Condensed milk does everything here. It binds the coconut, sweetens it and caramelises at the edges. There's no flour and no butter, so they're naturally gluten free, and the whole thing takes about ten minutes of actual work.
Everything you need
- 4 cups (320 g) shredded coconut
- 1 cup (306 g) condensed milk
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp fine salt
- ½ cup (85 g) dark chocolate, melted (optional)
Weigh, don't scoop. Measuring flour by cups can overpack it and dry out your bake. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.
Method
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Stir the coconut, condensed milk, vanilla and salt together until every strand is coated. Chill the mixture for 30 minutes so it holds its shape.
For this step
- 4 cups (320 g) shredded coconut
- 1 cup (306 g) condensed milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp fine salt
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Heat the oven to 165°C / 325°F and line two trays with baking paper. Nothing else releases these cleanly.
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Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then fold them into the coconut in two goes. They keep the middles light rather than solid.
For this step
- 4 cups (320 g) shredded coconut
- 2 large egg whites
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Scoop tightly packed mounds, about 2 tablespoons each, onto the trays. Pack them firmly or they collapse and spread.
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Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the tips and edges are deep golden but the sides are still pale.
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Cool completely on the tray. If you want, dip the bases in melted chocolate and set them on paper until firm.
For this step
- ½ cup (85 g) dark chocolate
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Worth knowing
- Use sweetened shredded coconut for the classic chewy texture. Desiccated coconut is much drier and needs an extra 2 tablespoons of condensed milk.
- Golden tips are the flavour. Pull them at pale blonde and they taste flat and oversweet.
Make it your own
- Add the zest of a lime and a spoon of its juice for a sharper, brighter macaroon.
- Press a whole almond into each mound before baking, or fold through ⅓ cup (57 g) chocolate chips.
Storing & freezing
Airtight at room temperature for 5 days, and they stay chewy right through. Freeze for 3 months.
Frequently asked
How many grams is a cup of shredded coconut?
About 80 g per US cup, so the 4 cups here is roughly 320 g, near enough a standard bag.
What is the difference between a macaroon and a macaron?
Completely different things. These are coconut mounds. A macaron is the almond meringue sandwich cookie, and the two only share a name.
Cooking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.
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A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.