Start Baking!
I treasure a good coconut macaroon and haven’t had one in years… until today. My preschooler asked for cookies, and the idea came to me as I scrambled to brainstorm something healthier than chocolate chip cookies. Therefore, we set forth on a quest for vegan macaroon cookies while my younger son napped.
I love (spoil?) these kids. We tried one recipe online via Minimalist Baker (which is usually a good resource for recipes), but the dough refused to come together, so we added coconut oil, chia, extra maple syrup, and extra vanilla directly into the dough. Can you guess which of those ingredients was my son’s suggestion? Smart kid.
These came together quickly, and the whole recipe was prepared and baked in half an hour. Considering these are only sweetened by maple syrup, this recipe is a keeper. They aren’t as sticky and flexible as the condensed milk and egg- filled version either. I feel like that’s honestly a good thing! They are more like the filling in Mounds candies.
So yummy!
To start, you will need a food processor and baking sheet. A cookie scoop and silicone baking mat are optional.
You will also need:
- 3 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ Tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tbsp chia seed (I use whole seeds because I don’t mind the look or texture. Milled chia seed would be more inconspicuous)
- 4-5 Tbsp maple syrup as needed for consistency or desired sweetness
- 3 tbsp to ½ cup of vegan chocolate depending on whether it is used to drizzle or dip (we use enjoy life or no whey chocolate brands) See my review of No Whey Foods’ Chocolate here: https://multipleallergyfamily.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=145&action=edit
Preparing the macaroons:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C)
- Combine the shredded coconut, vanilla, and coconut oil in a food processor.
- Add the chia seed and combine. Add 4 tbsp of the maple syrup and process for roughly 3 minutes or more if needed. You should be able to scoop a piece. It shouldn’t fall apart easily or be overly crumbly.
- If needed, add more maple syrup to achieve a cookie dough-like consistency, and process further.
- Transfer the cookie dough to a bowl. If you prefer more texture in your cookies, add in extra shredded coconut at this point by hand.
- Scoop nuggets of dough about 1½ tablespoons in size onto a silicone baking mat on a cookie sheet (or greased cookie sheet)
- bake 12 minutes (8-10 minutes if not using a silicone sheet) or until golden on the edges.
- Once the cookies have cooled, melt chocolate in a double boiler or in a bowl in the microwave (at 30 second intervals). Drizzle onto macaroons or dip them into chocolate.
Please feel free to share the recipe! I just ask that you give credit 😉