These paleo coconut macaroons are lightly golden on the the outside and chewy on the inside with the sweet taste of honey.
I think we’ve probably all had at least one bad experience with those misshapen, heavy and tooth-achingly sweet confections that pass for coconut macaroons at least once. You know the kind whose cloying sweetness hits you over the head at first bite and whose flavor is barely reminiscent of coconut.
A good macaroon however is quite the opposite.
The French call their coconut macaroons rochers à la noix de coco or congolais and they are an altogether different breed from the toothaching varieties. Baked until lightly golden on the outside, but still creamy white on the inside they are bites of pure coconut goodness.
A good coconut macaroon stricks a fine balance; it’s at once light but chewy , a little crispy around the edges, but with a soft, tender interior. It has a pure clean taste that’s all coconut and just lightly sweet and only takes a matter of minutes to make. Made up of a few kitchen staples, the difference lies mainly in the technique.
While coconut, egg whites and sugar makes up the base of most coconut macaroons I’ve used honey instead for a naturally sweetened version and for it’s mild almost floral taste. The key to these however is to gently heat the egg whites, honey and coconut mixture over simmering water prior to baking it. This allows the mixture to partially cook and the coconut to fully hydrate before it goes in the oven allowing for a shorter cooking time at a high heat.
The short baking time in a hot oven ensures that these paleo coconut macaroons get crispy and golden on the outside while keeping the centers nice and moist, and that is what makes all the difference.
Since the combination of chocolate and coconut makes for an extra special treat, you can also dip the bottom of each in chocolate and let them set or just drizzle some across the top if you so feel inspired.
Serves 10
Sylvie Shirazi
Yields 10-12
These paleo coconut macaroons are lightly golden on the the outside and chewy on the inside with the sweet taste of honey.
15 minPrep Time
10 minCook Time
25 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/4 cup/84g light colored honey
- 1/8 th teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 cups/200g finely shredded unsweetened coconut
- 6oz/170g dark chocolate, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine all of the ingredients except chocolate in a large heatproof mixing bowl. Set the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir the mixture for 6- 8 minutes until very hot to the touch and has thickened.
- Using a small cookie scoop, place mounds of batter on parchment lined baking sheet a few inches apart. Bake until lightly golden around the edges,(about 7-10 minutes) roating sheet halfway through (if tips are browning too fast, lower the heat 25 degrees).
- Let cool completely on wire racks. The cookies are best on the day they are baked, the crispy exterior will soften but they can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- If making chocolate dipping sauce, place half the chopped chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until melted. Remove bowl from heat, let stand for a few minutes to cool then stir occasionally the remaining half of chocolate until smooth.
- Dip the bottoms of each macaroon into chocolate, let excess drip off, and place on parchment to set (about 1 hour). Store in airtight container at room temperature.
(This post originally appeared on Jan 30, 2012; photos, post and recipe have been updated.)
(Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Find out what that means for you here.)
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Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she’s been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
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