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These Chocolate Coconut Macaroons are an easy dessert that takes 1-bowl and about 10 minutes to stir together. You can bake them for a crispy outside and tender inside, or simply freeze them for a no-bake treat!
Why You’ll Love Them
- They’re gluten-free & vegan. Perfect for those following a special diet!
- No baking required. I love these so much, I included a version in my first cookbook as a no-bake recipe. But, I also included a baked version here, in case you like crispy outsides, or want a cookie that can sit out at room temperature for hours. It’s perfect for parties!
- Naturally sweet. Maple syrup gives these bite-sized treats just the right amount of sweetness. Don’t forget to add the salt, which is crucial in any dessert recipe, if you ask me.
- You can make them tree-nut free. If you use coconut butter instead of almond butter, this recipe will have no added tree nuts. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, coconut is not a botanical nut, but the FDA classifies it as a tree nut to be on the safe side for allergies.
- They taste amazing. If you love the combination of chocolate + coconut, you’ll love these.
Ingredients You’ll Need
How do you make coconut macaroons from scratch? All you need is a few simple ingredients.
- Shredded unsweetened coconut
- Almond butter, or coconut butter
- Maple syrup
- Cacao powder
- Salt
That’s it! I like to use almond butter, because I usually have it on hand more often than coconut butter, but you can use any other all-natural nut or seed butter that you keep on hand.
How to Make Them
- Stir it together. I purposefully kept this recipe as easy as possible, so you don’t need any special equipment. Just add all the ingredients to a bowl and stir them together! I like to start with the wet ingredients, then add the shredded coconut last.
- Scoop. Use a tablespoon or 1-ounce cookie scoop to scoop the batter into mounds on a lined baking sheet.
- Bake. For a chocolate macaroon with crispy edges, bake for 15 minutes. Or, skip the baking process all together and place the pan in the freezer to set. The macaroons should be firm in 1 to 2 hours.
- Enjoy! This is the perfect bite-sized treat anytime you need a chocolate fix.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup almond butter (70 grams)
- 1/3 cup cacao powder (29 grams)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup (157 grams)
- 1/4 tsp sea salt (2 grams)
- 2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut (194 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF, if you plan on baking these, and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, stir together the almond butter, cacao powder, maple syrup, and salt.
- Add in the coconut and stir again, until all of the coconut is coated in the chocolate mixture.
- Use a tablespoon or 1-ounce cookie scoop to scoop the dough and drop it onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, making roughly 21 mounds. Use your hands to press any pieces into place, or shape the cookie how you like. They won't spread with baking or freezing.
- To bake the cookies, place them in the oven for 15 minutes. They will not feel firm to the touch at first, but they will firm up as they cool completely. For a no-bake cookie, simply place the pan in the freezer to set, about 1 to 2 hours. Transfer the frozen cookies to an airtight container and store in the freezer to protect their flavor.
- Serve the macaroons at room temperature if you baked them, or straight from the freezer as a no-bake dessert. The baked cookies will last at room temperature for up to 2 weeks (or longer in the fridge) or they will keep for up to 3 months frozen.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Update Note: This recipe has been modified from the original, which called for 1 cup pecans, 1/2 cup cacao powder, 1 cup shredded coconut, 2/3 cup coconut butter, 3/4 cup maple syrup, and 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. To make this original version, simply grind the pecans into a powder with a mini food processor, then stir everything together in a bowl. Scoop as directed above, and freeze for 2 hours to set.
If you try these Chocolate Coconut Macaroons, please leave a comment below letting me know how you like them. And if you make any modifications, I’d love to hear about those, too! We can all benefit from your experience.
Amazing!!! So good!
Yum! I was eating the dough before I got them to the pan! I used a little less maple syrup and they were fine. Did not bake them, it’s to hot today to even think of turning on my oven. I like the cold cookie idea for summer.
Fabulous!
These are delicious! Both my son and husband love them which is not an easy thing to achieve.
Delicious! I reduced the maple syrup to 1/2 cup and they are still plenty sweet
Hmm…I dont have any coconut butter so I’m wondering if there is anything I could possibly use instead…
any suggestions???
I made these last night and I definitely recommend them. They are VERY good. I would say that they are definitely on the sweet side…maybe verging on too sweet. I followed the directions exactly, using maple syrup as directed. HOWEVER, at the last second I threw in some PB2 powder that’s been sitting in the pantry for a while. I don’t know about the health value of that stuff, but the addition of peanut butter flavor was a good call (they taste very much like the beloved chocolate oatmeal no-bake cookies that my grandma used to make). I haven’t really used much of the PB2, so that might very well have contributed to the overly sweet flavor.
Basically, I think you should try the recipe but perhaps start with smaller amounts of maple syrup until you get the sweetness you prefer. It’s a winner of a recipe.
I don’t cook with agave nectar due to it’s fructose syrup qualities. What would you recommend as a substitute?
I’m glad you pointed out that it’s still called for in this recipe! (It’s an old one!) I use honey instead of agave nectar in all of my recipes now. 🙂
Is cocnut butter the same as oil?
No, coconut butter is thicker from the blended meat of the coconut. You can make it yourself by blending dried, unsweetened shredded coconut in a blender or food processor, or you can buy a jar of Artisana’s brand in your local health food store.