Coconut Macaroons
I make these gluten-free coconut macaroons all year round; when I retested it today, my younger son ate an entire baking sheet of these yummy little cookies!
Later than usual this year, my favorite spring holiday falls on April 19th, just over 3 weeks away. I especially enjoy the food traditions surrounding this holiday; during the next couple of weeks I will be posting all of my favorite Passover recipes.
These gluten free coconut macaroons are an ideal Pesach dessert because they are made with egg whites and do not contain chametz, or leavened grain products. According to my 9 year old son, who is studying the Torah in school, we refrain from eating chametz because, "when leaving Egypt the Jews did not even have enough time to let the bread rise."
Ironically, after a bit of historical research, I found that macaroons are actually a Christian food. According to mirabilis.ca, "macaroons originated in an Italian monastery around 1792. The name comes from the Italian word for paste, maccarone, which refers to almond paste. Macaroni means flour paste."
6 egg whites
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
½ cup agave nectar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
- In a mixing bowl whisk egg whites and salt until stiff
- Fold in agave, vanilla and coconut
- Drop batter onto a parchment lined baking sheet, one rounded tablespoonful at a time
- Pinch each macaroon at the top (like a kiss)
- Bake at
325350°* for 10-15 minutes, until lightly browned - Serve
Stay tuned for more delicious organic, gluten-free Passover dishes and desserts!
* Please note, I edited this recipe on 3/28/08, modifying the baking temperature; the macaroons are more moist when baked at a higher temp for one or two minutes less.
Posted on March 27, 2008 in desserts by Elana
other entries you may like: Gluten Free Twinkies
or Sesame Cookies
or Coconut Cupcakes with Key Lime Icing
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Before you leave a comment...
"Check out Elana's FAQ page for info on substitutions -- there are just too many possibilities so she can't answer all of these : ) But the Forums are an excellent resource and I highly recommend posting your substitution questions there; everyone is friendly and helpful." -Katie
These look great. It's so interesting to see different baker's coconut:egg:sweetener ratios (yours seems to use the least agave per coconut). How do you store these and how long do they last (assuming they are not eaten)? Thanks, Elana!
I found your blog via Tastespotting - your macaroons look amazing! I grew up my whole life thinking I hated macaroons b/c I'd only ever tried the boxed Manischewitz kind.
Then one year my friend gave me this amazing, chocolate-dipped coconut cookie thing...and told me it was a macaroon AFTER I tried it. I'm so glad she did - they're delicious.
Leah
The Jew & The Carrot
http://www.jcarrot.org
Hi Elana, Looks wonderful!
I've also been "fishin" for my own pessah treats..
I think I will try these..!
I love coconut anything!!!!! I have made coconut macaroons before but never with agave nectar.
Your macaroons look really good!
I love coconut macaroons! I tried making them once and they turned out a total disaster. Just goes to show how horrid I am at baking. Your recipe looks simple enough to convince me to try again, maybe I will even goa step further and dip them in warm chocolate. :)
~M -I haven't had these last more than a day, my younger son literally eats them almost as fast as they come out of the oven --by the tray full. If I did need to store them, I would probably pile them into a pyrex glass dish with lid and leave them out at room temp.; I would guestimate that they keep for 4-5 days.
Leah -I have been meaning to dip these macaroons in chocolate, however, don't have any left for dipping (they're all eaten) by the time I get around to it. These go fast in my house.
Y'ara -Thanks for stopping by; I enjoy getting your comments, makes me feel more connected to the homeland. I so miss Jerusalem!
Maya -If you do make these macaroons with agave nectar, let me know how they turn out.
Kevin -Thanks for visiting. The pictures on your blog are absolutely mouth watering!
Meena -Let me know how it goes with the macaroons; I know you can do it!!!
Very nice recipe, I always wanted to try making them ;) Thank you for sharing. Margot
Margot -You're welcome! If you do make them let me know how they turn out for you.
These were SO GOOD, and so quick and easy.
I made an "experiment batch", with plain ones, milk chocolate covered, and dark chocolate covered ones. I also made some with chopped walnuts. They were all fantastic! Thank you for this recipe!
Michelle,
Thanks for stopping by! I love the creative license you have taken with this recipe --what fantastic ideas. Thanks for sharing them with us all over here.
Elana
can you use unsweetened coconut? will you have to add more agave?
thx!
Diane,
The shredded coconut I use for this and all my recipes is unsweetened.
Elana
Do you have a suggestion for what I can do with the egg yolks that are left after making this? I hate to throw them out, but I have no idea what to do with them. Thanks
Christin,
With left over egg yolks you can make a lemon curd to make lemon tarts. :)
For grain-free lemon tarts:
Tart shells-
2 cups almond meal
1/2 tsp baking soda (if you prefer the crust thin, omit this)
pinch salt
30g butter diced
2 tbs agave or honey
Lemon filling-
6 egg yolks
1/3 cup agave or honey
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup butter
1 tbs grated lemon rind
Crust -
Combine almond meal with salt, baking soda, butter and honey/agave and knead to a dough. Form dough into a flat disk and refrigerate for 30 mins. Then take dough and roll out to about 5 mm between two sheets of baking paper. Cut out rounds and mould them into greased aluminium tart moulds (or normal muffin tins). Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes at 150 degrees Celius or until a little brown. Let cool.
Filling-
Over a double boiler, whisk the egg yolks and honey together until well combined. Turn down the heat to a simmer. Add one chunk of butter at a time, stiring constantly, add the next chunk when the butter has melted. Continue until all butter is used up. Add the lemon juice and rind and keep whisking for about 10 minutes, or until thickened.(I added a tiny amount of guar gum to help it thicken) Remove from the heat and let cool to room temerature. Once cool, fill the tart shells and place in the fridge to set. Store in the fridge in a covered container.
I hope this helps!
The recipe is from 'Cooking for Celiacs, Colitis and Crohn's and IBS' : http://www.ccccibs.com/
I made these the other day, and they taste fantastic!
christin,
I would recommend making some type of lemon custard with the leftover yolks.
Elana
[...] Free Coconut Macaroons We love the modifications to this Gluten Free Coconut Macaroons Recipe from Elana’s Pantry. It’s sure to be a hit at every party on the holiday [...]
These were a big hit! Even with my picking husband. Thanks Elana
christin,
Thanks for the report and glad you all enjoyed them!
Elana
I love these! Gorgeous snowwhite beauties!
I finally managed to take some pics of the result (allthough while I fetched my camera, half of the plate was 'verschwunden'... But now I cannot get the pics to upload here (I work on a mac). If anyone has tips on how to do that, please let me know! Thanks so much again Elana, sory that you still need to use your imagination. They look (or better, looked) like the Alps on a summer day. Delightful!
xox Christianne
Christianne,
I love receiving your comments and feel like I know you from the wonderful descriptiveness and emotion contained in them.
I'll look forward to viewing your photos when you get 'em up to the Mac. BTW, I am starting an elana's pantry flickr group for people who make the recipes on this site and take pictures, so your timing is perfect :-)
xo Elana
Elana,
I was excited to stumble upon your "Pantry". I have tried numerous gluten free, sugar free macaroon recipes. I really like the taste of yours. However, I have a huge problem. They fall apart when I try to remove them. Why? Did I do something wrong that I am unaware of? Some of the others I have tried hold together much better but are not as tasty. Thanks!
Joanne
Joanne,
I haven't had this happen and I've made them several times. From what you're describing it sounds like you don't have enough wet ingredients in the recipe. Next time you make it you could try using large or extra large eggs and I bet it will work. Please let me know how it goes :-)
Elana
Elana,
Hello! I just made this recipe tonight! They are yummy but I have a couple questions. My cookies ended up with puddles of agave/egg mixture around them at the bottom. I followed the recipe and got the eggs stiff but when I added the agave and coconut the egg whites just kind of melted. I am not sure if I didn't beat the eggs enough. I see that some recipes use something acidic but you didn't so I know I shouldn't have to. They were yummy but I want them to look good too. Any suggestions.
Thank you again for another yummy recipe! I am always excited to see that you have posted something new!
I tried these and they tasted great but when I put the ingredients together I had agave puddles. what did I do wrong?
I end up using more coconut than required to prevent the macaroons from having a "ring" around them.
First batch of macaroons are in the oven. I want to make the next batch chocolate flavored. How much raw cacao powder would you add?
Thanks!
I have been looking at your site for a few months now. All your pictures are wonderful, as they make me want to try every one of your recipes!!!
I have recommended your website to friends of mine.
Today I made the coconut macaroons. Unfortunately, I had problems having the mixture hold together. I'm thinking that perhaps my egg whites weren't stiff enough as I whisked them by hand or I stirred too much after adding the coconut. Also, the eggs were quite large. Anyway, I baked a few and of course they were delicious! Still a bit too crumbly, but no matter. I solved the problem, by adding a whole egg(that's probably some sort of crime in the macaroon world) to help them hold together along with some cranberries(for extra yum). Still delicious! I can't wait to make more of your recipes. Thanks, Elana!
Hi Guys :-) anytime I get a comment where it seems as though there is an issue with a recipe I make sure to retest. Accordingly, I just retested these macaroons yesterday and they came out perfectly, so I'm not able to pinpoint what the problem could be. In terms of the puddles, I would recommend using large, rather than extra-large eggs and being careful when measuring your ingredients. Also, be sure to whip your egg whites to stiff peaks. Hope this helps and that you have macaroon success!
I had "puddle problems" too... (We ate the crumblies!) I got the egg whites "firm" by blending them with an electric hand blender. I blended them for a good ten minutes. The mix stayed stiff until I mixed the coconut. I'm thinking I either stirred the batter for too long or didnt put enough coconut. So I added some almond flour and the macaroons baked into "solid kisses", but lost some of the sweet flavor. I'll double check my measurements next time!
Should I put the egg whites in my Vita-mix to get them super stiff??
How long am I supposed to blend- according to what blending device?
TY!
I made them and drizzled dark chocolate over the top and everybody loved them! Very easy and came out perfect!
I made them with sweetened coconut and dipped some in chocolate. They came out great but had the rings on the bottom.
They were a big hit. My mother and nephew are both on gluten free diets so it was great as non passover dessert. My mother in law told me the trick to bringing the eggs to a stiff merengue is putting the beaters in the fridge until very cold and keeping them in the middle when beating the eggs. I sent this site to my mom and sister and they rave about all the recipes. Even though I am not gluten free, I do not eat white bread or pasta, but I will try the flourless chocolate banana cake and other recipes.
[...] was browsing through Elanas Pantry for some recipes to try and I stumbled across a Gluten Free Coconut Macaroon recipe. If I’m just baking for kicks I look for fewer number of ingredients (less work/clean [...]
Really good! version of gluten free "Besitos de Coco" how we call those in Puerto Rico. In english "Coconut Kisses". I love your site. My husband eliminating wheat lose a lot of weight. Elana! Thanks for share that recipe with us!
I just finished making these for the first time---DELICIOUS....!!! I had no problems with puddles, but I did notice when I portioned them all out on the baking sheets, the ones that had to wait to go in oven for second batch started to puddle......first batch didn't........
thanks Elana... now I'm off to make the flourless choc. banana cake.......
I adore macaroons and there's a pile of recipes for them. I'm so glad that they can be a delicious part of our gluten-free regimen. This is a great recipe and I make it for many occasions. I'm just making a batch today for a 65th birthday/retirement party. Everyone enjoys them. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes that have transformed my kitchen and my healthy approach to a gluten free diet, Elana.
Delicious!!! I've tried many agave coconut macaroon recipes and all have crumbled to pieces before making it into my mouth. I thought I'd give it a last try. I think the large number of egg whites here is key. I added 1/2 cup of ground almonds to make them a bit "cakier", just for fun and flavour. I brushed my baking sheet with pure coconut oil and they're simply DECADENT and delicious. A great snack. I could eat the whole sheet myself!
I just tried making these for my son's holiday party. They were
so quick and simple to make and turned out absolutely
delicious. I did substitute the agave with honey, since we are
on SCD. I baked them for 15 minutes and they were
perfectly moist.
I'm sure they will be requested over and over again
by my three little ones. Thank you for another great recipe,
Elana!
I'm thinking of making these for Christmas. About how many does the batch make/serve?
I am cooking for someone who is diabetic and gluten intolerant. I was wondering if I could substitute stevia for agave in your recipes? I would really like to bake several of your recipes. I am most interested in your macaroons today. :) Thank you for getting back to me!
Not sure if that would work as agave and stevia are very different in consistency, taste, etc.
You could pose question this over at the forums...
About how many does this make?
I love the idea of macaroons, as I love coconut but hate the idea of adding sugar. I just tried the recipe, and the cookies didn't set up. I'm wondering, do you think the egg whites need to be at room temp, and also, perhaps I didn't beat them long enough? I would love to try them again.
[...] ethereal classic meringue-based French Macaron (NOT to be confused with the coconut-based Macaroons so common this time of [...]
Do you know the nutritional facts per cookie?
they are AWESOME...CAME OUT PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE YOUR WEBSITE!!!!
I'm on a candida-free diet and cannot use agave nectar. Could I substitute xylitol or stevia instead and have them turn out as good? If so, how much stevia would I use? I assume I would do an equal amount of xylitol?
I just made these for Easter tomorrow and they are truly awesome!! Thanks for posting this recipe. The only alteration I did was drizzled some chocolate over them, yummmm
[...] neither in the house I had to make some modifications. I used two different recipes–one from Elana’s Pantry and another from Spark Recipes–and tweaked them accordingly. The reason I went with two [...]
I made the coconut macaroons but could not get the Agave Nectar to stay mixed in the batter from the first to last cookie on the cookie sheet. What did I do wrong and how can I fix it? The flavor is great and I had a very nice comment on them. Thanks for your help.
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just made these (and the lemon tartelettes in a comment above to use the yolks) with honey instead of agave and they were wonderful. beautiful and moist and not too sweet. thank you!
[...] afternoon, I got the baking itch, so I thought I’d make some coconut macaroons. I used this recipe from Elana’s Pantry – I only had enough ingredients for half of the recipe. [...]
I love macaroons and keep them on hand all the time. A suggestion:
I add nuts (almonds, walnuts, peanuts or just your favorite)for protein balance and a great addition to the macaroons!
Hope Thomas
I am attempting this recipe and wondering if the unsweetened shredded coconut that you are using for this is fresh or dessicated?
Thank you for this recipe! Sooo.... delicious. The first time I made them I used packaged egg whites which (as the box clearly says) don't stiffen the same way due to the processing. They pooled a little more but were still amazing. Just remade them using egg whites and even better. This time was able to form the "kiss". :) Wonderful recipe that I don't think could be improved upon, and it doesn't get any easier (or healthier). Thank you!
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