These bite-sized morsels of sweetness are perfect for any occasion. And if you’re baking for the holidays, these are the wonderful treat to add to your Christmas cookie box. My no dairy gluten free coconut macaroons use just 5 ingredients (or 6 if you dip them in chocolate) and 25 minutes of your time.
Why I Made This Recipe
When we lived in the UK, my husband always used to buy coconut macaroons from a local bakery in Wales. Since moving to Canada, we’ve rarely seen them in grocery stores so I wanted to recreate this favourite treat for him. This post is also dedicated to my late Welsh grandmother who would have adored these! I wish I had been able to share my baking with her.
Why You Need This Recipe
Coconut macaroons are the perfect treat to make in advance for cookie swap boxes or even as a lunchbox snack. They are sweet, slightly crunchy on the outside but with a soft centre and even better when coated with chocolate. Quick to make (and eat!) and a definite favourite around Christmas.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This is a dairy free and gluten free recipe. Read on for my egg-free suggestion and check out my FAQ for more questions.
Condensed Coconut Milk: I am obsessed with this and could eat a whole can in one sitting. We are using 1/4 US Cup for this recipe, which is roughly 60 ml.
Shredded Coconut: make sure you use the sweetened variety – 220 grams or 2 US cups.
Egg White: the binding agent which adds fluffiness to the macaroons. Use 1 egg white at room temperature. To veganise this recipe, simply double the amount of coconut condensed milk used.
Vanilla Bean Paste: I added 1 tsp for extra flavour. You can use regular vanilla extract if you prefer.
Salt: just a pinch is needed to enhance the flavours and cut back on the sweetness a little.
How to Make Coconut Macaroons
First, gather everything you need for the recipe and preheat your oven to 325F or 165C. Ensure that the egg white is at room temperature before starting to make the macaroons.
Making the Macaroons
Start by whisking the egg white to medium peaks. I used my stand mixer to do this with the whisk attachment so that I could carry on with other things while it was whisking. I started the mixer on ‘stir’ and then increased the speed to 6 (medium speed) once bubbles start to form and whisk for 3 minutes.
Fold in the remaining ingredients with a spatula, trying not to deflate the egg white too much. This will bind everything together.
Add dollops of the macaroon mixture to a lined baking tray. I like using a small ice cream scoop to do this part as it can be quite sticky. Here’s the one I recommend from Amazon (affiliate link).
Bake at 325F for 18 minutes until golden, turning the trays at the halfway point.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the tray. They will firm up on the outside as they cool.
Look how beautiful they look underneath. The caramelization is something else!
Chocolate Dipped?
There was a great debate on my social media over whether coconut macaroons should be served plain or dipped in chocolate. So if you’re a chocolate-dipped fan, here’s everything you need to know. I melted 100 grams (1/3 US Cup) of vegan chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring them at 30-second intervals until everything was melted. You can add a tsp of coconut oil if your chocolate seems a little bit thick but the brand I used melted wonderfully.
Once you have dipped the macaroons, pop them back on the parchment paper and allow them to set. You can speed up the process if you pop the tray in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Common Questions
This recipe makes 12 coconut macaroons.
Yes! Simply double the amount of coconut condensed milk to 120 ml (1/2 US Cup) and omit the egg white.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. You can also store them in the fridge for up to 2 weeks if you prefer – this will firm them up and let the flavours develop even more. Need to freeze them? Pack in an airtight container for up to 3 months and allow to thaw before eating. Great for a grab-and-go snack!
One Last Look
I honestly couldn’t decide which was my favourite – dipped or plain. Let me know what your go-to macaroon is and whether you are going to try this recipe. I’d love to know what you think!
More Holiday Favourites
Here are a few of our favourite holiday treats:
- My Candy Cane Shortbread is perfect for gifting (vegan)
- The easiest microwave Vanilla Fudge recipe never disappoints (vegan)
- Every cookie swap needs Chocolate Chip Cookies! (vegan)
Happy Baking!
Dairy & Gluten Free Coconut Macaroons
Ingredients
- 1 Egg White (room temperature)
- 220 grams Sweetened Shredded Coconut (2 US Cups)
- 60 ml Sweetened Coconut Condensed Milk (1/4 US Cup)
- 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste (5 ml)
- Pinch Salt
Instructions
Prep
- Gather all ingredients and equipment. Ensure the egg white is at room temperature before starting to make the macaroons.
To Make Macaroons
- Whisk the egg white to medium peaks. If using a stand mixer, start on 'stir' then increase once bubbles start to form and whisk for 3 minutes.
- Fold in the remaining ingredients.
- Add dollops of the macaroon mixture to a lined baking tray.
- Bake at 325F for 18 minutes until golden.
- Allow to cool then enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Yield: This recipe makes 12 coconut macaroons
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. You can also store them in the fridge for up to 2 weeks if you prefer – this will firm them up and let the flavours develop even more. Need to freeze them? Pack in an airtight container for up to 3 months and allow to thaw before eating. Great for a grab-and-go snack!
- Optional extra – melt 100g plant-based chocolate chips in the microwave then dip the base of each macaroon in the chocolate. Allow to set on parchment paper. Drizzle any remaining chocolate over the top of the macaroons. See the recipe post for more details and suggestions
- Nutrition information is based on 1 macaroon per serving with 12 servings per recipe. Please note that nutrition information is calculated based on the ingredients in this recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
Such a classic treat, and I love how easy they are too!
I know right, so easy!
These are not dairy-free because of sweetened condensed milk in the recipe.
If you reread the post and recipe, you’ll see that I used coconut condensed milk which does not contain dairy. And every recipe on this website is dairy free as we are a dairy free family!
I have a dairy allergy. Made these for Christmas and they were DELISH. Tried some with Enjoy Life chocolate but it’s better without.
So happy that you loved the macaroons! Merry Christmas!!
I can’t wait to make these! I have a good friend who can’t have gluten or dairy, so she’s going to be so excited about these when I give them to her.
What a lovely gesture. I hope you and your friend enjoy them.
I made these macaroons yesterday and they were so delicious! Super easy to make too!
That’s great! Thanks for sharing.
We have some new celiac diagnosis in our family so I’m excited for this recipe since everyone can enjoy the tasty gluten-free cookies together.
I hope you all enjoy them.
My kids adored these coconut macaroons – sooo good!
So happy to hear that! They’re a great treat for kids – ours often take them with their school lunch.