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Are you looking for a delicious coconut cookie that you can make with just a few ingredients? Our family loves this little easy chewy Coconut Macaroons recipe because it’s something we can all enjoy, and it’s gluten-free and dairy-free!
Something you may or may not know about our family is that before we moved to our current home, we started and were running a successful coffee shop and a small bakery. Even though I’ve been baking delicious treats my entire life, I learned so much about tastes, textures, and what people enjoy.
This easy old-fashioned macaroons recipe was one of the most popular treats (if not THE most popular!) that I made for our little coffee shop.
Once word got out that I had a fresh batch out of the oven, they were usually gone within the first hour of business. I’ve been wanting to share this recipe with you for a long time, and now I finally have a chance to do so today!
This recipe doesn’t use expensive items like sweetened condensed milk and doesn’t need any special equipment like a mixer to stir it together. It’s very basic and delicious!
Ingredients in Easy Chewy Gluten Free Coconut Macaroons Recipe
Shredded Coconut. You can use Sweetened shredded coconut or Unsweetened, but I prefer the unsweetened because we still add sugar to this recipe. Do not use coconut flakes.
Sugar. You just need plain white sugar for this recipe.
All Purpose Flour or All Purpose Gluten Free Flour. These cookies can be made with either type of flour, depending on what you need. The amount of flour is very small.
Egg Whites. You will only use the egg whites in this recipe, not the yolks. I save those for another recipe or cook them up and feed them to animals.
Salt. Only a pinch is needed to give it a little flavor boost! Whatever kind of salt you have in your pantry will work fine.
Step by Step Instructions for How to Make Chewy Coconut Macaroons
Here are all the ingredients that you need. This is a very simple recipe! I usually use unsweetened coconut, but you can use either sweetened or unsweetened, depending on what you have on hand and how sweet you want your cookies to be.
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, vanilla, and pinch of salt. Try to incorporate the vanilla as much as possible into the sugar. Otherwise, it tends to clump into the coconut. A rubber spatula works best for this recipe so the batter doesn’t stick to it.
Add in the egg whites. Mix everything until it’s well combined, and no dry spots remain. If your eggs are large, this shouldn’t be a problem. If you use smaller eggs, you may need to mix with your hands to be sure all is combined.
Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out the batter onto a greased or parchment paper lined baking sheet. Press each ball down slightly. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Do not take the cookies out too early; you want them to be brown around the bottoms, at least to give them a good outside crunch. The inside will be a soft and chewy texture! Cool the cookies on a wire rack.
One batch makes about 16 small cookies, so if you have a large family, you may want to double this recipe. I’ve also made larger batches and frozen some for later with good success.
The cookies are best after they’ve had a chance to cool off and firm up a bit, so don’t place them in a container or bag right after cooking, or they will lose their crispiness.
When you are ready to store the leftovers, place them in an airtight container on the countertop (not in the fridge) so they don’t get overly moist and keep their texture. Eat within a week.
I’m making these today to go into my gift tins. Thank you and Merry Christmas.
Sherry, Little House Living reader
Print the easy chewy Coconut macaroon recipe to add to your Recipe Binder below:
These chewy and soft cookies are super easy to make with only a few ingredients and they can easily be made gluten free.
Course
Dessert
Cuisine
American
Keyword
chewy coconut macaroons
Prep Time5minutes
Cook Time15minutes
Total Time20minutes
Servings12cookies
Calories79kcal
CreatorMerissa
Ingredients
1 1/3cupShredded CoconutSweetened or Unsweetened
1/3cupSugar
2tablespoonsAll Purpose Flour or All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
2Egg Whites
1/2teaspoonVanilla Extract
PinchSalt
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, vanilla, and pinch of salt. Try and incorporate the vanilla as much as possible into the sugar, otherwise, it tends to clump into the coconut.
Add in the coconut and the flour.
Add in the egg whites. Mix everything until it’s well combined and no dry spots remain. If your eggs are large, this shouldn’t be a problem. If you used smaller eggs, you may need to mix with your hands to be sure all is combined.
Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out the batter onto a greased or lined baking sheet. Press each ball down slightly. Bake at 350F degrees for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Do not take the cookies out too early, you want them to at least be brown around the bottoms to give them a good outside crunch. The inside will be soft!
Nutrition Facts
Chewy Coconut Macaroons Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 79Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.04g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.2g
Sodium 35mg2%
Potassium 44mg1%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Fiber 0.5g2%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin C 0.1mg0%
Calcium 2mg0%
Iron 0.3mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
How long do coconut macaroons last?
This recipe makes a rather small batch (about 15 cookies) so we’ve never had them last long, but I would say that they will keep their freshness for about a week.
How to store coconut macaroons?
Store the cookies in an air-tight container in the fridge or in a cool dark place in your kitchen to prevent them from drying out.
How to make coconut macaroons with chocolate?
You could add mini chocolate chips to this coconut macaroon recipe to give it a little chocolate flavor! You could also dip half of the cookie into melted chocolate to make a really decadent treat.
Why are my coconut macaroons sticky?
The batter is supposed to be sticky; they are made with eggs! If your cookies are sticky after baking, it’s possible that you didn’t bake them for quite long enough.
Why are my coconut macaroons runny?
If the batter seems too runny, it’s possible that your eggs were extra large and added a little too much moisture to the batter. Try adding in a little more shredded coconut to see if that will help.
How to Use Extra Egg Yolks
Since this recipe only uses egg whites, you will have several egg yolks left. Here are some recipes that you can use them in so that they won’t go to waste:
Are you making cookies this week? What kind of cookies are you making? Do you think your family would enjoy these chewy Coconut Macaroons?
Merissa Alink
Merissa has been blogging about and living the simple and frugal life on Little House Living since 2009 and has internationally published 2 books on the topic. You can read about Merissa’s journey from penniless to freedom on the About Page. You can send her a message any time from the Contact Page.
This coconut macaroon recipe was originally published on Little House Living in December 2018. It has been updated as of December 2023.
I made our sour cream cookie recipe this weekend and they were delicious! My husband had mistakenly bought an enormous tub of sour cream at the store (thinking he was buying cottage cheese) so I have had fun thinking up ways to use it up. These have already been added to my recipe box to keep forever. Thank you for a new favorite!
My DH hates coconut in most things. I, however, love it! I may have to whip up a batch of these and dip them in chocolate to see if he even notices! LOL Can’t wait to try making a batch of these. I’m definitely pinning this to add to the holiday baking list!
Yes, you could use less sugar but you may need to compensate with a little extra flour as they might need a bit more of something to hold them together.
Thank you for sharing your recipe! I’m making an assortment of cookies as Christmas gifts and this one just got added to the list! My mama loves coconut so I know this will be a big hit with her!
I haven’t baked with almond flour (severe allergies) so I’m not sure if it would be a good replacement. You can always try and see. It’s a very small amount.
I love macaroons but am allergic to eggs. Do you have a suggestion for an egg-free version?
I don’t for this recipe. It’s possible that a “gelatin egg” would work but I haven’t tried it yet.
I wonder if I use sweetened coconut could I eliminate the extra sugar called for in the recipe?
You should be able too but you might want to add a bit more flour since they may be a little more sticky.
I made our sour cream cookie recipe this weekend and they were delicious! My husband had mistakenly bought an enormous tub of sour cream at the store (thinking he was buying cottage cheese) so I have had fun thinking up ways to use it up. These have already been added to my recipe box to keep forever. Thank you for a new favorite!
My DH hates coconut in most things. I, however, love it! I may have to whip up a batch of these and dip them in chocolate to see if he even notices! LOL Can’t wait to try making a batch of these. I’m definitely pinning this to add to the holiday baking list!
I hope you like these!
If using sweetened coconut should I use less sugar?? Maybe only 1/4 cup?
Yes, you could use less sugar but you may need to compensate with a little extra flour as they might need a bit more of something to hold them together.
Thank you for sharing your recipe! I’m making an assortment of cookies as Christmas gifts and this one just got added to the list! My mama loves coconut so I know this will be a big hit with her!
I’m making these today to go into my gift tins. Thank you and Merry Christmas.
Great recipe, thank you! When do you add the flour?
Thanks!
You can add it in when you add the coconut 🙂
Could I swap out the flour and use almond flour? We’re doing Keto…
I haven’t baked with almond flour (severe allergies) so I’m not sure if it would be a good replacement. You can always try and see. It’s a very small amount.
These look lovely! I am looking forward to trying them 🙂
Add a drop of red extract to dough to make slightly pink for Valentine’s Day!!
Making these tomorrow as it is going to be my cookie baking day. Thanks for the recipe. Merry Christmas!