These coconut macaroons are moist and chewy, with just the right amount of sweetness. Drizzled with chocolate ganache, they’re an irresistible treat!

coconut macaroons drizzled with chocolate on a sheet pan

While technically considered cookies, these classic coconut macaroons are closer to candy. They taste similar to a Mounds candy bar, but so much better.

This is a slightly different macaroon recipe than you may have tried before. There’s no sweetened condensed milk, and no need to whip the egg whites. My method uses more egg whites to hold it all together, and they’re cooked briefly on the stove with the sugar and coconut to cook off excess moisture, leaving behind a batter that’s sticky, sweet and moist.

These macaroons are never dry, won’t fall apart, and have the absolute best texture. The outsides are toasted and nutty, and insides are so soft and chewy. Adding dark chocolate is the perfect finishing touch. I promise you’ll love this coconut macaroon recipe!

Why you should bake these macaroons

  • If you’re a coconut fan, then this is a no-brainer! These macaroons have the most delicious coconut flavor.
  • There’s only 6 simple ingredients needed to make these macaroons, including the ingredients for the chocolate dip/drizzle.
  • The recipe has a few separate steps, but it is simple and straightforward, and doable for all levels of bakers.
  • My fool-proof method means these macaroons have the perfect chewy texture.

Ingredients you’ll need

coconut macaroon ingredients

How to make perfect coconut macaroons

  1. Cook large egg whites with shredded coconut and sugar. Add to a saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for about 10-13 minutes. Mixture will look creamy and wet, then slowly dry out. Remove from heat when it’s still sticky and moist, but no longer creamy and individual coconut flakes are distinguishable. Stir in vanilla extract. mixing egg whites, coconut and sugar in saucepancooked coconut macaroon batter in saucepan
  2. Chill. Scoop batter into a shallow dish, like a pie pan, and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
  3. Scoop and shape. Use a spring-loaded cookie scoop to portion into packed little mounds onto a baking sheet pan. scooping coconut macaroon batter on sheet pan; baked macaroons
  4. Bake. Bake at 300°F until macaroons are golden brown, about 30 minutes.
  5. Dip/drizzle with ganache. While macaroons cool, make the ganache by pouring warmed heavy cream over chocolate in a small bowl (If a few lumps remain, melt in microwave in 30-second blasts). Dip bottoms of macaroons in the chocolate and set on parchment paper. Drizzle tops with more ganache as desired.
  6. Let sit, then enjoy! The chocolate will set up at room temperature in about 30 minutes, but will set up faster in the fridge.
dipping coconut macaroons in chocolate

Tips for this coconut macaroon recipe

  • I have not tested this recipe with unsweetened shredded coconut, but it will likely work just fine. Macaroons will be less sweet and may be slightly less moist.
  • This is a great way to use up leftover egg whites if you have them!
  • If you have leftover egg yolks after making this recipe, I recommend making lemon curd, crème brulee, or ice cream.
  • I like to use a #40 (1 1/2 Tbsp) spring-loaded cookie scoop to portion dough.
  • The easiest way to drizzle the macaroons with chocolate is to pour melted chocolate into a small ziplock bag, cut a small hole in one of the corners and then use it to pipe the chocolate onto the cookies.
  • Store coconut macaroons in an airtight container at room temperature for several days. They can also be stored in the fridge if you’d like to keep them more firm. Macaroons can also be stored in the freezer, individually wrapped, for a month or more.

Frequently asked questions

Why are my macaroons dry and crumbly?

It’s likely you cooked the egg whites, sugar and coconut for too long and too much moisture was lost.

Why did my macaroons leak around the bottoms?

Your macaroons may leak a little bit of liquid at the bottoms (mine do sometimes), and that’s just fine. When the cookies are hot from the oven, use a spatula to gently push the edges back into a mound. If there are larger pools of liquid around the edges of your macaroons, then the egg whites, sugar and coconut batter were not cooked long enough and the batter had too much moisture.

Can I use flaked, shaved or desiccated coconut in this recipe?

Shredded coconut is the best kind of coconut to use to get results as shown in these photos. Flaked/shaved coconut has larger flakes and the cookies will be chunkier and chewier. I recommend pulsing it in a food processor a bit to break the large flakes up. Desiccated coconut is finer and the macaroons will be softer, smoother and perhaps a little more dry.

Are macaroons the same as macarons?

While they have a similar history (hence the name similarities), they are very different cookies. French macarons are made with whipped egg whites, almond flour, sugar and flavorings. Macaroon cookies such as these are typically made with coconut as the main ingredient.

closeup of coconut macaroons, one with a bite taken out to see insides

More coconut treats

Note: This recipe was originally published March 2011. It is lovingly borrowed from Molly Wizenberg’s book “A Homemade Life”, which I highly recommend for all food lovers!

coconut macaroons drizzled with chocolate on a sheet pan

Coconut Macaroons

Servings: 18 cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Chill Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
These coconut macaroons are moist and chewy, with just the right amount of sweetness. Drizzled with chocolate ganache, they're an irresistible treat!

Ingredients
 

  • 3 cups sweetened shredded coconut (270 grams)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
  • ¾ cup egg whites (about 5 eggs, 190 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate or dark chocolate , chopped or use chips (114 grams)
  • ½ cup heavy cream (114 grams)

Instructions
 

  • Put the coconut, sugar, and egg whites in a heavy saucepan and stir. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for 10-15 minutes. As the mixture heats it will look very creamy, then slowly get a bit drier with individual coconut flakes becoming discernible. Stop cooking when it no longer is creamy, but still is sticky and moist. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
  • Put the mixture into a shallow dish (like a pie pan) and refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Using a medium cookie scoop or your hands, scoop and firmly pack the coconut mixture into domes. Space them evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the macaroons until evenly golden, about 30 minutes. Cool completely on the pan.
  • Put the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until it is hot and steaming, but do not boil. Remove from heat and pour the cream over the chocolate. Let sit for one minute, then stir until smooth.
  • Dip the bottoms of each macaroon into the chocolate ganache and return to the parchment lined sheet pan to set. Drizzle chocolate over the tops of each macaroon. Refrigerate the macaroons until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.
  • Store the macaroons in an air tight container in the fridge or at room temperature. They are best eaten within a few days. They can also be frozen for a month or more.

Notes

Recipe adapted from A Homemade Life.
Calories: 172kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 8mg, Sodium: 59mg, Potassium: 110mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 100IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 11mg, Iron: 1mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Annalise
Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.