Coconut Macaroons

I had big plans for yesterday’s cookie endeavors. First, I’d whip up some Nut Lace Cookies, then move onto the Rainbow Cookies, and finish with the Macaroons. For a chilly Sunday afternoon, it seemed like a reasonable to-do list. Well, the day didn’t go exactly as planned. I always seem to forget how finicky those Nut Lace Cookies can be. The recipe is deceptively simple, but the execution is ridden with potential for frustration. After fighting with the Nut Lace Cookies, there was no way I was about to embark on the Rainbow Cookie adventure. Thankfully, the Macaroons are a cinch to make. So, I jumped straight to the stress-free Macaroons and finished up the day with some Dark Chocolate Holiday Bark and Chocolate-Covered Spiders.

I love adding macaroons to my holiday cookie collection each year. They’re quick and easy to make and I’m pretty sure that everyone loves them. For the past few years, I’ve been using a recipe from the cookbook, The Great Big Cookie Book by Hilaire Walden. My only adaptation is in using parchment paper instead of the original recipe’s suggested wax paper. I’ve had issues in the past with wax paper sticking to the bottoms of the macaroons. And there’s nothing I hate more than having to pick off tiny bits of wax paper from the bottoms of my cookies! Using parchment paper completely eliminated this issue.

I like to drizzle the tops of my macaroons with melted semi-sweet chocolate. A disposable pastry bag, fitted with a small, round pastry tip works well for this task, but a plastic freezer bag with a tiny bit of the corner cut off would do the trick too. In the past, I’ve dipped half of the macaroon directly in chocolate, but found that amount of chocolate to be overwhelming on the macaroons, even for a chocoholic like myself. Just a little drizzle of chocolate over the top adds the perfect finishing touch.

Chocolate-Drizzled Coconut Macaroons

Adapted from the Macaroons in The Great Big Cookie Book by Hilaire Walden

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 7 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
• 2 14-ounce cans sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Grease the paper with vegetable shortening. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the coconut. Add the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Stir until well combined. Drop rounded tablespoons of the mixture about an inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for about 20 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool.

Once cool, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave or over a double boiler. Carefully transfer the melted chocolate into a pastry bag fitted with a small, round pastry tip. Drizzle the chocolate over the macaroons. Refrigerate until the chocolate has set. Store in an airtight container.

Makes 6 dozen

As far as those Nut Lace Cookies go, I think I’m going to hold off on posting that recipe. I’ve got a couple ideas for simplifying the process that I’d like to try first. Stay tuned!

Also, coming up… Rainbow Cookies and Two Chocolately Treats – Dark Chocolate Holiday Bark and Chocolate-Covered Spiders!