Blonde Coconut Macaroons
My only knowledge of macaroons growing up were the no bake kind that tasted like chalky cocoa powder and Neilson macaroons, which are more like a tainted batch of Hershey’s kisses than anything.
After learning that a macaroon could be just a Swiss meringue-suspended mass of coconut last year, things have changed. Not just for me, but for my wife, who this year has declared the blonde version her new favorite Christmas cookie. They are light and chewy, and just… they taste of coconut. Like it should be.
Of course, if you fancy Chocolate Macaroons, we made those this year too.
Blonde Coconut Macaroons
- 4 egg whites (120 grams), room temperature
- 1 cup (200 grams) sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (60 grams) all-purpose flour, sifted
- 3 cups (300 grams) coconut, shredded
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil over high heat, then reduce it to a simmer. Place the egg whites in a heatproof bowl over the water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the surface of the water.
- Whisk or beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until it starts to lighten, then add the sugar and salt. Continue to beat until it becomes white, creamy and doubles in bulk, then remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla, flour and coconut. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees with the rack positioned in the center.
- Remove the macaroon batter from the refrigerator and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the batter into one ounce portions and roll with lightly wetted hands into balls.
- Place the macaroons on the baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 18-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.