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I found the perfect Coconut Macaroon Cookies Recipe – they’re made with sweetened condensed milk without eggs! They’re soft and chewy and have so much coconut flavor. This is my absolute favorite macaroon recipe and the only one I make!
I’ve tried so many macaroon cookie recipes and not liked any of them; I’ve probably made 100 macaroons over the last few years! Most ended up not being what I was looking for…until I found this recipe. These are a game changer: 5 ingredient Macaroon Cookies that are super easy to make and egg free. They’re delicious with or without that chocolate dip.
These are the perfect cookie for beginners because they’re practically no fail. Most macaroon recipes use egg whites, which can be temperamental and dry out quickly. This recipe uses Sweetened Condensed Milk as the magic binder. Because condensed milk is a thick, sugar-saturated reduction, it acts like a flexible candy coating that keeps the coconut shreds moist while creating a professional, chewy bite that egg-based versions can’t match.
Essential Macaroon Cookies Ingredients
- Sweetened flaked coconut (or shredded coconut) are the base of this recipe. You need 5 full cups of coconut. If you under-measure the cookies will spread into a sticky mess rather than holding their “mound” shape. This is why using a kitchen scale is so helpful: 5 cups of sweetened shredded coconut is 402 grams.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk is the magic that makes these cookies hold together without egg whites and sugar. You just have to stir the sweetened condensed milk with the coconut in a large bowl (along with some vanilla extract and salt) and you have your cookie dough.
- Use only regular sweetened condensed milk (not fat-free). Fat-Free is thinner due to missing the fat and can cause your macaroons to be runny and not firm up.
- Be sure to not accidentally use evaporated milk (it’s in a similar can in a similar spot in the store, so read the label carefully).
- Flour is the secret anchor that prevents the condensed milk from leaking out of the cookies. You MUST use 1/2 cup flour for success. Good news: you can use gluten free 1:1 all-purpose flour for gluten free macaroon cookies.
- Bake these on a lined baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mats – this is a MUST. Otherwise the sugar in the milk will essentially glue the cookies to the bare pan.
Click to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions. See below the recipe card for even more information: process shots, variations, FAQ and more.
Dorothy’s Expert Tips for Macaroons
- I like to make large 2-tablespoon size macaroons but you can make them smaller as well (or larger, or make them into a macaroon pie crust).
- To get that perfect bakery look, use my Wet Finger Hack. Before sliding the tray into the oven, dip your fingers in water and gently press down any ‘coconut tails’ or loose shreds sticking out from the mounds. These thin pieces have a high surface-area-to-sugar ratio and will burn long before the rest of the cookie is done; tucking them in ensures a perfectly golden finish every time.
- You can make Gluten-Free Macaroons by swapping 1:1 Gluten Free AP flour (i.e. Bob’s Red Mill).
- You’ll bake them until they’re light golden on the bottoms. Depending on your oven, this will take about 11 minutes. They’ll be less wet looking on top, no longer wet to the touch (just a bit tacky). Don’t over bake or they’ll be tough (not chewy).
- Be sure to let cookies cool before you dip the bottoms in chocolate.
Coconut Macaroon Cookies Recipe
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup (82g) flour
- 5 ½ cups (402g) shredded sweetened coconut
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 14 ounce can (396g) sweetened condensed milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 4 ounces (113g) white or semi-sweet baking chocolate or a combination of both or almond bark
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpat baking mats.
- Stir flour, coconut, and salt. Stir in sweetened condensed milk and both extracts. Stir until combined.
- Drop 2 tablespoon balls of dough onto the prepared cookie sheets. These do not spread so you can crowd them close together. Wet your hands slightly and push down any sticking up or out single pieces of coconut as these might burn.
- Bake for about 11 minutes, until the bottoms are golden and the tops start to turn the tiniest bit golden. Cool completely before eating or dipping.
- To dip: melt chocolate according to package directions. I like to melt my chocolate on 50% power in 30 second increments, stirring after each, until it’s melted and smooth. Add a teaspoon of vegetable oil or crisco if needed to get it to melt smoother. Dip the bottoms or tops of each macaroon in chocolate. Let dry.
Recipe Notes
- I like to make large 2-tablespoon size macaroons but you can make them smaller as well.
- Wet your fingers and press in any little coconut tails sticking out of the cookie balls, those will burn.
- Use 1:1 Gluten Free AP flour for gluten-free macaroons.
- Store in an airtight container for several days or freeze for several months.
Recipe Nutrition
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How to Dip Macaroons in Chocolate
Dipping in melted chocolate is completely optional! These taste great plain, but I love jazzing them up.
- I like to melt chocolate in a disposable Dixie brand bowl. The bowls can be microwaved and makes cleanup a breeze.
- Use baking chocolate NOT chocolate chips. Baking chocolate melts better and hardens better (chocolate chips have additional ingredients that can make them cloudy after melting).
- Use white baking chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate or milk.
- When melting chocolate, add a teaspoon of oil to help it melt it evenly. Adding oil (or a bit of shortening) is also vital for snap and shine, preventing the chocolate from looking dull once set.
- Cover a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper (or your silpat liners) to place your dipped cookies on.
- Want a more traditional cookie? Try my coconut cookie recipe!
Macaroon Cookies Step-by-Step
How to Make Macaroon Cookies Step-by-Step
- Add all ingredients to a large bowl and stir until combined. Mixture will be thick.
- Scoop desired size cookies onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment or silicone.
- Wet your finger and push in any tails.
- Bake at 350°F for about 11 minutes. Cool, then dip in chocolate if desired.
FAQs
A coconut macaroon is a chewy, mounded cookie made primarily of shredded coconut and a binder like sweetened condensed milk or egg whites.
Yes! Simply substitute the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 Gluten-Free all-purpose flour blend to make these 100% gluten-free.
Spreading usually happens if the coconut wasn’t measured correctly or if the sweetened condensed milk was too thin. Be sure to use 5 full cups of coconut to maintain the structure.
Not with this recipe! Sweetened condensed milk acts as the binding agent, providing a fudgier, more consistent texture than traditional egg whites.
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months for a quick coconut fix later.
Mine spread like cookies, what did i do wrong? came a bit undone on the top but edges started to golden
Chances are there wasn’t enough coconut used – what kind of coconut did you use?
Made these macaroons twice, and both times the cookies came out great and both times they were a big hit with everyone. I used melted chocolate chips without a problem and the dark chocolate made it taste like a Mounds bar.
Can i make this with regular shredded coconut (unsweetened)?
Can you just use self rising flour. And leave out the salt?
Self rising flour also has baking powder, so I’m not sure what that will do to these.
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