These naturally gluten-free caramel coconut macaroon thumbprints are sweet, moist, and chewy, with a delightfully crisp and toasty exterior. Classic macaroons are quick and easy (no dough chilling required!), and come together with just a few simple ingredients. This upgraded version features a delicious pool of homemade salted caramel, a drizzle of melted chocolate, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Perfection.
One reader, Becca, commented: “So chewy, so delicious, so EASY!!! I love these cookies and I’ve never made them before today. I love the contrast with the caramel, chocolate, and salt. Will definitely make again!! ★★★★★”
Have you ever made coconut macaroons? When done right, coconut macaroons taste like the irresistible coconut center of an Almond Joy or Mounds bar. Sweet, moist, and tons of texture! They’re a favorite in my collection of naturally gluten-free dessert recipes.
I also include a variation in my cookbook Sally’s Cookie Addiction, and a chocolate version is tucked inside those pages, too!
While the classic macaroon is delightful all on its own, today’s recipe features ooey-gooey salted caramel. Coconut + caramel + chocolate… these sweet caramel coconut macaroon thumbprints are sure to become your new favorite version of the humble cookie!
Why You’ll Love These Caramel Coconut Macaroon Thumbprints
- Just 5 ingredients in the base recipe
- No cookie dough chilling required
- Make-ahead friendly
- Naturally gluten free
- Like the Girl Scout Caramel Delite, only without the cookie layer!
While you can (and should) enjoy macaroons year round, I especially love these in the springtime; the thumbprint version is shaped like a little nest. Feel free to add a few jelly beans to the middles like we do for these jelly bean sugar cookies!
3 Notes About the Main Ingredient, Coconut:
- Use Sweetened Shredded Coconut: Sweetened coconut is extremely moist and a little sticky, which is exactly what you want. Unsweetened coconut could work, but it’s very dry and you may need to increase the egg whites and add more sugar. For best results, use sweetened.
- Amount: You may need to buy 2 packages of coconut, but you won’t use all of the second package. You need 17 ounces (481g) of sweetened shredded coconut, which is a standard (in the U.S.) 14-ounce (396g) package plus an additional 1 cup (85g) of coconut.
- Chop It/Pulse It: Pulse the coconut shreds in the food processor to chop up the pieces. Why? Finer pieces of coconut keep the macaroon thumbprints compact and help hold the shape better. I give it about 15 quick pulses. If you don’t have a food processor, spread the coconut out on a cutting board and give it all a rough chop.
Other Ingredients You Need:
- Sugar: We’re using white granulated sugar to sweeten the macaroons.
- Salt + Vanilla Extract: The flavor enhancers all cookies need!
- Eggs: 1 whole egg + 2 egg whites bind everything together.
It’s a pretty short and simple list! We’ll add the caramel and chocolate drizzle after baking.
How to Make Macaroon Thumbprints
Even though the process for making caramel coconut macaroon thumbprints is simple, I want to walk you through a few steps so you feel confident when it’s your turn in the kitchen.
Beat the egg and egg whites, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract together until foamy and the sugar is mostly dissolved. The trick here is to not over-beat the egg whites—this should take just a minute or two.
Avoid This: If you over-beat the eggs, you’ll end up with a stiff meringue-like mixture, and the baked macaroons will be very dry.
Fold the chopped coconut shreds into the egg mixture until everything is combined and all the coconut is moistened.
After that, use a medium cookie scoop to shape 1.5-Tablespoon portions (about 28–30g each) of dough onto a lined baking sheet. Use a finger, thumb, or small measuring spoon to press an indent into the center of each macaroon.
You may need to use your hands to reshape the edges into a circle after you make the thumbprint. It’s a little messy!
Coconut macaroon thumbprints do not spread much while baking. Sometimes they can leak a little sugar/egg liquid, but if you chopped up the coconut enough, this shouldn’t happen.
Success Tip: Bake the macaroon thumbprints at 325°F (163°C)—the lower temperature helps ensure the centers are cooked before the exteriors burn.
These macaroon thumbprints take just about 20 to 24 minutes to bake. You want to take them out of the oven when they’re starting to turn a toasty, golden color but are still mostly white. Over-baking will dry out your coconut macaroons.
Salted Caramel Filling
My recipe for homemade salted caramel is one of the most loved recipes on my blog. Made with just 4 simple ingredients, homemade caramel sauce takes just a few minutes to prepare.
You won’t need the entire batch of this salted caramel to fill these cookies, but I have a list of more than 50 ways to eat salted caramel for you to peruse. The caramel keeps for weeks in the refrigerator, and I know you will find plenty of ways (or rather, excuses) to use up the leftover caramel!
A drizzle of melted chocolate and sprinkle of flaky sea salt are the finishing touch on these caramel coconut macaroon thumbprints.
Macaroons, Not Macarons
Remember, these are coconut macaroons, not macarons. (Today’s cookies are much quicker and easier!) If you want to learn how to make those delicate sandwich cookies, I have an in-depth French macarons tutorial.
P.S. If you love today’s flavor combination, try these chocolate caramel coconut cupcakes sometime!
Caramel Coconut Macaroon Thumbprints
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 24 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 22 to 24 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These naturally gluten-free caramel coconut macaroon thumbprints are sweet, moist, and chewy, with a delightfully crisp and toasty exterior with homemade salted caramel in the center. Finish with a drizzle of melted chocolate and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Be sure to pay attention to the exact amount of sweetened coconut you need. See recipe Note.
Ingredients
- 17 ounces (482g) sweetened shredded coconut (one 14-ounce bag + 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/2 cup (145g) homemade salted caramel sauce, cooled (see Note)
- one 4-ounce bar (113g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- optional: sprinkle of flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Preliminary Note: Make the caramel sauce ahead of time, so it has time to cool and thicken. You do not want it hot or warm when spooning into the baked thumbprints.
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Set aside.
- Place the coconut in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped (about 15 quick pulses). If you don’t have a food processor, spread the coconut out on a cutting board and give it all a rough chop.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg, egg whites, sugar, salt, and vanilla together on medium-high speed until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is frothy, about 1–2 minutes. Fold in the coconut until completely combined.
- Using a medium cookie scoop or a spoon, scoop 1.5 Tablespoons (about 30g) of the mixture and arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. With your thumb, finger, or a small measuring spoon, press into the center of each macaroon to make an indent.
- Bake until lightly golden and set around the edges, 20–24 minutes. Keep a close eye on them after around 18 minutes. You want to take them out of the oven when they’re starting to turn a toasty, golden color but are still mostly white; over-baking will dry out your coconut macaroons.
- Cool for at least 10 minutes on the baking sheet set on a cooling rack.
- Spoon salted caramel into the middles of the macaroons (use however much will fit—about 1/2–1 teaspoon each).
- Melt the chocolate: You can melt it in a double boiler or use the microwave. If using the microwave: place the chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl or glass liquid measuring cup. Microwave for 20-second increments, stirring after each, until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Drizzle chocolate over the cooled macaroons. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired. Allow chocolate and caramel to set, either at room temperature or in the refrigerator (to speed it up).
- Cover and store macaroons at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Macaroons, with or without caramel and chocolate, freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature. You can prepare the coconut macaroon dough up to 3 days in advance; cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to shape and bake. You can also make the salted caramel in advance. Cover tightly and store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Microwave refrigerated caramel sauce in 10-second increments until it’s thin enough to spoon/drizzle into the macaroons, but not overly warm. 20 seconds is usually plenty.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Food Processor (like this one or this one) | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Silicone Spatula | Medium Cookie Scoop | Thin Spatula | Cooling Rack | Flaky Sea Salt
- Amount of coconut: You need 5 and 2/3 cups of sweetened shredded coconut, which is 17 ounces or 482g. This is more than 1 standard 14-ounce bag. If you aren’t using a scale, be sure to measure 5 and 2/3 cups before you pulse/chop it in step 3.
- Can I use unsweetened coconut? I love unsweetened coconut for a lot of baking recipes, but it’s not the best choice for this macaroon recipe. The macaroons will taste very dry. If you want to try it, you’ll need to increase the egg whites and sugar.
- Salted Caramel Note: If you want to make regular caramel, instead of salted caramel, reduce the salt in that recipe to 1/2 teaspoon. Additionally, it’s imperative for the caramel to be cool before spooning in the macaroon thumbprints. I recommend making it in advance.
Reader Comments and Reviews
These were so good! I absolutely loved the chewy texture! I brought them to an event and they were gobbled up so quickly I almost didn’t get one! They were also pretty easy to make. Your caramel recipe is so awesome!
Delicious and fun to make!
The homemade salted caramel and chocolate really jazz up these macarons.
Boy was I nervous on this one! I’ve never made caramel before but Sally’s recipe instructions were very clear and I did it!! The macaroons look great and taste wonderful.
These macaroons are so easy to make and came out really yummy! My kids were able to help without getting in the way so that’s a big bonus. The caramel sauce is the best part and I’ll definitely be using it all up on other things. The sprinkle of sea salt at the end was the perfect addition to balance the sweetness of the macaroons. At first I was concerned that the dough was too soft but it really set up nicely in the oven and did not run so they kept the indentation to fill with caramel.
Overall these were amazing, especially if you love coconut. I shared them with my book club and they were a big hit!
Great recipe with easy to follow instructions. I’ve never made macaroons or caramel. They were a big hit at our house!
Made this for the baking challenge and even though I’m not normally a big coconut fan, they were still tasty! The salted caramel sauce is delicious and definitely worth the effort. I had a bit of trouble forming the cookies and they definitely seem to fall apart pretty easily, however cooking them in the fridge helped some. I think next time I would dice the coconut even finer than I did- I probably did like 25 pulses and the pieces were still probably too big, so just be aware this could take longer than it says in the recipe. Overall pretty simple recipe though and I think anyone who likes macaroons will love these!
Fun to make. Reminds me of the Girl Scout cookie just better!
As always, the directions make it easy. Very yummy. Can’t wait to share them with friends.
Very tasty. Coconut macaroons are my favorite cookie, so turning them into thumbprint cookies with caramel and chocolate is amazing!
I skipped processing the coconut and I did have some trouble shaping them. It’d probably be easier if I had processed them.
I also had a few where the thumbprint hole ended up too thin and the caramel drizzled out. It wasn’t a big deal, but I might chocolate dip the bottom of the cookies for extra structure next time.
This is such a tasty treat, easy to put together. The flavours are delicious, making the caramel sauce was easy too. Love this fast easy recipe that requires just a few ingredients.
Super fun to make. First time making salted caramel too! Definitely recommend kitchen gloves for that one. Always love making coconut macaroons so it was fun to try a different take on it!
It’s a softer cheesecake. The lemon and strawberry topping made it next level. Thank you as always Sally and team!
I had trouble with these cookies falling apart, bit they tasted great!
So I made these for this month’s baking challenge, but mine turned out completely different. They were still good (my family devoured them), but so off and this recipe did not work very well for me. They spread too much and didn’t look the same as the ones in the picture. I also am not sure how the coconut works. I think I blended mine too finely. I did the amount of pulses, but maybe it was too much based on my food processor. Whatever I did wrong, I am determined to correct. I will definitely make these again and pray that they turn out way better.
These cookies were surprisingly easy and flavorful! I don’t miss the flour! The homemade caramel was fun to make. I’ll be making these again!
I used unsweetened coconut, added an extra tablespoon of sugar, and used two whole eggs and one egg white. It turned out very well! After 20 minutes in the oven they were definitely overbaked, so I will probably bake them for around 15 minutes next time.
Easy to follow recipe. Delicious results!!
These were very good and simple to make!
These turned out fantastic. This was my first time making macaroons and salted carmel but I followed Sally’s detailed instructions and everything went smoothly. I will have to make Sally’s other variations of macaroons because my kids and husband gobbled them up.
Easy and delicious!
The macaroons were fairly easy to make. Sally makes easy to follow steps. I brought them to friends and there were all gone in no time. Everyone raved. Needless to say I’ll be making these again.
The cookies are delicious! The texture difference between the crunchy coconut and the smooth salted caramel make the absolutely craveable. I will make them over and over!
These cookies were really fun to make (and tasted good ).
The caramel was a big success!
These reminded me of the Girl Scout Somoas, which have always been my favorite!! This recipe exceeded my expectations. Very easy and I love that it’s only a handful of ingredients! The homemade caramel is so worth it. 10/10, would do again.
I am not a fan of coconut or caramel, but I am a fan of Sally’s Baking Challenge so I made these anyway! The caramel was very fun and easy to make. It came together perfectly. The macaroons were a little more complicated than I was expecting, but that’s why I don’t these challenges! They came together easily once I got past mixing all the ingredients together. My family really enjoyed them.
These were pretty good. Mine ended up being very sweet. May have been a touch to much caramel in my thumbprint, but the caramel sauce was worth it!
Delectable!
Loved these!
I baked these for the challenge ,I thought they were too sweet and didn’t really hold together very well.The caramel sauce though was delicious and I will use as topping for other things
I loved this recipe it is quick and fun. They taste so good and this is something that I will make again for a treat for my family.