Coconut Macaroons With Chocolate
Coconut Macaroon Cookies
Every year I have to make three or four batches of these cookies because not only does everyone enjoy them but I also put them into homemade baked gift packages for neighbors and friends. They are great to take along when visiting people at Christmastime as well.
One thing I do like about coconut macaroons is that they can be made in October or November and frozen. Simply let them cool after coming out of the oven, wrap well and freeze. To defrost just set them on the counter.
Cook Time includes one hour chilling time
My sister in law gave me this recipe years ago when we first met and I've been making these cookies ever since.
Ingredients for Coconut Macaroon Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup of butter or margarine, softened at room temperature
- 3 ounces of cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 3/4 cup of sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp. of almond extract
- 2 tsp. of orange juice
- 1 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. of baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. of salt
- 4 cups of flaked coconut, divided 3 cups and 1 cup
- chocolate chips, (optional)
- maraschino cherries red, green, or both, cut into halves (optional)
Step by Step Photo Instructions
Click thumbnail to view full-sizeInstructions
- In a medium size mixing bowl cream butter, cream cheese, and butter together until fluffy. This can be done by hand but to get a fluffier texture I recommend using an electric mixer.
- Add egg yolk, almond extract orange juice, sugar, and beat well.
- In a smaller bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add this to the creamed mixture and mix well. Add 3 of the 4 cups of coconut and stir well.
- Cover the bowl tightly with saran wrap and refrigerate for one hour. This is to make the dough easier to work with.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. For these cookies you don't need to grease a baking sheet, which is always nice. But I do recommend if you're using a dark colored cookie or baking sheet to use parchment paper. This way they'll be less likely to cook too much on the bottoms.
- With a teaspoon scoop out dough and roll into approximately a 1" ball. Roll the ball in the remaining coconut and place onto the cookie sheet.
- Once you have a cookie sheet full place into the oven for ten minutes.
- As soon as you take the coconut macaroons out of the oven press the chocolate chips into the cookie. If using cherries gently push them into the center of the cookie. Let the cookies cool for a minute then remove and let them cool on a wire rack.
- ENJOY!
Sound Good? Please rate my recipe.
Coconut Macaroon Tips
- To cut back on the sugar in these cookies you can use unsweetened coconut and omit the chocolate all together.
- The coconut macaroons can also be drizzled with melted bakers semi-sweet chocolate or you can also dip the baked cookie and totally coat it with chocolate.
- Be sure to hide some of your cookies if you happen to live with a cookie monster as they do disappear fast.
Christmas Baking
Do you bake at Christmastime?
A Fun Way to Separate the White from the Yolk
© 2012 Susan Zutautas