Coconut macaroons are easy to find but usually quick to disappoint. What should be a sweet, chewy treat with unmistakable coconut flavor has deteriorated into a lackluster mound of beaten egg whites or sweetened condensed milk and coconut shreds. We set out to make a great version, one with a chewy texture and plenty of coconut flavor. Recipes call for either sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut; using all sweetened coconut led to an overly sticky cookie, while using only unsweetened created a bland-tasting one. So we used both, for a cookie with appealing texture and flavor. But what really set our macaroons apart was the addition of cream of coconut, which provided one more layer of big flavor. A few egg whites, plus some corn syrup, ensured that the macaroons held together and baked up moist and chewy. Be sure to use cream of coconut (such as Coco López) and not coconut milk. Unsweetened coconut is commonly sold in natural foods stores and Asian markets. For larger macaroons, shape haystacks from a generous ¼ cup of batter and increase the baking time to 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cream of coconut
- 4 large egg whites
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups (9 ounces) unsweetened shredded coconut
- 3 cups (9 ounces) sweetened shredded coconut
- Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk cream of coconut, egg whites, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt together in bowl; set aside. Toss unsweetened coconut and sweetened coconut together in large bowl, breaking up clumps with your fingertips. Pour cream of coconut mixture over coconut and mix until evenly moistened; transfer bowl to refrigerator for 15 minutes.
- Drop 1-tablespoon mounds of dough onto prepared sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Using your moistened fingertips, form dough into loose haystacks. Bake until light golden brown, about 15 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking.
- Let cookies cool on sheets until slightly set, about 2 minutes, then transfer cookies to wire rack and let cool completely before serving.
