Coconut Almond Macaroons

Why This Coconut Almond Macaroons Works

In the bowl, the dry coconut and almond flour soak up the frothy egg whites. Sugar pulls a bit of moisture from the egg whites, so the mixture starts out sticky but not runny. As everything is folded together, the coconut and almond flour cling to the egg whites, so each scoop holds its shape on the baking sheet instead of spreading flat.

In the oven, the heat slowly sets the egg whites. They firm up and lock the coconut and almond flour in place, so the macaroons stay chewy inside. At the same time, the sugar melts and then firms back up as it cools, which gives the outside a light crust. Around the edges, the coconut and sliced almonds toast and turn golden, so the outside becomes a little crisp while the centers stay soft. Once they cool on the rack, the structure settles and the macaroons hold together when picked up instead of crumbling.

Mistakes To Avoid

Overbaking at this low temperature easily dries these out. The outside turns hard and almost crunchy, while the inside loses its soft, chewy center and starts to feel chalky from the almond flour. The coconut can also brown too much, giving the cookies a slightly burnt, bitter edge.

Skipping the step of whisking the egg whites until frothy leaves the mixture heavy and uneven. The batter then sits dense in some spots and wet in others, so the macaroons spread flat instead of holding a little mound shape. They bake up gummy in the center instead of light and slightly airy.

Adding the chocolate chips while the egg whites are still warm from whisking over a hot surface can cause the chips to melt into the batter. The mixture then turns streaky and looser, so the scoops don’t hold their shape and can bake into messy puddles instead of neat clusters.

Packing the scoops too tightly or making them very large means the outside browns before the middle sets. The result is macaroons that look done on the tray but stay wet and undercooked inside, breaking apart when lifted.