Growing up I couldn’t stand coconut. I didn’t like the texture and when I ate it, I felt like I was eating sunscreen. The only thing I liked that had coconut in it were the Samoa Girl Scout cookies. Those were heavenly. But other than that, coconut was yuck in my book. I avoided it like the plague.
The Chef and I took our nieces to a little bakery in our town that are known for their amazing treats. We told them they could pick any goodie they wanted, and my middle niece picked a coconut macaroon hand-dipped in dark chocolate. I looked at her with a skeptical look on my face and simply asked “are you suuuure?” She replied confidently “Yes”.
Little did I know that my mind was about to be blown.
I asked for a bite, and when I sunk my teeth into that disk of bliss, I immediately regretted never going outside my comfort zone and trying this months ago. It tasted almost exactly like the cookie of my childhood. The beloved Samoa’s.
I found out that those cookies, from that bakery, got a nickname- Crackaroons. Because you literally can’t stop eating them, or stop thinking about them when you’re not eating them. I knew that I couldn’t live without these.
Coconut macaroon’s had gotten a bad rap in my book. They look dry on the exterior. I felt like it would be eating little bit of plastic confetti. Non-degradeable substance rolling around and getting stuck in the crevices between my lips and gums.
In reality, when made correctly, they are moist and the essence of caramel and a reminder of tropical beaches in every bite. Who wouldn’t love that?
Also, they’re gluten-free!! So if you have a GF friend, these are a great option to make for a get together. They’re going to love it. (Believe me, my friend who has Celiac couldn’t stop eating them. Which made me excited!)
I went out in search for the best recipes and kind of punched some together.
14 oz. can of Sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp Vanilla
14 oz Shredded Coconut- Sweetened
2 Egg whites
1/2 tsp Salt- I used kosher
Semi-sweet chocolate chips for dipping – *optional*
Preheat the oven to 325˚F. Line cookie sheets with either parchment paper or sil-pat. Set aside.
Mix together everything but the eggs and salt. Mix together until well incorporated. Whip the egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form. This gives the cookies a little fluffiness. Gently fold the foam into the coconut mixture.
Drop a spoonful of “dough” onto the cookie sheet. Space them a couple inches apart because they do spread out a little. Bake until the top part is starting to turn golden brown. This will depend on how big your cookies are. Try 7 minutes and go from there. *Side note: I flattened half of the cookie’s to see if it made a difference in baking/texture/moisture when they were flatter. End result, they were both good. It didn’t make that much difference.*
While the cookies are cooling, melt the chocolate in either a double broiler, or melt in the microwave. Don’t let the chocolate get too hot because then it won’t completely set up.
Dip half the cookie into the chocolate and set on the parchment paper again, or a cooling rack. It’ll take a few minutes until the chocolate harden’s completely.
So my thought’s on these cookies. They were suuuper good, but I am going to try to tweak the recipe. I feel like it didn’t have the full carmel flavor that that the “crackaroon’s” have. I don’t know if it’s a saltiness factor, if they add in brown sugar, or what. But while these are perfectly fine, I know that what I’m looking for and will continue on my quest for my own “crackaroon’s” from home.
To be continued….
-The Wife
everybodylovespretty says
I have always loved coconut. These look so scrumptious!! I live that they are dipped in chocolate
The Everyday Chef and Wife says
They are so good dipped in chocolate. Thanks for visiting! Come back often for more yummy recipes! And let us know if you try any!!