Gluten-Free Coconut Macaroons

These chocolate dipped coconut macaroons are naturally gluten-free, easy to make, and SO delicious! The perfect addition to a holiday cookie plate.

If you’re nervous about the word “macaroon,” don’t worry! Not to be confused with French macarons, these coconut macaroon cookies are EASY to make. Soft, chewy, and packed with delicious coconut flavor, these coconut cookies make a delicious addition to holiday cookie plates or treat trays.

Our easy macaroon recipe skips extras and fillers, like almond flour or coconut flour, and centers around plenty of shredded coconut and chocolate. They’re naturally gluten-free and a total delight for coconut lovers!

Best of all, this easy recipe starts with just a few simple ingredients…

Simple Ingredients To Get Started

So, what will you need for this gluten-free recipe? Just a few simple ingredients! Let’s take a look:

• Sweetened Shredded Coconut. Our chewy coconut macaroons recipe uses sweetened shredded coconut. We like Baker’s brand since it’s consistently moist enough to give these delicious coconut macaroons the perfect soft, chewy texture. We do NOT recommend large flaked coconut or unsweetened coconut flakes for this recipe.
• Sweetened Condensed Milk. Did you know that sweetened condensed milk is literally just sugar & milk? It’s cooked into a sticky sweet confection that helps bind these macaroons together. (A must for these flourless cookies!)
• Pure Vanilla Extract. Some vanilla elevates the flavors of coconut and chocolate to perfection.
• Salt. My secret ingredient for the best macaroons! It helps balance the flavors and keeps these chewy macaroons from tasting overly sweet.
• Egg Whites. Another crucial ingredient! You’ll whip egg whites to stiff peaks, then fold them into the coconut mixture to help bind them together & keep them nice and light. (Save those egg yolks for another use. You won’t need them here!)
• Chocolate. For chocolate dipped coconut macaroons (my favorite!). I usually prefer chocolate bars to chocolate chips, but either will work here! I recommend semi-sweet chocolate or dark chocolate.
• Maybe A Touch of Oil. If it’s helpful for you, a tiny bit of oil can help thin out the chocolate to make it easier to dip the macaroons.

How To Make Gluten-free Coconut Macaroons, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

First, Make the Coconut Cookies

1. Preheat & Prep. To start, heat oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Combine. In a large bowl, combine coconut, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and salt. Stir until well blended then set aside. 
3. Whip Egg Whites. In a separate clean bowl (glass work best!), whip egg whites with an electric mixer on medium-high speed about 3 minutes, until the egg whites have reached stiff peaks. When you lift your beaters out of the eggs, they should hold their shape. This is the KEY step for this recipe, so don’t rush! 
4. Fold. Gradually fold the egg white mixture into the coconut mixture. (I do this 1/4 of the whipped egg whites at a time.) Try to FOLD the eggs in, rather than stir them, so you don’t completely deflate the whipped whites. 
5. Scoop. Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop 1 1/2 Tablespoon-sized balls onto the prepared baking sheets. (You’ll likely get 20-22 macaroons, depending on how tightly you pack the coconut mixture)
6. Bake. Working with just one tray at a time, bake 15-20 minutes, or until just turning golden brown. Ideally, you want a light “crust” on the outside, and a soft, chewy center. Remove from the oven and bake the other tray of macaroons. Let all the baked cookies cool completely before dipping in chocolate. 

Then, Dip In Chocolate

1. Melt Chocolate. Finely chop the chocolate and add to a microwave-safe bowl. For smoother melting, add 1/2 teaspoon oil. (This is optional, but can make the chocolate easier to work with.) Melt on low power in the microwave 10-15 seconds at a time, stirring well between each interval until the chocolate is smooth and glossy.
2. Dip Macaroons in Chocolate. Dip just the bottoms of the macaroons in the melted chocolate and let any excess chocolate drip off before putting the macaroons back on the parchment-lined baking sheets to set. If you have extra chocolate, you can drizzle it on the macaroons. (If you want to drizzle all the macaroons, I recommend using 8 oz of chocolate. If you don’t want to drizzle, 6 oz will be enough for all the bottoms!) 
3. Set, Serve & Store. Let the chocolate set before removing from the baking sheets. You can speed this along by chilling the trays in the refrigerator! Enjoy finished cookies right away, store in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or freeze up to 2 months. 

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Gluten-Free Coconut Macaroons

Can I Use Unsweetened Coconut? No. I don’t recommend making this coconut macaroons recipe with unsweetened coconut. It’ll be too dry, and they’ll have MUCH less flavor. There are healthy coconut macaroon recipes out there that might be a better fit for you if you want to use unsweetened coconut.

For Best Results, Let The Chocolate Drip! If you’re dipping the macaroons in chocolate, make sure to let all the excess chocolate drip off the macaroons before putting them back on the baking sheet. Otherwise, the chocolate will pool at the bottom and create a big puddle. (If this happens to you, you can lift the macaroons out of the puddle and put them on a fresh sheet of parchment.)

Why Are My Coconut Macaroons Dry? First, double-check that you used the correct amounts of all the ingredients! If that’s all in order, the next most likely culprits for dry or hard macaroons is over-baking. Different ovens and climates can impact bake times, but an inexpensive oven thermometer can help you double-check that your oven doesn’t run hot.

Why Did My Macaroons Spread? If you measured everything properly, the most likely reason is that your egg whites weren’t whipped properly to stiff peaks (soft peaks isn’t enough!), or that you deflated the egg whites by over-mixing them into your coconut mixture. Remember to hit stiff peaks and to gently fold them in!

How Long Do Coconut Macaroons Last? I find they keep well at room temperature about 1 week, but can be frozen about 2 months before impacting the flavor & texture. (If you have a super humid climate, they might not last a full week.)

Recipe Card

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