These healthy coconut macaroons are perfect for when you’re craving something sweet, but want to stick with your healthy eating goals! Paleo-friendly, gluten-free, vegan and sweetened only with pure maple syrup.
If you like coconut, you’re in luck because these coconut macaroons are loaded with coconut flavor 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.
What Type of Coconut to Use
One important ingredient tip to note! 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 (they sell it at most grocery stores, on Amazon and at Target) or the Bob’s Red Mill fine shredded coconut.
Ingredients Needed
You only need SIX ingredients to make these healthy coconut macaroons… minus the chocolate chips (which are optional, but highly recommended!).
unsweetened fine shredded/desiccated coconut – see note above
almond flour – make sure you grab almond flour, not almond meal!
maple syrup – pure maple syrup is the perfect natural sweetener to use because it’s liquid.
Combine Ingredients – Stir together unsweetened shredded coconut, almond flour, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla and sea salt in a medium sized bowl.
Bake– Use a rounded Tablespoon or small cooke scoop to scoop batter onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20-22 minutes.
Let Cool – 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.
Melt Chocolate (optional) – 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 in Chocolate – Dip each macaroon into the melted chocolate and/or drizzle chocolate over each macaroon.
Set – Place macaroons in the fridge/freezer for 5-10 minutes to allow the chocolate to harden.
How to Store Coconut Macaroons
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.
If you make these healthy coconut macaroons please be sure to leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how they turned out. Your feedback is so helpful for the EBF team and other EBF readers.
Healthy Coconut Macroons
5 from 26 votes
These healthy coconut macaroons are perfect for when you're craving something sweet, but want to stick with your healthy eating goals! Paleo-friendly, gluten-free, vegan and sweetened only with pure maple syrup.
3Tablespoonsmelted coconut oil, be sure to measure it liquid
1/2teaspoonvanilla
1/8teaspoonsea salt
3-4Tablespoonsdairy-free chocolate chips + coconut oil, if needed
Instructions
Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 300°F.
Combine ingredients: Stir together unsweetened shredded coconut, almond flour, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla and sea salt in a medium sized bowl.
Form macaroons: Use a rounded Tablespoon or small cooke scoop to scoop batter onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake: 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.
Melt 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 in chocolate: Dip each macaroon into the melted chocolate and/or drizzle chocolate over each macaroon.
Set: 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.
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!
Love these sweet little cookies so much!!! I pulsed regular coconut in my blender and they were perfect. They were a huge hit at our community Easter egg hunt, and I’m making them again just for myself!
Made these twice in under two weeks! So easy since I have the ingredients on hand all the time. My first batch spread too much so I cut back to only 2 T. melted coconut oil and they were perfect. I also added mini chips to the 2nd batch. Super tasty and much less of a mess than melting chocolate. Thanks for another great recipe, Brittany!
These turned out awesome! Husband loved them and I’ve never seen him go for anything coconut. Making without the chocolate next time as it made these a little too sweet for me and honestly the cookie is the best part! I did pulse my coconut in the food processor before mixing and that worked well.
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Turned out perfectly and had no issues with spreading on the pan during baking! Love how easy these are to throw together
Woo!! So glad you enjyed this macaroons, Prachi! Thanks for the review. I really appreciate it!
Love these sweet little cookies so much!!! I pulsed regular coconut in my blender and they were perfect. They were a huge hit at our community Easter egg hunt, and I’m making them again just for myself!
Yay! That’s so wonderful to hear, Katie! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed these macaroons. Thanks for the review. I really appreciate it!
Made these twice in under two weeks! So easy since I have the ingredients on hand all the time. My first batch spread too much so I cut back to only 2 T. melted coconut oil and they were perfect. I also added mini chips to the 2nd batch. Super tasty and much less of a mess than melting chocolate. Thanks for another great recipe, Brittany!
So glad these coconut macaroons were a hit, Kelly. Thanks for making them and coming back to leave a review. It means the world to me.
These turned out awesome! Husband loved them and I’ve never seen him go for anything coconut. Making without the chocolate next time as it made these a little too sweet for me and honestly the cookie is the best part! I did pulse my coconut in the food processor before mixing and that worked well.
Yay! So glad you loved this recipe, Lori. Thanks so much for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it.
Can’t eat just one. Super easy and so delish.
Yay! So glad you loved these macaroons. Thanks for the review, Maisha. I so appreciate it. 🙂