Toasted coconut on the outside with a chewy center, drizzled with dark chocolate. These eggless, 4-ingredient coconut macaroons might be one of the easiest, but most delicious cookies to make. Ready in under 30 minutes and naturally gluten free!
When I pulled out my grandma’s recipe, I honestly thought she had forgotten some ingredients. But nope! These really are as simple to make as they sound, only have 4 ingredients, and are made without eggs.
They are an easy cookie to make with kids (though they can get sticky), and you can top them with chocolate and a Cadbury egg like I did in the photo and have a fun Easter dessert.
Why You’ll Love These Coconut Macaroons
- So simple. You mix everything in one large bowl and call it a day. They do get a bit sticky, which is why I’d recommend putting them in the fridge for about 10 minutes or so to firm them up.
- Not as sweet as they sound. I don’t like baking things that are super sweet. So reading that there was almost a whole can of sweetened condensed milk in this recipe made my teeth hurt. But actually, pairing it with the unsweetened coconut and the bitter dark chocolate top makes these quite delightful.
- No eggs. Just 4 simple ingredients are used to make the cookie base. The sweetened condensed milk is sticky enough to hold the coconut and flavorings together.
- Get creative! You can shape these cookies into whatever you want. I chose to make them look like nests for Easter and placed a Cadbury egg inside. Another common shape is using a cookie scoop to shape them into round balls and dipping them in chocolate.
- Allergy friendly. These coconut macaroons don’t use any flour, so it’s perfect for our gluten-free friends. Plus, you could use lactose-free sweetened condensed milk and make these dairy free as well. (I use lactose-free sweetened condensed milk in my Gluten Free Key Lime Pie and it tastes delicious.)
The Four Key Ingredients in Eggless Coconut Macaroons
Sweetened condensed milk: Provides the sweetness as well as holds the macaroon together without the addition of eggs. Many coconut macaroon recipes include egg whites but this one does not. So, technically it could be a no bake coconut macaroon recipe, but I love the taste of toasted coconut.
Unsweetened coconut: Be sure to get unsweetened as you will have plenty of sugar and sweet coming from the sweetened condensed coconut milk.
Almond Extract: Some recipes call for crushed almonds, my grandmother’s recipe uses almond extract. By using almond extract, you get the almond flavor while keeping the cookies chewy.
Vanilla Extract: Added to kick up the flavor a bit.
Optional 5th ingredient – Dark Chocolate: The bitterness of the dark chocolate balances out the sweetness of the condensed milk. Try dipping the bottoms in it or drizzling it over the top.
Variations & Substitutions
Flavorings: If you don’t have almond extract, you can leave it out and not change any of the other measurements.
Lactose-free sweetened condensed milk can be used to make a dairy-free version.
Chocolate: Adding chocolate is optional. I chose to drizzle it on top, you can also add 1/2 cup chocolate chips to the dough which will then melt in the oven.
Tips for Success
- Chill the dough. Basically, this recipe is very easy — mix all the ingredients together and bake. But a key step in the process is chilling the dough for just 10 minutes. It will make it easier to work with (since it will be sticky) and easier to shape.
- Bake on a greased cookie sheet. These cookies don’t have any butter in them so they will stick if they aren’t baked on a greased cookie sheet.
- Have fun with them! I chose to drizzle melted dark baking chocolate over the top and shape them into little nests for Cadbury eggs. You can keep them plain, roll them into a ball and dip in chocolate, put a bit of jam in the center, or your favorite chocolate. The choice is yours. These are hard to mess up so get creative!
Looking for more spring recipes? Check out this Lemon Poke Cake (topped with a coconut frosting), Berry Tart, or this Lemon Elderflower Cake.
Coconut Macaroons
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 cookie sheet
Ingredients
- 3 cups unsweetened coconut
- 3/4 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- 2 oz dark chocolate (optional)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients and mix well.
- Chill in the fridge for approximately 10 minutes until the mixture is easier to handle.
- Roll into 1 inch balls or use a cookie scoop. Place onto a greased cookie sheet.
- Flatten cookies slightly and press your thumb into the center to create a dip. (You can also do this after they are baked, but the cookies will be hot).
- Bake at 300 for 12-15 minutes or until the coconut is golden brown at the ends. Remove from cookie sheet immediately to cool.
- Decorate! You can drizzle with dark baking chocolate as I did in this photo, dip in chocolate, leave plain, drizzle with jam … have fun with them.
Last Updated on March 18, 2023 by Kari Bakes
