Simple, elegant and dairy-free, coconut macaroons make the perfect dessert for your Hanukkah celebration.
Western New York shoppers can find the ingredients for coconut macaroons at these local merchants:
- Lexington Co-op (807 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo 886-COOP)
- Budwey's Markets (3 locations in WNY; visit website for location nearest you)
- Tops Markets (visit website for location nearest you)
- Wegmans (visit website for location nearest you)
If you decide to dip your Hanukkah macaroons in melted chocolate, use Ghiardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips. Ghiardelli uses cocoa butter as dairy-free alternative. Using Ghiardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips also contributes to making coconut macaroons vegetarian.
To make the coconut macaroons vegan, replace the granulated sugar with vegan sugar, and replace the egg whites with 1-1/2 Tbsp. of Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 4 Tbsp. of water.
Coconut macaroons recipe
Ingredients:
- 5-1/3 cups shredded sweetened coconut (one 14-ounce package)
- 2/3 cup granulated white sugar
- 6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 4 large egg whites, beaten
- 1 tsp. pure almond extract
- Whole candied cherries or roasted almonds (optional)
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- In large bowl, mix together shedded coconut, sugar, flour and salt. Stir in egg whites and almond extract until well blended.
- Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
- Press 1 whole candied cherry or whole natural almond into center of each cookie, if desired.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until edges of cookies are golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets. Cool on wire racks.
- Yield: approximately 36 macaroons
- Because macaroons are quite delicate and the bottoms can burn easily, I use a sheet of wax paper on the cookie sheet and spray the wax paper with non-stick cooking spray. The bottoms come out golden brown every time.
- For chocolate dipped macaroons:
- Melt 1 cup chocolate chips with 1 Tbsp. of butter at 50% power in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir, and repeat until chocolate chips are melted.
- While chocolate is still hot, dip just the top of the cooled macaroon into the chocolate, swirling around to coat. Cool on wire racks until chocolate is hardened.
- As an alternative, you can dip the bottoms instead of the tops, if desired.
- You can use semi-sweet, milk or dark chocolate chips.
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