Last Modified: by Tara Gerner 51 Comments
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The best coconut macaroon recipe is soft and chewy on the inside and crisp and golden on the outside. These gluten-free and dairy-free cookies are low in sugar and simple, quick, and easy to make!
PinWe have been doing a lot of baking this holiday season, both gluten-free and regular. Our most recent creation was this coconut macaroon recipe which is a delightfully gluten-free treat.
I thought coconut macaroons usually had flour in them, but when Allie and I researched, we discovered that most do not. You can find coconut macaroon recipes with flour, but the bulk have none. We found a few different recipes and combined the best parts of each to make these coconut macaroons, and there is no flour in them whatsoever.
Allie and I love to cook together, and this was, of course, a fun experience. In fact, the recipe is so easy that she was able to do most of it all by herself, and she's only five! Even young children can make this recipe because there's nothing hot or dangerous in it, except that you have to bake the finished cookies. Kids can make this one with very minimal help.
What you'll need to make the best gluten-free macaroons
See printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for measurements and nutritional information.
- Largeegg whites - You will not use the egg yolks in this recipe. Save them for something else or throw them away.
- White sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Almond extract - This is optional, but I think it adds something really nice to the cookies.
- Shredded sweetened coconut
How to Make The Best Coconut Macaroons
- Preheat the oven to 350º.
- Prepare the baking sheet. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare the batter. Combine the egg whites (not whole eggs!), sugar, almond extract, and vanilla in a small bowl. Whip until thick and frothy. Fold the coconut into the egg white mixture and mix until it's well coated.
- Form the macaroons. Use a small cookie scoop or a pastry bag with a tip to measure out 1 heaping tablespoon of cookie dough for each macaroon. There should be approximately 15 cookies.
- Bake at 350º for 20 minutes. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
Can you dip these coconut cookies in chocolate?
Many coconut macaroons are dipped in melted dark chocolate, and you certainly could do that with these. They are firm enough to dip and hold together really well. We didn't dip ours because it was an extra step, and Allie was proud that she had done them all by herself.
To dip in chocolate, make a batch of chocolate ganache using chocolate bars or chocolate chips and dip the macaroons while the ganache is hot.See the recipe linked above. Spread the dipped macaroons on wax paper on a wire cooling rack so that the chocolate can harden.
Storing gluten-free coconut macaroons
I recommend storing these gluten-free cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. No need to keep them in the fridge. They will stay good for 3-5 days.
What's the difference between macaroons and macarons?
Macaroons (these) are little piles of coconut and egg white and typically have a chewy texture. Macarons are little sandwich cookies with filling in between two light, puffy layers. Macarons are also usually gluten-free but are very very different from the recipe below.
Check out these other delicious gluten-free desserts while you're here:
- Gluten Free Chocolate Cherry Cake - Easy Black Forest Cake
- Baked Gluten Free Glazed Donut Recipe with Almond Flour
- The Best Crustless Gluten-Free Pecan Pie Recipe
- Pecan Crust Cheesecake (Gluten-Free)
- Gluten-Free Hot Fudge Brownie Sundaes
- Flourless Chocolate Cake (Gluten-Free)
Recipe
The Best Coconut Macaroon Recipe | Quick & Easy Gluten-Free Cookies
The best coconut macaroon recipe is soft and chewy on the inside and crisp and golden on the outside. These gluten-free cookies are low in sugar and simple, quick, and easy to make!
4.69 from 127 votes
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Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Cooling time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Course Dessert, Gluten-free
Servings 15 cookies
Calories 88 kcal
Ingredients
- 2 large egg whites
- ⅓ cups white sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 ¼ cups shredded coconut Sweetened
- Chocolate ganache
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except coconut. Whip with a mixer until thick and frothy. Fold coconut into the egg white mixture. Mix until well-coated, being careful not to deflate the egg whites.
Use a small scoop to measure out 1 heaping tablespoon of the cookie mixture. Spoon out all 15 cookies onto the prepared baking sheet.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until the coconut is lightly toasted. Cool on the cookie sheet for 15 minutes.
Optional
Some people like to dip their coconut macaroons in melted chocolate. To do that, simply mix up a batch of chocolate ganache (see recipe linked in the ingredients above), and dip the room-temperature macaroons in the hot ganache. Wipe off any drips and then place on wax paper (parchment will work in a pinch) on a wire cooling rack until the chocolate is cooled and hard.
Notes
Nutritional information is for one cookie without chocolate ganache. See the ganache recipe for its nutritional details.
Nutrition
Calories: 88kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 43mg | Potassium: 53mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 1mg
Keyword coconut, cookies, gluten-free
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Tammy says
I finally found the perfect recipe for my egg whites. I loooove coconut macaroons but I was wondering if i would be able to freeze these as well? Thanks for the easy recipe.
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Tara Ziegmont says
I've never tried to freeze them. The best I can say is try a few and see how it goes!
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Jean says
I froze these, mainly to keep myself from eating all of them! Worked out just fine.Reply
Tara Ziegmont says
Thanks for letting me know!
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Chris Wood says
These macaroons were perfect. So simple and My family absolutely loves them. The baking temperature of 350° and 20 minutes is absolutely exact.Reply
Lisa says
I am going to make these for folks who cannot have any nut products. So I am substituting peppermint e tract for the almond.Reply
Tara Ziegmont says
Did you try it? I'm not sure how peppermint would taste. Maybe double the vanilla instead?
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Bonnie Knauss says
Use artificial almond flavor rather than pure extract. My grandchildren can't have nuts either so this is what I use in all products for them. The flavor will be the same but no nuts.Reply
judy a mitchell says
Wonderful receipe. So easy. Thank youReply
Jean says
I added a tsp of cardomom-delicious. Going to try this with chocolate chips
. This has become my go to recipe for a quick sweet.Reply
A.Lee says
I added cardamom after reviewing your review and they are fantastic! what a great touch of flavor. Thanks for sharing!Reply
Geraldine says
Egg whites can be frozen in a small zip bag.Reply
Donna says
Do you beat the egg whites first or just stir them together with the rest of the ingredients?
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Tara Ziegmont says
You can just stir them together.
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Ciney K says
Great recipe but there’s so much sugar going on. I cut the added sugar in half since the coconut is already sweetened. I then dipped the bottoms in dark chocolate once they cooled. Delicious!Reply
Tara Ziegmont says
Thanks for the tip! I'm glad to know that it will work with less sugar.
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April says
These are so wonderful.Reply
Brenda says
Can I use coconut flakes instead of sheedded coconut? That's what I have.Reply
Tara Ziegmont says
I've never tried coconut flakes, but I would be concerned about them being too big. Could you pulse them a few times in a food processor to make them smaller?
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Missy Jones says
I just watched them make Macaroons on “The Great British Baking Show” and Pru’s recipe called for coconut flakes. She had them pulse them in the food processor a few times, just enough to make them smaller but not to the point that they became mushy. They worked just fine that way.
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Bethdeitrick says
These were yummy and easy to make. I drizzled them with chocolate just because I can!Reply
Vivienne says
Hi these look amazing and so easy. However, the recipee states "Use a small scoop to measure out 1 heaping tablespoon of the cookie mixture." Do they then turn out like the photo or are the ones in the photo piped somehow?Reply
Tara Ziegmont says
Very astute! I use a scoop, and mine are rounded on top. My photographer used a piping bag for hers. I'm not that fancy, but you can try it! Just make sure you use a tip with a wide opening.
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Diane says
Wow! These are so easy and turned out perfect. This is a keeper, thx so muchReply
Carol says
Such an easy and very tasty recipe!! I used small scoop and this recipe made 12 cookies❤️Reply
Sylvia says
My macaroons spread out into a puddle, both batches. I don’t know what happened. Do you?
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Tara Ziegmont says
A puddle... hm. I've never heard of that happening. Did you use just egg whites or did you use whole eggs? I'm really not sure because there's nothing in the recipe that could melt like that.
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Peg says
What if you used unsweetened coconut?
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Tara Ziegmont says
The cookies would be less sweet but the recipe should still work.
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Tamara Sheldon says
Is there a way to get them to hold together better while shaping them?
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Tara Ziegmont says
I've never had that problem, but I would think maybe use a little less of the egg whites so there's less liquid. Or else, maybe use more coconut to bulk up and absorb the liquid.
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Judi says
These are the best coconut macaroons I have ever made!!
Highly recommend !!Reply
Chanda Sahi says
Can we use coconut sugar instead of sugar .
Can we use sweetener instead of sugar as I am diabetic
Thank youReply
Tara Ziegmont says
I've never tried the recipe with anything other than sugar, so I can't give you any guidance. If you try it, be sure to come back and let me know how it goes.
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RENEE says
Can’t believe how quick good and easy these are!Reply
Gwen says
I used unsweetened coconut and when cooled dipped each in a bit of melted chocolate. Yummy!
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Jordan says
I used sweetened coconut flakes and it worked just fine! I was wondering how long they last without freezing??
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Tara Gerner says
I'm not sure. I've kept them up the 3 days, but they always get eaten so fast at my house that I've never had them longer than that. I'd say maybe up to 5 days or so? But that's just a guess. They'll definitely keep longer if you store them in a ziploc bag in the fridge.
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Betty says
I baked them in a pampered chef donut hole pan.Reply
Jenna says
These were a hit when I made them! I ended up using flaked sweetened coconut since I couldn't find any shredded at the store. They still came out great texturally!Reply
Betty says
Can these be frozen?
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Tara Gerner says
I've never tried but I think it should be fine.
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Peggy says
Hi Tara. The Macaroons turned out great. My question is the measurements of the coconut. Do you pack in cup like brown sugar or loose? ThanksReply
Tara Gerner says
I pack it like brown sugar.
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Peggy says
Thanks for replying. I will do that next time, but my recipients said they were good....alas I didn't get one to test. Will try posting a pic next time too! ThanksReply
Tara Gerner says
If you liked them the way you did them, I wouldn't change how you did it!
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Tahnae says
Turned out great! I was hesitant because the mixture didn’t smell great… thanks to the almond extract. Once cooked, was delicious! Sweet, coconutty, chewy….exactly how I like them! I’ll hold on to this recipe
ThanksReply
Mary Hisco*ck says
Do you beat the egg whites until fluffy like meringue?
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Tara Gerner says
I do, yes.
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Frannie says
The recipe calls for vanilla bean paste. Can you use vanilla extract?
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Tara Gerner says
Yes, you can. Use an equal amount.
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