Chocolate Coconut Macaroons with Chocolate Glaze

Servings: 6–8
Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Macaroons:

• 2 cups finely shredded coconut, unsweetened
• 1/2 cup cacao powder
• 1/4 cup almond flour*
• pinch of sea salt
• 3/4 cup coconut milk, full fat and unsweetened**
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup

Glaze:

• 3 tablespoons raw cacao butter, chopped
• 2 tablespoons cacao powder
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  
• 1 tablespoon raw honey
  

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a mixing bowl, sift together all dry macaroon ingredients, removing any clumps.

Add coconut milk and syrup, stirring till a thick batter forms.

Firmly pack coconut batter into a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop by scooping and dragging along the sides of bowl. Drop onto baking sheet.

Bake for 40 minutes.

Transfer to a cooling rack to allow macaroons to harden.

Glaze:

Heat one cup water in a small saucepan. Place cacao butter in a heatproof bowl and melt over simmering water. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining ingredients.

Allow the chocolate glaze to briefly cool and thicken; however, do not allow glaze to harden.

Dip macaroons in chocolate and place on frozen cookie sheet. This will quickly harden the glaze. Allow the macaroons and glaze to set before serving.

Chill macaroons in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Macaroons are best served chilled.

*You can grind your own almond flour by placing whole almonds in a blender/food processor and blending until you get a fine meal.

**For the freshest coconut milk, make homemade coconut milk. (See video at this link.)

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Vanilla Bean Coconut Macaroons (Egg and Nut-Free)

Servings: 20
Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups unsweetened coconut
• 1/4 cup Virgin Coconut Oil, melted
• 2 tablespoons full-fat coconut milk cream (cream at top of refrigerated milk)*
• 1/4–1/2 cup granulated sweetener*
• 3/4 teaspoon gelatin
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla beans (1–2 beans)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until a dough forms.

With a small cookie scoop, form macaroons and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. You could also roll into balls and slightly press them down on cookie sheet.

Bake in preheated oven for about 8 minutes or until very slightly brown.

Let cookies cool to set up. They will fall apart when warm. These can be stored at room temperature. For a harder cookie, store in the refrigerator.

Quick notes:

*For the freshest coconut milk, make homemade coconut milk. (See video at this link.)

**I have not tried this with a liquid sweetener. You would need to reduce the amount to 1/4 cup or less, and it may make the dough too runny. If that happens, just add more coconut until the dough is thick enough to form into balls.

Recipe and photo submitted by Kate, Highlands Ranch, CO.

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Gluten-Free Pumpkin Coconut Macaroon Cookies

Servings: 2 dozen
Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 6 egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup whole sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 cups shredded coconut

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Using a very clean bowl, whisk egg whites and salt until they have stiff peaks. Continue to whisk and slowly add arrowroot powder.

In a separate bowl, mix pumpkin puree, vanilla, whole sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg together until combined. Mix in shredded coconut.

Fold egg white mixture in with pumpkin mixture. Be sure not to overmix.

Use a tablespoon to scoop cookie dough onto a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. You will have enough dough to cover two cookie sheets.

Bake for 30 minutes. Make sure to rotate cookie trays halfway through cooking.

To crisp the cookies, you can lower the oven temperature to 200 degrees. Leave cooked cookies in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour.

Serve immediately or store cookies in airtight container in the refrigerator.

Recipe and photo submitted by Tiffany, Junction City, OR.

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