Coconut macaroons were always something that I enjoyed during the holidays. They are simple Christmas cookies that are sweet and crunchy punched with the tropical flavors of coconut.
You guys know me, I am the queen of simple recipes for coconut macaroons and any other dish for that matter.
I try to share recipes that are as simple as possible, but taste like you spent all day in the kitchen! These cookies are no exception.
This recipe is grown up take on that childhood favorite.
It has Amaretto, dark chocolate, and my super secret weapon Rodelle Vanilla bean paste! Don’t let the vanilla bean paste scare you. It was the easiest thing on the planet to use!
Honestly being a budding cook myself, I had never even heard of vanilla bean paste. It sounded like some exclusive gourmet cooking ingredient that would never help me out.
Trust me when I say this, I don’t know how I lived with out it. There is SO much you can do with it, and it worked as a great binding agent and flavor in these sweet Christmas cookies.
One lesson I will share with you is it’s a must to grease your pan for these cookies. My first batch, there may or may not have been some chiseling to get the first round off the cookie sheet. They still tasted amazing, but it was more of a pile of crunchy coconut yumminess than actually shaped macaroons. That’s why I am bound and determined to get a Silpat mat. It’s this cool thing that Chrissy has that you put on top of your cookie sheet even in the oven. The cookies come right off! It’s magical!
The other trick is to shape them by hand. We tested out one batch using a cookie scoop and the other we shaped by hand. The ones that I shaped by hand just looked prettier and seemed to stay together a little better. It’s a messy job, but someone has to do it, right?! The kids and I had fun making these but our fingers were a we bit sticky during the process.
Once we shaped all our cookies up, and finished chiseling the first batch off the pan, we popped these bad boys in the oven. They turned out amazingly. We decided to make another batch to box up to share in our Christmas cookie exchange. Plus we whipped up more of the other cookie recipes we’ve shared. Check them out before heading the recipe. They are all amazingly delicious and EASY!
Kahlua Marshmallow Fudge
Drunken Snickerdoodle Cookies
Bailey’s Butterscotch Cookies of Awesomness
Dark Chocolate Amaretto Macaroons
These fun twist on the classic coconut macaroons are a fun little treat for the holidays.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 25
- Category: Desserts
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Sweetened Coconut
- 1 14 oz. Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 T Rodelle Vanilla Bean Paste
- 2 T Amaretto
- 2 egg whites
- 1/8 t Salt
- 1 Cup of Dark Chocolate Melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients (except the chocolate) until combined.
- Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the mixture, and use your hands to shape into a tight ball.
- Place on a greased cookie sheet, and bake for 10-15 or until the tops are slightly golden brown.
- Remove from the cookie sheet and allow to cool.
- In a candy decorating bottle, place the melted chocolate and drizzle over the top as garnish.
You will also love learning how to Make Your Own Chocolate Truffles!
If you loved this recipe, make sure to check out these other great Christmas cookies!
Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Cookies
Easy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookie
Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Vanilla Cranberry Chocolate Chip Truffles
Miz Helen says
Your Coconut Macaroons look amazing! Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a very special Christmas week!
Miz Helen
★★★★★
Scarlet says
Oh my goodness. These macaroons look so good. I am going to make these for sure. Plus, I am sharing on stumbleupon, yum, pinterest and twitter:)