Grain Free Coconut Macaroons

Coconut macaroons are one of my favourite cookies. There was a stand at our local Farmers market that sold some lovely ones, 8 to a tray, that I used to pick up every so often when the boys and I would walk there on Saturday mornings. It was always a challenge to get them home intact! I tried many recipes, trying to recreate that delicious mixture of coconut and chocolate. Some were close,(like this one from my old blog in 2009!) but not close enough to end the search. A few years later I found this version from David Lebovitz. It was amazingly close, and got rave reviews whenever I made them. Alas, ingredient wise, because they contained wheat flour, they left my cookie repertoire, but were not forgotten.  It took some tries, (and multiple failures) to re-create it without the wheat, but I finally succeeded! (I even presented a healthier version of this in a cooking class using coconut sugar that was lovely, but this original version still stands as my favourite.) I am surprised that I haven’t posted this before now, as I have been making this version for quite a while! (posting teaser pictures on my Facebook page reminds me of what I have not shared!) That being said, there aren’t a lot of technique pictures with this post. If anyone feels they would help out the recipe, add a request in the comments, and the next time I whip up a batch I will update the recipe with some new pics! 

The two step cooking process is integral to the recipe, and comes directly from the recipe on David Lebovitz’s blog. It definitely makes the cookie and this step cannot be skipped!!

One last thing: the creamed coconut should not be confused or substituted with "coconut cream" which is a completely different thing! My favourite one is from Edward and Sons and comes in a green box (we sell it at Goodness Me, in-store, but not online yet) Coconut butter is very similar and can be substituted in a pinch. 

Grain Free Coconut Macaroons

3 egg whites

1 whole egg

¾ cup organic cane sugar

½ tsp sea salt

2 ½ cups unsweetened shredded coconut (Organic Traditions is the bees knees! )

2 Tbsp arrowroot flour

3 Tbsp almond flour

1/3 cup creamed coconut (or sub. coconut butter, this works well too!)

2 Tbsp honey

Mix all ingredients together in a large heavy bottomed frying pan. (Do not turn on heat yet! Mix well first or your eggs will scramble instead of blending in!!) Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a flat wooden spatula until the mixture starts to stick to the bottom of the pan and the sugars start to caramelize. Remove from heat, scrape into a bowl and chill until easily handle-able.

If you are in a hurry when chilling the
dough, spread it out thinly in a bowl in
the fridge, it will cool in 1/2 the time!

Preheat oven to 350F

Shape in to 1 tbsp sized cookies, and place on a parchment lined pan about an inch apart. ( I use my 1 tbsp Cuisinart measuring spoon as a scoop, because it makes a nice rounded cookie shape. I dip it in water between each scoop and they release well with a firm tap on the cookie sheet.)

Bake for 17-18 minutes or until macaroons start to just nicely brown around the edges. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.

If desired: Melt 1 ½ cups chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl over simmering water (water should not touch the bottom of the bowl!)  and dip macaroons in chocolate. Chill until chocolate is set.

Keep leftovers in refrigerator, if you have any!