Gluten-Free Coconut Macaroon Cookies

If you are looking for a sweet, gluten-free recipe, with a chewy coconut taste , look no further. This Coconut Macaroon Cookies are absolutely delicious. They are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside!  Loaded with coconut, in fact,  finished with the chocolate on top and bottom,  they remind me of the Bounty coconut bars that I used to grab while standing in line at the checkout... 

I have to admit, I am not much into gluten-free recipes, but lately I see so many people having a gluten intolerance and so I started searching for gluten free recipes that I can make and to share. And so there is! This recipe has been adapted from https://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/  

The recipe is easy to make. Here are just a few suggestions:

For best results leave the eggs out at room temperature before hand, or if you are short on time, place them in a bowl with warm water for 15 minutes.

Separate the yolks, carefully and if  the shell breaks the yolk while separating it (it does happen sometimes) make sure there is no yolk dripping into the whites as any small particle would prevent the whites from being whipped up and becoming foamy.  

Gluten-Free Coconut Macaroon Cookies

INGREDIENTS

 3 egg whites

3/4 cup sugar

3 cups  ( 9 oz.) unsweetened finely shredded coconut

3 tbsp. (1 oz.) rice flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 tsp vanilla extract or almond flavoring

1/4 cup (2 oz.) mini chocolate chips, optional

4 oz. dark chocolate, for drizzling

 

DIRECTIONS

 Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

Preheat oven at 325 F.

Place the egg whites into a bowl of a stand mixer and whip them until soft peaks form. Add the sugar slowly while continue whipping until the mixture doubles in volume and turns glossy, for about 6-8 minutes. When done, the mixture should fall of the whisk in ribbons.

Add the vanilla and  whip until fully combined, and then set the mixture aside.

In a separate bowl, stir together the  coconut, rice flour and salt then fold it into the egg whites mixture in 3 or 4 batches, until all combined together.

Fold in the mini chocolate chips, if you are using.

Using a small-size spring-loaded scoop, rinsed in water, place mounds on the parchment line baking sheet about 1-inch apart.

Bake at 325 F  for 18 - 20 minutes  or until slightly golden on top and bottoms are golden brown.

Remove  the baking sheet from  the oven and allow the macaroons to cool on the baking sheet completely before removing them. 

 

 

Once the macaroons are cool, remove them from the baking sheet and dip them in chocolate or just spread the  bottom of each macaroon with melted dark cholate and place them on a tray for the chocolate to harden, (or you can refrigerate them to speed up the process).

 Then turn each macaroon over and place the remaining chocolate in a Ziploc bag and place the bag in a pot of hot water  until chocolate has all melted. Snip one corner with a scissor to make it into a piping bag, then drizzle the tops with the melted chocolate. Set them aside until chocolate has hardened 

 

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Store in a sealed glass container at room temperature.

Makes about 20 cookies