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 treats are delightful and come together pretty easily – especially if you do the caramel ahead of time. If you love the samoas (aka caramel delight) Girl Scout cookies, you’ll love these! I had some leftover melted chocolate that I used to cover the bottom of a few of the cookies – so good! As a plus, I have leftover caramel that I look forward to using up with some apple slices.
This recipe was more labor intensive than regular macaroons. The cookies are best at room temperature.
This is a good recipe! I would recommend cutting back on the amount of salt in the caramel though, it was very salty so I didn’t put the flaked salt on them which would’ve been nice to do. But all in all, even my husband enjoyed them which I didn’t expect!
Delicious recipe! I made these for my family for Easter. My only correction was my store has only unsweetened coconut flakes so I adjusted the recipe to 150 grams of sugar and 1 additional egg white and the macaroons turned out amazing! Can’t wait for everyone to try them on Easter.
Delicious!!! Love the flavor of the salted caramel with the coconut. The added chocolate didn’t hurt either!! Fun recipe to make!!
Easy recipe, including the homemade salted caramel. Super tasty – perfect for an Easter or Passover treat!
Another great recipe!
This recipe was so fun. I made it with my niece and nephews. They loved the cookies so much they started disappearing before I had finished drizzling the chocolate on them.
These were delicious! I enjoyed making them, and the salted caramel sauce is new staple in my house! Even my non-coconut-loving family enjoyed these.
The process was very straight forward but not something I enjoyed at all – I found scooping and shaping the cookies to be difficult, frustrating and messy. The end result is pretty tasty though, and I appreciate a good gluten free cookie option.
These are so fun to make and there’s lots of ways to tweak them to what you like! I put bigger chocolate drizzles on mine because I love chocolate it it was amazing! I can’t wait for the rest of my family to try them at our Easter dinner!
The perfect balance of coconut, caramel, and chocolate. Luscious! Sally never disappoints. Thank you for the recommendation to use oven mitts when making the caramel. I’ve been an avid baker for years but am less experienced with candy and the spattering proved it. Already planning to add this to my Christmas rotation.
5 star review!
My 10 year old had an amazing time making these. Very easy to follow along and a delicious treat!!
So yummy and easy!
Easy an delicious! Appropriate spring cookie!
April’s Challenge for salted caramel macaroons was a great holiday recipe to share with my family and friends this Easter. The recipe was easy to follow, the video helps you see what each step looks like, and the macaroons were yummy!
This is an exceptional Coconut Macaroon recipe. Not dry, but tender and very tasty. The salted caramel recipe is great and goes so well with the cookies.
These were so delicious a a big hit with my family
The perfect Easter recipe! Made a huge mess in my kitchen too!
What an unbelievable gift for a GF participant. These cookies are so delicious. The combination of the coconut, Carmel, chocolate and sea salt is perfect. Can’t wait to share them with my family for Easter.
Thanks Sally for another incredibly delicious recipe.
I made the alternate recipe for the mini cheesecakes. Since they were mini cheesecakes, I mistakenly thought they should be made in a mini cupcake tray! So I ended up making a dozen regular cupcake size and 24 mini treats. They were delicious.
This recipe is quite simple and it doesn’t take too much time to make the macaroons. If you have a sweet tooth you’ll love these. The salted caramel works really well with the sweetness of the macaroons.
I was so excited about these, but I didn’t think they had a lot of taste My friend tasted them and suggested maybe using coconut flavoring – the flavor just wasn’t there! I’m wondering if I didn’t use quality ingredients since others seem to have rave reviews. However, I’m leaving 4 stars because my kiddos devoured them. The caramel is really, really good, I’m so excited to try it in/on other recipes!
So fancy yet easy to make.
Delicious and very easy to make. I made them in a mini size for an event with lots of people.
I don’t love coconut, but my family does, and they gave this recipe five stars! I must have done something wrong with my caramel, because it was pretty hard. I’ve made the caramel several times and this is the first time that has happened.
I don’t love coconut, but my family does, and they gave this recipe five stars!
I made these for the challenge and they were delicious! I did have some problems with them falling apart, I tried to get them as tight as I could but some of them fell apart in the oven. I was able to squish them back together while they were still warm and they firmed up enough that I could fill them. I may have over processed the coconut a little bit so perhaps that was the issue. I have a large (14 cup) food processor and it still seemed pretty full and like it wasn’t evenly processed so next time I will process the coconut in 2 batches. But overall I liked this recipe and my whole family enjoyed it so I will make it again!
The macaroons were simple and relatively quick to make! I read someone else’s comment to wet your hands when shaping and that really helped! The real star of this recipe in my opinion is the salted caramel!!
My batter ended up a little different than pictured (more cohesive coconut stack than nicely shaped “cookie”); I’m thinking I may not have chopped the coconut enough since I did not have a food processor and chopped by hand. I kind of liked the rough coconut edges though! Got crispy chewy pieces on some of the fly-aways. Also, I did have to microwave my caramel for a little bit to get it to spoon into the cookies since it was pretty thick and I couldn’t easily scoop it out. Hoping this won’t affect how it stores since I made them for Easter lol. Would recommend this recipe! Already have!
I loved the flavor! So did everyone I shared them with! I do think I needed to let them cook a little longer than was shown (probably due to the humidity from where I live), but they were yummy!