Here is a biscuit recipe using coconut oil where you don’t have to worry about whether the coconut oil will give it too coconutty a taste. These coconut macaroon cookies are all about the coconut.
Half cookie, half macaroon, they are crispy at the edges and chewy in the middle. They’re also very easy to make.
The chocolate drizzle is not at all essential but looks good. For more chocolatey cookies, you can dip the bottoms into a shallow dish of melted chocolate and let them set on some greaseproof paper.
For a lot of people, the whole appeal of a coconut macaroon is that fact that it’s gluten free. Although I generally make these with wheat flour, I have used a gluten free flour blend and it works just as well.
Coconut Macaroon Cookies…
Ingredients
- 70g coconut oil
- 110 g self-raising flour (add 2 tsp finely ground golden flaxseed if using a gluten-free flour blend)
- 60 g caster sugar
- 110 g desiccated coconut
- 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
- 50 g maple syrup
- a few squares of dark non-dairy chocolate (optional)
Method
- Set the oven to 180°C/360°F and line a large cookie sheet with baking parchment (this won’t be necessary if the sheet is non-stick).
- Soften the coconut oil unless it is already at warm room temperature. It should be easily spoonable but not yet turning to liquid.
- Blend the flour (and flaxseed if using) into the oil using a pastry blender or fork until it is thoroughly combined.
- Add the sugar and continue blending until combined.
- Add the coconut and mix until it’s evenly distributed.
- Finally add the maple syrup and vanilla and, using a fork, mix and press together until you have a firm, sticky cookie dough.
- Roll the dough into around 16 balls and place these on the sheet. Don’t flatten them – they will melt into dome shapes in the oven.
- Bake for around 12 minutes, until they are just starting to turn golden at the edges (see photographs). They will taste great if you let them bake further, but will be firmer and have less of a macaroon quality.
- If decorating with chocolate, gently melt this in the microwave in a small bowl, stopping to stir it regularly, until it is runny. Drizzle a half to one teaspoon of chocolate across each cookie. You can do this while they are still warm.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely.
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