It wouldn’t be the holidays if I didn’t make macaroons for my brother. He loves coconut and this, along with my Coconut Custard Pie, are his favorites. So, why the name Macaroons – Candy or Cookie? Well, I’ve always assumed this was a cookie recipe but one year my brother quickly corrected me with a lifted eyebrow, “It is candy…just like a Mounds Bar.” He was right..it did taste like candy but I still couldn’t decide between a cookie or candy so I’ll let you decide how to categorize it. It really doesn’t matter, since no matter what you call it, this macaroon is delish!
BUT what exactly would make this a candy or cookie in the minds of those tasting it? I played around a little bit and would up making a dozen different versions of this cookie/candy. I did notice that when I used half unsweetened coconut and half sweetened coconut, it started to taste more like a cookie. So, if you want that sweet candy like texture and taste, use 100% sweetened coconut. Want more of a cookie? (the texture is softer and it is less sweet), use 50 percent sweetened and 50 percent unsweetened coconut. The choice is now in your hands…LOL.
No matter what you call it, it is good and since it has a long shelf life, travels well and is loved by everyone. I often bring it to parties and give as a gift during the holidays. Put them in small boxes or tins, or wrapped up in little cellophane candy bags, it makes the perfect gift for neighbors and coworkers.
These are incredibly easy to make and you can make batches of these pretty quickly. To get started, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats.
In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients except the chocolate. Mix thoroughly. Using a small ice cream scoop, press the mix into the scoop to create compact balls. Release them onto the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
Add the chocolate to a large bowl and melt in the microwave in 30 second increments. Stir between each round. Once smooth, it is ready. You can put the melted chocolate into a piping bag and create little sguiggly lines on the cookies, or pour a little from a spoon over the top of each cookie.
Alternatively, dip half the cookie into the chocolate. No matter which way you add a little chocolate, they are good! No interest in chocolate? Feel free to leave them “naked”. They taste great plain too.
Place the macaroons back on the baking sheet and put in the fridge for 20 minutes to set the chocolate or you can leave them on the kitchen counter for at least an hour to let the chocolate set and harden. The freezer does a much better and quicker job.
CHOCOLATE DIPPED PISTACHIO MACAROONS
I mentioned earlier that I made dozens of version of this cookie/candy and one of my favorites was chocolate dipped pistachio macaroons. I changed up the flavor slightly by adding two tablespoons of pistachio powder to the coconut mixture. I stirred that into the mix before scooping and baking the cookies. I did go with 50% unsweetened and 50% sweetened coconut so these were more cookie like.
Then, I just dipped the bottom of the cooled cookies into melted chocolate and then into finely chopped pistachios. The results was fabulous and has been in regular rotation at my house for several holidays now. If you want to experiment with this recipe, I’ve given you several options.
When done, place on a platter and enjoy. Better yet, wrap them up and gift them to friends. Check out my Wrapping Candy, Nuts & Baked Goods post for ideas on wrapping these. If you like this recipe, please leave a rating and comment below. I’d love to know how you made your cookie/candy unique. Did you try the pistachio version? If you liked these, be sure to check out some of my other favorite candy recipes.
Homemade Dark Chocolate Macadamia Nuts
Macaroons – Candy or Cookie?
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 14 Oz. Bags sweetened flake coconut (see my note)
- 1 14 Oz. Can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 Tbsp. Sour cream
- 1 Tbsp. Heavy cream
- 1 ½ Tsp. Pure vanilla extract
- 6 Oz. Bittersweet chocolate (melted)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line two baking sheets with a sipat, parchment paper or tin foil.
- In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients except the chocolate. Mix thoroughly. Using a small ice cream scoop, press the mix into the scoop to create compact balls. Release them onto the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
- Melt the chocolate right in a piping bag in the microwave in 30 second increments. Squeeze the bag gently to be sure everything is melted and smooth. Snip the end of the bag and pipe a swiggle on each macaroon. Place in refrigerator for 20 minutes so the chocolate sets up. Serve or box up as gifts.
