablespoon size rounds of coconut mixture onto lined baking sheet, spaced 2 inches apart.
  • Bake 12-18 minutes or until tops are golden brown, depending on your oven; watch carefully with your first batch for the correct bake time. Let cookies cool fully on baking sheets before transferring to serving plate.
  • If desired, once cookies are fully cooled, drizzle melted dark chocolate over cookies on serving plate and sprinkle lightly/evenly with Kosher salt. Cookies keep well in airtight container at moderate room temp.

Notes

  • Store any leftover sweetened condensed milk in a glass or plastic airtight container in fridge, and use to make your own easy Thai coffee (or simply add a spoonful to any tea/coffee for an instant treat.)
  • If you prefer your cookies less sweet, try using unsweetened shredded coconut.
  • Try adding 1/2 cup of roasted sliced or chopped almonds or dried cherries to the mix prior to baking.
  • For a wonderful almond aroma, substitute half of the vanilla extract with almond extract.
  • Try drizzling with salted caramel or melted white chocolate in place of the dark chocolate (or do all 3 for a fun variety of macaroons!)
  • For a colorful celebration, toss some happy sprinkles onto the drizzled melted chocolate. 
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating. We ❤️ hearing from you! 
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Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 73kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.05g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 50mg | Potassium: 67mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 17IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 0.2mg
Course: cookies, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Method: Bake

More To Bake And Eat

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Recipe Rating




59 comments

    • Jacque Hastert
    • 5 stars

    These are perfect for summer! I love anything coconut around this time of year! Can’t wait to bake up a batch of these!

    • Sondra Barker

    These sound amazing. I love a good gluten-free snack, I definitely need to try these!

    • Jacqui DeBono
    • 5 stars

    Coconut macaroons are so good! They are always my first choice at the bakery, but I have never made my own. Now I know I must! I really like the chewiness of these!

    • Abigail Raines
    • 5 stars

    Adding chocolate brings this favorite sweet treat of mine to the top! YUM!

      • chewoutloud

      So happy you liked these!

    • Marta
    • 5 stars

    This recipe is bittersweet for me. Coconut macaroons were my mother’s favorite cookie. I haven’t made them since she died, but I think I may to feel closer to her.

      • chewoutloud

      So sweet, Marta. Hugs.

    • Lesli Schwartz
    • 5 stars

    Oh my gosh! These macaroons are so perfect for Passover! My hubby just loves coconut macaroons!

    • Kacey Perez
    • 5 stars

    I actually had all of the ingredients in my pantry for these macaroons! It made for the perfect sweet treat for my kids and I while we are still social distancing!

      • chewoutloud

      That’s awesome, Kacey! So happy you guys enjoyed these! 🙂

    • Stine Mari
    • 5 stars

    I love chewy cookies. I haven’t had a macaroon in ages, but now is definitely the time, these look perfect!

    • Lisa Rios

    Coconut macaroons are the best!!!! I love the drizzle of chocolate on the top.

      • chewoutloud

      So glad you like this, Lisa!

    • David Elliott
    • 5 stars

    These look amazing. I never thought of trying to make macaroons at home. It always seemed to intimidate me as a recipe. But I would love to try this out.

      • chewoutloud

      It’s way easier than it looks 🙂

    • Monica Y

    Those look so good that I might need to bake some this weekend for our upcoming party. Yummy

      • chewoutloud

      They’re perfect party treats! 🙂

    • Yeah Lifestyle
    • 5 stars

    These look so beautiful to look at and I am sure they would taste amazing as well, can’t wait to make these

    • Myrah Duque

    I’m so happy this recipe is Gluten-free. It makes a big difference to me. They are so beautiful! I can imagine teh taste too.

      • chewoutloud

      Glad you like them, Myrah!

    • Ashley R
    • 5 stars

    This reminds me so much of the Girl Scout cookie. I bet it tastes similar and it looks even better.

      • chewoutloud

      Thanks, Ashley! 🙂

    • katrina Kroeplin

    these look great. i’m sure they would go quick in my house.

    • Moni

    Gluten free and beautiful! I’m sure they taste amazing too:D I’m adding your site to my favorites!

      • chewoutloud

      Super kind of you, thank you, Moni! 🙂

    • Bhushavali

    Yum yum yum… I’m gonna try that! It doesn’t need any baking powder or soda?

    • kylie cre8tone (@cre8tone)

    Looks so yummy! The recipe is great.. I wanna try it out and made my own macaroons..

    • hillcitybride

    These are so simple! And I adore the texture of them. And everything is better with chocolate drizzle on top, right?

    • Maryal

    OK now I’m suddenly starving! How do you even come up with this deliciousness?! Definitely saving this one!

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