Coconut macaroons are one of my husband's favorite cookies. I've always been indifferent to them, but this version definitely has me changing my mind. Instead of the usual sweetened condensed milk and shredded coconut mixture, instead you use chewy coconut chips and an egg white/sugar mixture. It's a little bit more work (you have to gently cook the egg whites with the sugar), but for me it's well worth it. The edges get toasty and caramelized, while the insides are delightfully chewy.
It's become my go-to for using up spare egg whites that I have lying around my fridge. You can also add a bit of chocolate to the middle if you wish, but I love the unadulterated coconut flavor without it.
New Classic Macaroons
(Recipe from Food52 Genius Recipes)
- 4 large egg whites
- 3 1/2 cups (210 grams) unsweetened coconut chips
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Slightly rounded 1/4 tsp salt
- Combine all of the ingredients in a large heat-proof mixing bowl, preferably stainless steel. Set the bowl directly over a pot or wide skillet of barely simmering water. Stir the mixture with a silicone spatula, scraping the bottom to prevent burning, until the mixture is very hot to the touch and the egg whites have thickened slightly and turned from translucent to opaque, about 5-7 minutes. Set the batter aside for 30 minutes to let the coconut absorb more of the egg white mixture.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Using 2 tbsp of batter, make small heaps 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets. Bake for about 5 minutes, just until the coconut tips begin to color, rotating the two pans from top to bottom to ensure even baking.
- Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cookies are cream and gold with deeper brown edges, again rotating the pans from top to bottom midway through.
- Remove from oven and let cool completely before gently peeling from the parchment.
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