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
Love the combo of coconut, caramel and chocolate, these were a hit with the family!
So easy to make and so delicious. Very similar to the popular Girl Scout cookie. Will definitely be making for Easter and adding to the cookie swap list!
Coconut and caramel is a match made in heaven! These are fantastic!
These macaroons were easy enough to make. The family enjoyed them as a special Passover treat. As much as I LOVE the salted caramel sauce, it was overpowered by the coconut in the macaroon. Not sure I’d bother pairing them again. Might try a fruit preserve that would pair well with coconut if I made these again.
Super easy, lots of flexibility in toppings!
I was kind of disappointed with this recipe, but it was my first time making macaroons, so maybe I did something wrong. The caramel tasted really weird, kind of a burnt/grilled cheese taste, even though I was sure I didn’t burn it. I even made it a second time, and it still tasted sus. The actual macaroons were very hard to shape because the dough kept falling apart. Overall, the macaroons didn’t taste bad, considering I don’t even like coconut, and the chocolate on top was good (obviously), so I’m giving the recipe 3 stars. Did anyone else have these problems?
These are a delicious l combination of my favorite flavors! I’ve never made caramel or macaroons and am thankful as always for Sally’s excellent instructions
These cookies were absolutely delicious. We loved the combination of flavors. They are addicting!
Great flavor, even for those who aren’t fans of coconut!! The caramel is amazing!!!
These turned out so good! Caramel recipe worked out perfectly and was straightforward! Will definitely make again!! So fancy!!
Sweet Caramel Coconut Heaven! These are so delicious! Even my husband loved them, being a son so coconut guy. Super easy to make. Another win for me!
I wasnt sure how I would feel about these.. (I like a typical chocolate chip cookie) but they turned out really yummy! I could have pulsed the coconut a little more though
This flavor combination was so scrumptious! I had to use a little more egg than called for to get my macaroons to hang together. (I beat an extra egg and then added about half of it.) They were pretty messy looking, but delicious.
These are fancy macaroon cookies that were easy to make and oh, so good! With the combination of a caramel center and the dark chocolate drizzle, these cookies rank top of the list for gifts or gatherings. Our family loved them and they didn’t last long!
These were delicious! I didn’t make them quite right so they were too crunchy, but the flavor was great! And I love the salted caramel sauce!
These cookies are so yummy so fun to make!
Love this! The coconut and caramel is yummy!
Super easy recipe to follow! I am not a fan of coconut but my husband is and he said these are the BEST macaroons!
Maybe it was the off brand coconut I used but these didn’t turn out great for me. Too sweet and strange texture. But I’d love to try again with a better quality coconut to see if they are better
We loved these! Many of them were eaten straight off the baking sheet and never made it to a plate. The salted caramel is perfect and straightforward. We will use the extra to dip apple slices!
Coconut, caramel, and chocolate? Yes please! These were delicious and will definitely be made again soon.
Delicious and beautiful!
My husband loves this recipe!! My favorite part is the homemade salted caramel It was quite the arm workout. I guess because I have an electric stovetop but it was worth it!!
Turned out fantastic. Everyone at work was raving about them. I had been wanting to make macaroons for a long time and by total coincidence I had recently made a jar of Sally’s caramel sauce that was just sitting in my fridge. It’s like it was meant to be.
These were delicious! Probably not a cookie I’d make ALL the time, but it was a great change-up. Also, extra great bonus for gluten-free friends.
I couldn’t ask for more!
This is the first time I ever made caramel! The directions were easy to follow. I got mine a little dark but the flavor still worked. The cookies are moist, chewy, and a pleasing mix of coconut, caramel, chocolate. Just what you want a decadent macaroon to taste like.
These cookies were amazing! Coconut taste great! The caramel and chocolate drip added a wonderful taste. Time consuming for me to shape them, but well worth it!! And my taster loved them!
They don’t sell sweetened coconut here, so I used unsweetened. It turned out fine, though a little more crumbly. I didn’t adjust anything else, just made a sugar syrup of 1 cup water and 1/3 cup sugar and then soaked the shredded coconut for a while.
Thanks for giving this recipe a try, Emilija!
I made the caramel macaroons and my husband ate 2 right away. He said I can make these again. I also took some to my work with me and they just loved them.