Christmas Coconut Macaroons Recipe
This simple and sweet Christmas coconut macaroons recipe makes a festive favourite that is lovely to gift or serve to guests over the holidays. With a twist on the shape, it can create a bit of fun on your Christmas cookie plate.
By Jen Curcio
Christmas Coconut Macaroons Recipe
Makes about 22 coconut macaroons
1 egg white
66g powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting
116g dried coconut plus extra for binding
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 tsp lemon zest
In a medium sized bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the egg white until stiff
Gradually add in the powdered sugar, and continue beating with your mixer until the powdered sugar and egg whites have mixed through
By hand using a spoon, stir the vanilla essence and lemon zest until combined. At this stage have a look at the mixture. Depending on the size of your egg white, if your mixture doesn’t look firm, it may require some additional coconut. You may able to see this right away but to test, simply see how the mixture is shaping when you mix it with your spoon. Ideally it should easily stick to your spoon. If not, add about 5 – 10g of coconut at a time to the main mixture until you have the required consistency.
Preheat your oven to 150° and line an oven tray with baking paper
Next shape the coconut macaroons.* (see notes) I make a combination of the traditional round coconut macaroons, and also a small tree shaped macaroon for Christmas – both shaped from a roughly heaped teaspoon of the mixture. Decide on your shape, and measuring out a heaped teaspoon for each macaroon, shape and place on the lined oven tray.
Round Christmas Coconut Macaroons
Bake for 15 minutes or until just turning golden. As oven temperatures can vary, do check on the macaroons around the 12-13 minute mark to ensure they aren’t browning too quickly.
Once the macaroons have completely cooled, serve the round macaroons as they are, and for the ‘trees’, dust them in a little scattering of ‘snow’ (powdered sugar) as per the photos. This part is quite enjoyable for the little ones to partake in.
The triangular or ‘tree’ shaped Christmas Coconut Macaroons with ‘snow’
*Notes: When shaping your coconut macaroons, I find it helpful having a small bowl filled with room temperature water on hand. Before shaping each macaroon, I dip my ‘rolling fingers’ ever so briefly and lightly into the water. This helps me shape the macaroons without the mixture sticking to my hands.
Due to the shape of the ‘trees’/triangular version, the tips will darken earlier than the rest of the macaroon but the powdered sugar will help cover it.
