Chocolate Chip Macaroons

What is the difference between a macaron and a macaroon?

A macaron is a French pastry that has two meringue cookies with jam, cream, or ganache filling in between making a colorful cookie sandwich.

A macaroon is a cookie made with shredded coconut and held together with either a sugar-egg mixture or sweetened condensed milk. Macaroons can be plain or have add-ins such as chocolate chips, nuts, or bits of fruit.

Why You'll Love This Chocolate Chip Coconut Macaroon Recipe

You'll adore these coconut chocolate chip macaroons and want to make them every year for Christmas. And if you are a lover of Mounds candy bars, these coconut macaroons with chocolate chips are the cookies for you!

I make these chocolate dipped macaroons all year long but they're just so good I have to add them to my list of Christmas cookies every year. They're my gluten-free addition to cookie tins that include holiday favorites like White Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Cookies, Turtle Cheesecake Cookies, and Eggnog Cookies.

Recipe Ingredients

• Egg White
• Sweetened Coconut Flakes
• White Granulated Sugar
• Vanilla Extract
• Salt
• Mini Chocolate Chips
• Dark Chocolate Bar

How to Make Chocolate Dipped Macaroons

1. Place coconut, sugar, salt, and mini chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Add vanilla extract.
2. Mix well.
3. Add one egg white to a mixing bowl.
4. Beat egg white until soft peaks form.
5. Add beaten egg white to the coconut mixture
6. Fold in until all coconut is moistened.

7. Make 12 small balls by rolling the mixture with slightly damp hands. Place the balls on a cookie sheet about 1" apart.
8. Bake for 15 minutes or until the tops are light brown. Cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Melt the chocolate bar in a microwave-safe dish in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until completely smooth. Prepare a cookie sheet covered with waxed paper, silicone mat or parchment paper.
10. Dip the bottoms of cooled macaroons in chocolate and place them on the prepared cookie sheet until the chocolate is set.

Beautifully browned, the crispy exterior of this chocolate chip macaroon belies the soft chewy coconut inside. What meets your tastebuds is a burst of sweetened coconut complemented by the rich, slightly bitter flavor of dark chocolate. It's like a little bite of heaven. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips

• Be sure to line the baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper to prevent them from sticking.
• Slightly wet your hands or wear nitrile or latex gloves when rolling the balls to keep the batter from sticking to your hands.
• When rolling the cookie batter into balls, firmly press and roll them tightly to help prevent them from spreading out while baking.
• If the batter is overly sticky, put it in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
• Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk works best for this recipe. Generic brand condensed milk doesn’t have the same results.
• Instead of making balls, you can use a mini muffin pan. Use mini muffin cup liners or generously spray the cups with non-stick spray.
• Make sure to really let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling. The macaroons will fall apart if they are moved off the baking sheet immediately after removing them from the oven.
• Use a cookie scoop to ensure the macaroons are all the same size and help to make the forming easier.

Tips for Whipping Egg Whites

• Use a hand or stand mixer. Whipping by hand will be very labor-intensive and time-consuming.
• Make sure the bowl and beater are completely clean.
• Use room temperature egg white.
• Separate your egg carefully and make sure you do not have any of the yolk in the white. Just a tiny amount will prevent the white from whipping.
• Beat your egg whites at medium-high speed until soft peaks form.

Soft Peaks vs Stiff Peaks

What is the difference between soft and stiff peaks? It's how the beaten egg whites hold their shape.

Soft Peaks: Your egg whites form a peak that begins to droop to one side when the beaters or whisk is turned on its side.

Stiff Peaks: Your egg whites form a stiff peak that holds its shape and does not droop when the beaters or whisk is turned on its side.

How to Store and Freeze Coconut Macaroons

Store macaroons in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature or 10 days in the refrigerator.

Freeze macaroons for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container with parchment or wax paper between the layers. Thaw them in the fridge or at room temperature.

More Easy Cookie Recipes

• Thumbprint Cookies
• Flourless Chocolate Cookies
• Pecan Sandies
• Cereal Cookies
• Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies

Find lots of easy recipes for Christmas cookies and treats on 2CM!