Coconut Macaroons
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These healthy coconut macaroons are crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. They’re vegan, gluten-free, naturally sweetened and only require 6 main ingredients!
If you like coconut you have to try my coconut macaroons because they are jam-packed with coconut flavor! They’re so dang delicious and super easy to whip up.
Once baked, they’re crispy on the outside with a tender and moist center. For this version I melted chocolate chips for dipping and drizzling, but the chocolate is totally optional. They’re 100% delicious without the chocolate as well, but everything is better with chocolate, am I right?!
I love making these macaroons for Passover or Easter, but they’re delicious any time!
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“I made these spontaneously on a weeknight because they looked SO GOOD. And they exceeded expectations. Had my husband not seen me make them he would have thought I bought them! A third of them were gone before I dipped any in chocolate (they’re so good warm from the oven). The best ever, and without all the refined sugar of more traditional macaroons. Thank you EBF!!”
Why I Love These Coconut Macaroons
- Simple, real ingredients: You only need a handful of pantry staples to make these, and none of the usual macaroon extras like egg whites, sweetened condensed milk, or refined sugar.
- Healthier sweet treat: These macaroons are naturally sweetened and made with unsweetened coconut. Each one has just a few grams of sugar, which makes them easy to enjoy anytime.
- Perfect texture: Crisp and golden on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. Basically everything you want in a good coconut macaroon.
- Diet-friendly: They’re gluten-free, vegan, and refined sugar-free, which makes them a great option for sharing with just about anyone.
Ingredients Needed
- unsweetened fine shredded/desiccated coconut – you have to use unsweetened fine or desiccated shredded coconut. This is super important because if you use the longer shreds, the macaroons won’t hold together and they’ll spread across the pan. I’ve found a couple brands that make fine shredded coconut that works perfectly including Let’s Do Organic or the Bob’s Red Mill fine shredded coconut.
- almond flour – make sure you grab almond flour, not almond meal!
- maple syrup – the perfect natural sweetener to use because it’s liquid.
- coconut oil – acts as a binder to help keep the macaroons together. You’ll want to measure your coconut oil in liquid form.
- dairy-free chocolate chips – this is optional, but I love the macaroons with a chocolate drizzle. I love Lily’s chocolate chips for a low-sugar option and Enjoy Life dark chocolate chips for a dairy-free/soy-free option.
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Healthy Coconut Macaroons
Step 1: Stir together unsweetened shredded coconut, almond flour, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla and sea salt in a medium sized bowl.
Step 2: Use a rounded Tablespoon or small cookie scoop to scoop batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Step 3: Bake for 20-22 minutes. Once done baking, remove from oven and let cool. They will firm up as they cool so wait about 15 minutes or so before serving or dipping in chocolate.
Step 4: If adding chocolate, dip each macaroon into the melted chocolate and/or drizzle chocolate over each macaroon. Place macaroons in the fridge/freezer for 5-10 minutes to allow the chocolate to harden. After the chocolate has set your macaroons are ready to enjoy!
Tips for the Best Macaroons
- Don’t swap ingredients: This recipe is pretty specific, so I don’t recommend substitutions. Swapping ingredients can change the texture and cause the macaroons not to hold together.
- Use the right coconut: This one matters! Be sure to use unsweetened fine or desiccated shredded coconut. Longer shreds or coconut flakes won’t bind properly and can cause the macaroons to spread.
- Don’t overbake: Keep an eye on them toward the end. Macaroons can go from perfectly golden to overdone fast.
- Let them cool before dipping: If you’re adding chocolate, let the macaroons cool completely first. Warm macaroons are more likely to fall apart when dipped or drizzled.
How to Store Coconut Macaroons
- At room temperature: Store macaroons in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Just keep in mind the chocolate may soften if your house is warm.
- In the fridge: This is my go-to for keeping them firm. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- In the freezer: These macaroons freeze really well. Place them in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Let them thaw at room temperature or in the fridge before enjoying. They’re pretty hard straight from the freezer!
More Coconut Treats to Try
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Coconut Macaroons
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened fine shredded/desiccated coconut, see note
- ½ cup packed almond flour
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 3 Tablespoons melted coconut oil, be sure to measure it liquid
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup chocolate chips + 1 tsp coconut oil, if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- Stir together unsweetened shredded coconut, almond flour, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla and sea salt in a medium sized bowl.1 cup unsweetened fine shredded/desiccated coconut, ½ cup packed almond flour, ¼ cup pure maple syrup, 3 Tablespoons melted coconut oil, ½ teaspoon vanilla, ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- Use a rounded Tablespoon or small cookie scoop to scoop batter onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. They will firm up as they cool so wait about 15 minutes or so before serving or dipping in chocolate.
- If adding melted chocolate, add chips to a microwave safe bowl and heat for about 30 seconds and stir. If chips aren't melted, heat for another 10 seconds or so. If the chocolate seems too thick after melting you can add a teaspoon of melted coconut oil to thin it out. Dip each macaroon into the melted chocolate and/or drizzle chocolate over each macaroon.¼ cup chocolate chips + 1 tsp coconut oil
- Place macaroons in the fridge/freezer for 5-10 minutes to allow the chocolate to harden. Store any leftover macaroons in the fridge or freezer. If you do store them in the freezer, let them sit out at least 10 minutes before eating. They're really hard straight from the freezer.
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Notes
- Coconut: Be sure to use fine shredded/desiccated coconut. With this type of coconut, the shreds are really tiny and the coconut is more dry. If you use regular shredded coconut (the long strands) the macaroons won’t hold together as well and will spread way too much!
- Storage: Store macaroons in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week. They also freeze well for up to 3 months. Let thaw before enjoying.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
This post was originally published on May 24, 2017 and republished on May 7, 2024.
Can I use anything other than coconut oil. I have high cholesterol and would prefer not to use coconut oil
You can swap the coconut oil for melted butter or even a neutral oil like avocado oil and the macaroons will still hold together just fine.
I substituted the maple syrup with honey because maple syrup isn’t available where I live. The balls were INCREDIBLY difficult to form, and wouldn’t stick together well at all. It was a serious battle but I still did manage to form nice balls, although not perfect. That said, they were absolutely delicious! The taste absolutely made the struggle (which I will account to my substitution) totally worth it! The texture was amazing, crispy, chewy, and soft. I will reluctantly make them again, since my family has already asked for more 😂
I’m so glad you still loved these despite the extra effort! You’re exactly right, honey behaves differently than maple syrup, which is why the mixture was harder to work with. Thanks so much for sticking with it, making the recipe, and coming back to share how it turned out!
Not that this needs another review, but thank you for this recipe! I’ve made it multiple times for many groups of people and it’s always so well received! Everyone who tried them automatically loved them!
One thing I’d like to know is how long are they good for in the fridge? And is it absolutely necessary to store them in the fridge? I’m about to make a couple batches now, but they will only be eaten in 2 days from now. And I can’t put them in the freezer.
Thanks
Aw thank you, Alina! I’m so glad these have been such a hit with everyone — that makes my day. They should be just fine in the fridge for up to one week, but if you’re eating them within 2 days, they’ll still taste great. Storing in the fridge just helps keep them fresh longer, but room temp in a sealed container works too!
These are my favorite “healthy”cookie ever!!! So good! Even my friends think they are great!
So glad this recipe was a hit, Lisa! Thanks for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
Do you use refined coconut oil or do you use unrefined coconut oil? Please advise. Thank you.
Hi Laurie – Either will work for this recipe and I have used both for this recipe. Only difference is unrefined will have more of a coconut flavor compared to the refined. Enjoy!
I make these often! Most of the time I skip the chocolate altogether. So good!