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Coconut Macaroons are naturally sweetened with maple syrup, with no eggs or flour required. They are crispy on the outside and have a chewy texture you’ll love.
If you’ve tried my Chocolate Coconut Macaroons, this version is very similar in concept, only without the chocolate. Bake them for a crispy outside and tender inside (highly recommended) or you can freeze the batter for an even faster, no-bake treat.
This dessert recipe is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan-friendly, in case you’re cooking for someone with special dietary needs. But everyone will love them!
Ingredients You’ll Need
You may be relieved to hear you won’t have to beat egg whites into stiff peaks with an electric mixer to make this coconut macaroon recipe. Instead, it gets its structure from a combination of coconut butter, shredded coconut, and maple syrup, which you can stir together all in one bowl.
Keep in mind that coconut butter will solidify at room temperature if your home is cooler than 78ºF. Place the jar in a bowl of very hot water to melt it before measuring, or stir it in the bowl of a double boiler to make it runny in texture again.
Drizzle these bite-sized cookies with dark chocolate for an extra delicious treat!
Need a nut-free recipe? Feel free to omit the almond extract. I love the extra layer of flavor it adds, but these are still delicious without it.
How to Make Coconut Macaroons
In a large bowl, combine the coconut butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt.
If your coconut butter has solidified, be sure to melt it first for easier measuring and mixing.
Once the wet ingredients have been mixed, fold in the shredded coconut and stir until the mixture looks uniform.
Use a 1-ounce cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop the coconut mixture, and tightly pack it into the spoon so the macaroons will stick together.
Drop the mounds onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and use your fingers to shape them, as needed.
Bake the macaroons at 350ºF for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the bottom of the cookies look golden brown.
I usually pull mine out of the oven right at the 15-minute mark knowing that they won’t feel firm or crispy to the touch right away.
These cookies need to cool completely to firm up, so be patient. Once the coconut macaroons are cool, you can enjoy them right away.
For an extra-decadent treat, drizzle them with melted dark chocolate. Or, dip the bottom of the cookies in melted chocolate and let them cool on the parchment-lined baking sheets again until the chocolate is firm.
Leftover macaroons can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
French macarons are sandwich-like cookies filled with buttercream or jam, while a macaroon usually refers to a drop cookie made from shredded coconut.
I typically melt chocolate chips in a double boiler, which you can create by adding an inch of water to a small pot. Bring that water to a boil and arrange a heat-safe bowl over the top, completely covering the opening of the pot. The steam from below will gently melt the chocolate inside the top bowl. Alternatively, you can use a microwave to melt the chocolate in 30-second intervals until it’s smooth.
Looking for more coconut flavor? Try Coconut Flour Brownies, Coconut Flour Cake, or homemade sweetened condensed coconut milk.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup coconut butter
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
- ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips , melted (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. If your coconut butter isn't runny in texture, be sure to melt it before getting started. (I use a double boiler to do this, but you can use any other method you like to warm it up.)
- Measure the coconut butter after it has been melted, and add it to a mixing bowl, along with the maple syrup, vanilla, almond extract, and salt. Stir well.
- Add in the shredded coconut, and mix again, until the batter looks uniform.
- Use a tablespoon or 1-ounce cookie scoop to scoop the dough, and tightly pack each spoonful so the macaroons will hold their shape. Drop the mounds onto the lined baking sheet, and shape them with your fingers if you find any pieces are falling apart.
- Bake at 350ºF for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the bottoms of the macaroons are looking golden brown. They will NOT feel firm to the touch at this point, so don't be alarmed if they feel soft. They will firm up as they cool, so be sure to let them cool completely on the pan.
- Once the macaroons are cool, they are ready to serve. For an extra-decadent treat, drizzle them with melted dark chocolate, or dip the bottom of the cookies in the chocolate. Let the chocolate cool completely before serving. These macaroons will keep well at room temperature for up to 5 days, but they will start to soften after 24 to 48 hours. Keep them chilled in the fridge for the longest shelf life, and firmest texture. They will keep well in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
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Notes
Nutrition
If you try these coconut macaroons, please leave a comment below letting me know what you think! And if you make any modifications, I’d love to hear about those, too.
These are SO GOOD. They remind me of the Girl Scout Samoa cookies, but better! I feel like coconut can be a very overwhelming flavor. But your recipe does such an amazing job of evening out the flavor with the vanilla and almond extract. I don’t feel so guilty when I keep eating them. They’re addicting!
What a great recipe. Original is excellent and we have had much fun modifying to our liking. Whether lemon zest/juice (sans almond extract) or original recipe with 1 heaping tbls of 100% organic cocoa. SooOooo GoooOoooD. At the moment we have a batch going with a heaping scoup of fresh garden pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger, and fresh grated nutmeg (sans Almond extract). I just short the maple syrup a bit and replace with pumpkin puree. Have also shorted maple syrup for creamed honey. Somebody STOP ME.
The new version was really dry and not edible for me so I’m going to try the original.
Followed instructions as is and they are delicious! Next time will use dehydrator and a tad less almond extract. I really live this recipe.
Do we have to put almond extract or can we use something else instead
You can use any flavoring you like!
Followed the recipe to the inth degree–the maple syrup ran out of the cookies. Not a good recipe.
The recipe is perfect! Can’t believe no egg needed!!
Not sure what I did wrong, but they all joined up when baked and are so incredibly hard when cooled that they almost break your teeth. Still taste yummy though.
First time trying macaroons and these turned out perfectly!!! Absolutely recommend.