These naturally gluten free homemade coconut macaroons are sweet, moist, and chewy on the inside with a delightfully crisp exterior. They’re quick and easy (no dough chilling required!), and come together with just 5 simple ingredients.
I originally published this recipe in 2013 and have since added new photos and success tips. I also included a variation in my cookbook Sally’s Cookie Addiction.
When done right, coconut macaroons taste like the irresistible coconut center of an Almond Joy or Mounds bar. Chewy, moist, and sweet! When done wrong, they’re dry and fall apart easily.
The recipe below is my all-time favorite, and its perfect combination of ingredients produces oh-so-moist and tender macaroons with delightfully crisp exteriors. They’re a favorite in my collection of naturally gluten free dessert recipes and quick dessert recipes. You can leave them plain (with just 5 ingredients), add a dunk in chocolate and/or almond on top, or really elevated them like we do with this caramel coconut macaroon thumbprints recipe.
One reader, Rosemarie, commented: “I’m making these cookies for the third time. My daughter-in-law is gluten free and dairy free, and this is something special for her that everyone can enjoy. They are delicious, and I usually have to hide some extra for her! Another winner, Sally. Thank you. ★★★★★“
Coconut Macaroons Details
- Just 5 ingredients in the base recipe
- Can leave plain or add toppings/add-ins
- Dough comes together in 1 bowl
- No cookie dough chilling required
- Naturally gluten free and dairy free
And remember, these are coconut macaroons, not macarons. If you want to learn how to make those delicate sandwich cookies, I have an in-depth French macarons tutorial.
3 Notes About The Coconut:
- Use Sweetened Coconut: Sweetened coconut is extremely moist and a little sticky, which is exactly what you want for these cookies. Unsweetened coconut can work instead, but you may need to increase the egg whites and add more sugar. For best results, use sweetened.
- Measure Accurately: You need 4 and 3/4 cups (about 385g) of sweetened shredded coconut, which is a little less than a standard 14-ounce package.
- Chop It/Pulse It: Pulse the coconut shreds in the food processor a few times to chop up the pieces. Why? Smaller pieces of coconut help the cookies hold their shape better—the cookies will be more compact this way. If you don’t have a food processor, spread the coconut onto a cutting board and give it all a rough chop.
Here are the ingredients you need:
Finer pieces of coconut help the macaroons hold shape better; I pulse it with a food processor a few times to break down the shreds:
Make the Coconut Macaroons Dough
Even though the process is really easy, I want to walk you through a few steps so you can have success on the first try. This has been my favorite recipe for decades, and I’ve picked up on several tricks (learn from my mistakes!).
In addition to coconut, egg whites are a main ingredient in this dough. More specifically, beaten egg whites. In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer, you’ll beat the egg whites, sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract together on medium-high speed until foamy and the sugar is mostly dissolved. The trick here is to not over-beat the egg whites—this should really only take 1 minute.
If you over-beat the eggs, you’ll end up with a stiff meringue-like mixture, and the baked macaroons will be very dry.
Here’s what you’re looking for (on the left):
Fold the chopped coconut shreds into the egg white mixture. After that, use a medium cookie scoop to shape 1.5 Tablespoon portions of dough onto a lined baking sheet. I usually fit 12 on a standard 12×17-inch half baking sheet.
Coconut macaroons do not spread much while baking. Sometimes they can leak a little sugar/egg white liquid, but if you chopped the coconut up enough, this shouldn’t really happen.
Bake until a little toasty on top, about 20 minutes at 325°F (163°C).
Avoid Over-Baking
Bake for only a precise 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Over-baking will dry out your coconut macaroons.
Can I Add Add-Ins or Toppings?
Yes, absolutely! Macaroons can be dressed up in so many different ways. While they’re absolutely incredible plain, I love dipping the bottoms in melted dark chocolate. Other varieties:
- Chocolate almond macaroons: Pictured below! These remind me of an Almond Joy candy bar. Instructions in the recipe notes.
- Sprinkle loaded macaroons: Carefully fold 1/3 cup (about 57g) sprinkles in the coconut macaroon dough before scooping and baking. Avoid nonpareils (the little balls).
- White chocolate cranberry macaroons: Add 3/4 cup (about 100g) of dried cranberries to the dough when you add the shredded coconut. Melt 4 ounces of pure white chocolate and drizzle over cooled macaroons.
- Strawberry macaroons: Here’s my strawberry coconut macaroons recipe.
- Almond butter macaroons: Here’s my almond butter coconut macaroons recipe.
If you’re looking for a moist and chewy coconut macaroon with a toasty exterior, you’ve come to the right place. When you’re feeling fancy, dress the simple recipe up with any of my suggested varieties in the recipe notes. Be sure to try my almond butter coconut macaroons, too!
More Coconut Recipes
- Coconut Cake
- German Chocolate Cake
- Coconut Cream Pie
- Dark Chocolate Coconut Blondies
- Coconut Chocolate Easter Cupcakes
Coconut Macaroons
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour (includes cooling)
- Yield: 18 large cookies (or 24 small)
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These naturally gluten free and dairy free homemade coconut macaroons are sweet, moist, and chewy on the inside with a delightfully crisp exterior. They’re quick and easy (no dough chilling required!), and come together with just 5 simple ingredients. Avoid over-baking.
Ingredients
- 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 4 and 3/4 cups (385g) chopped sweetened shredded coconut (a little less than one 14-ounce package, see note)*
- optional: two 4-ounce semi-sweet chocolate bars (226g), finely chopped
Instructions
- Preliminary Note: I recommend pulsing the coconut in the food processor a few times to cut it down and break it up. Finer pieces of coconut make a tighter, more compact coconut macaroon that will hold its shape. Measure 4 and 3/4 cups after it’s been pulsed. If you do not have a food processor, spread the coconut onto a large cutting board and roughly chop it.
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Set aside.
- Make the macaroons: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract together on medium-high speed until foamy and the sugar is mostly dissolved, only about 1 minute. Do not over-beat. Fold in the chopped coconut, making sure the coconut is evenly moistened.
- Using a medium cookie scoop or a spoon, scoop 1.5 Tablespoons (about 30g) of the mixture and arrange on prepared baking sheets at least 2 inches apart. (For smaller cookies, measure 1 Tablespoon (about 18-20g) per cookie.)
- Bake until lightly browned around the edges and tops, about 20 minutes. Make sure to rotate the pan to help ensure even baking.
- Cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheets, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The bottoms may be sticky, so use a thin spatula to help release them from the mat/parchment paper.
- Dip in chocolate (optional): Melt the chopped chocolate, either in a double boiler or the microwave. Microwave in 20-second increments, stirring after each until completely melted. Dip each cooled coconut macaroon in the melted chocolate and place back onto the baking sheets. Allow chocolate to set in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
- Macaroons stay fresh covered 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 chocolate, freeze well up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. You can prepare the coconut macaroon dough up to 3 days in advance; cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to bake.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Food Processor | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Medium Cookie Scoop | Thin Spatula | Cooling Rack | Double Boiler (optional for melting chocolate)
- Can I use unsweetened coconut? I love unsweetened coconut for a lot of baking recipes, however, it’s not the best choice for this macaroon recipe. The macaroons will taste dry. Feel free to try increasing the egg whites and sugar, if you’d like.
- Chocolate Almond Coconut Macaroons: Follow recipe above. Melt an additional 2 ounces of chocolate. (10 ounces in total.) Dip the bottoms of the cooled macaroons in the chocolate, as directed in the recipe above, and then drizzle remaining chocolate on top of each. Press 1 almond into the tops while the chocolate drizzle is still wet.
- Sprinkle Loaded Macaroons: Carefully fold 1/3 cup (about 57g) sprinkles in the coconut macaroon dough before scooping and baking. Avoid nonpareils (the little balls).
- White Chocolate Cranberry Macaroons: Add 3/4 cup (about 100g) of dried cranberries to the dough when you add the shredded coconut. Melt 4 ounces of pure white chocolate and drizzle over cooled macaroons.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Quick and easy recipe! Fun to make!
These were yummy and quick to make! I’ll probably make them smaller next time.
Fun alternate challenge recipe! It was LOVED at my house! Will have to hide the rest!
I am a big fan of Sally’s recipes in general and while these were good, I have to admit that I prefer my unusual recipe more. Was curious to try these as the recipe is entirely different from the my tried and true macaroons which contain both flour and sweetened condensed milk. Guess it all depends on what you are looking for. The ones I make are very similar to ones I had tried from a local store.
Simple & delicious! I added a tiny sprinkle of flaky salt with chocolate dip to balance sweetness!
These were super easy and amazingly delicious! My whole family loved them and even my gluten free child can eat them!
These were delicious and surprisingly easy to make. I made the version with the chocolate. Tasted just like an almond joy.
You had me at sprinkles! I made the sprinkles version for the April baking challenge. Super easy and quick recipe with delightful results! I love anything coconut and anything with sprinkles, so this is a win-win in my book!
I’ve made macaroons for decades for Passover. I always use unsweetened coconut. I was anxious to try Sally’s recipe with sweetened coconut. I haven’t tasted them yet – but the egg whites leaked out so the macaroons look like they are wearing a poodle skirt. Any ideas ? I did do what I do with my unsweetened coconut – I let the batter sit for 15 minutes or so so the egg whites can be absorbed. Did not seem to help.
Hi Louise! We haven’t tested it, but letting the mixture sit may actually make this recipe more watery. Did it look more loose after sitting?
I’m having the same issue, though didn’t let the batter soak. Came here to see if I could find any solutions/ suggestions as well.
Great recipe, as always. I chose to use unsweetened coconut, since all the sweetened ones I found had propylene glycol. I added one extra egg white and doubled the sugar. Fabulous!! Everyone at our Passover Seder loved them. Thank you Sally and staff.
The texture of the coconut is better (not as gummy) if the whole bag of coconut is refrigerated before chopping. This works well for both the food processor, as well as chopping by hand.
Excellent! Just a note for any vegans that may be trying to alter the recipe, flax egg worked great as a sub. I also used Bob’s red mill egg replacer and while it worked, the flax egg was easier. These are so good and so easy to whip up. Hard to stay away from them once made! Thanks so much for a great recipe!
I made these for Passover! They are delicious, but they were really hard to get off of the parchment paper. They were also very soft. Did I do something wrong?
Hi Ellen! It sounds like they may have been slightly under-baked. Were they lightly browned around the edges and tops?
I enjoyed making these cookies and they are delicious! I took them to a picnic, where they were a massive hit!
I made these for the challenge and they were delicious! My husband loved them, too and he took the extra cookies into work. His co-workers raved about them! The recipe was quick and easy, used ingredients that I already had on hand and the macaroons were so good! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
These were simple to prepare and came together quickly. While I did pulse my coconut in the food processor, I wish I’d let it go a bit longer as it would have led to a more compact and moister cookie.
Super easy and delicious! I added some slided almonds – so good!
These are great. Pulsed a few extra times and baked 19 min. Can these be stored so as to not lose their crispness?
Hi Howard! They will inevitably lose some crispness after the first day. Macaroons stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Hi, I sent an email asking about some things, and I received one saying that on the site you guys answer faster.
So, I baked these macaroons, and I’m trying to enter the challenge, but it won’t let me enter the photo from my photo library. What can I do ?
Hi Rebeka, We have tested adding photos from our library and it seems to be working just fine for us. Have you tried again? Or tried uploading it from a different location? Let us know if it’s still not working!
Thanks for answering. I uploaded the picture on another device and it worked.
I made these for the challenge but was unable to post under macaroons. They are posted under pull apart. Please tell me how to correct it.
Hi Camille! There is one place to enter Sally’s baking challenge with photos from either recipe. Nothing to correct!
First time making macaroons, followed the recipe exactly and wow are these ever pretty and delicious! My husband raved and my gluten/dairy free daughter in law will flip over these tomorrow! Just printed since this is a keeper!
Super easy and delicious!
This recipe is very simple, and tasty for those who like macaroons. I could have pulsed the coconut a bit longer, I think, and my oven might’ve been too hot.
Really enjoyed these! I had aquafaba from a chickpea can on hand and gave 1/2 a cup of that a try instead of the egg whites. The cookies spread a bit, but I wasn’t surprised since I used an egg substitute. The coconut, chocolate, and hint of almond extract are great together, and my family liked them too.
Delicious! I love this recipe, adding it to my family cookbook. I made the plain kind but with sprinkles to add color.
This was so good! New favorite recipe for coconut macaroons. I made the plain kind but with sprinkles. I also put 1/4 almond extract because that is not my favorite flavor.
These were super simple and very tasty! They made a perfect gift for a gluten free friend. I will keep this recipe in my back pocket for sure!
Macaroons were super easy to make and people liked them. But I thought they had a bit too much almond extract flavor. Next time I will cut the extract down to 1/4 tsp. I also will try baking the cookies until they are browner than the picture shows as I like a crispy crunch on the outside.
Recipe was straight forward. I made the Cranberry version. I can’t compare to anything as I never had a coconut macaroon like this. Only the Hispanic version which is very different. Everything turned out great. I personally just don’t like them so I wouldn’t remake. But at least I knocked something off my never made list.
My egg whites had a very small amount of yolk in them, is that why they didn’t fluff up? I beat the egg whites so much after adding cream of tartar and powdered sugar, but they just didn’t fluff up. So I just added the almond flour and powdered sugar to it anyway. Also, they didn’t get hardened, not even after 4-5 hours. I know it’s my fault that they turned out this way. Can you give me some tips? I LOVE your recipes, thank you so much!
Hi Saba, the egg yolks could be contributing, but you also don’t want to overwhip the whites. It should really only take about 1 minute. If you over-beat the eggs, you’ll end up with a stiff meringue-like mixture, and the baked macaroons will be very dry.