Almond Joy Macaroon Cookies are a true delight. Lightly sweetened with chopped almonds and chocolate chips, these treats are nearly impossible to resist. Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, they will quickly disappear as if by magic!
Desiccated coconut is unsweetened and dried, very different from regular sweetened coconut. They are not interchangeable in recipes. If a recipe just calls for “coconut” it is most often sweetened coconut.
Sweetened coconut is moistened which makes these Almond Joy Macaroon Cookies have too much liquid in them and it leeches out, creating a ring of caramelized sugar. Unsweetened coconut gives you the perfect balance of liquid and sweeteners.
Be sure to bake these cookies long enough to cook through completely so you don’t have raw egg whites in the centers. Using a small cookie scoop helps the cookies cook thoroughly. I like to get a deep golden color on the outside and know that the centers will be cooked to perfection.
I have made a version of this recipe for years and they are always the most popular dessert on the buffet. This recipe comes from The Baker’s Dozen Cookbook, a compilation of recipes from the extremely talented members of the San Francisco Baker’s Dozen.
The Baker’s Dozen is an incredible group of the finest bakers in the San Francisco Bay Area and is a bit intimidating because you never know who you may be sitting next to. I have had the pleasure of being a member for many years. This book is remarkable and would be a great addition to your culinary library!
With only 8 ingredients, these cookies are easy and quick to put together. And I think they are even better on the second day so you can make them ahead! I hope you try these Almond Joy Macaroon Cookies and enjoy every single bite! It is almost impossible to eat only one, LOL.
Have a wonderful week and Happy Chocolate Monday!
If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!
Just 8 Ingredients needed for Almond Joy Macaroon Cookies:
- Unsweetened desiccated coconut, almonds, sugar, egg whites
- Mini dark chocolate chips, light corn syrup, vanilla, salt
PRO Tip:
Be sure you use unsweetened (desiccated) coconut and NOT sweetened coconut. Sweetened coconut is moist which makes the cookies have too much liquid in them and it leeches out, creating a ring of caramelized sugar. Unsweetened coconut gives you the perfect balance of liquid and sweeteners.
How to make Almond Joy Macaroon Cookies:
- Stir together the coconut, almonds, and mini chocolate chips in a large bowl and set aside.
- Combine the sugar, egg whites, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stirring constantly, heat over low heat just until about 100°F to 105°F (38°C to 41°C). Pour over the coconut mixture and mix well with a spatula until evenly moistened.
- Drop by rounded tablespoons onto parchment or Silpat-lined baking sheets using a small cookie scoop about 2-inches (5 cm) apart. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for about 17 minutes, spinning and swapping the trays halfway through. I prefer to bake one tray at a time for more control.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. If desired, melt extra chocolate in the microwave (in short bursts, stirring after each heating) and drizzle over the tops of the cookies. Set aside to let the chocolate set up before serving.
PRO Tip:
Using a small cookie scoop (a little less than 1 tbsp) makes these cookies so easy and quick to make. You can have a pan portioned and ready for the oven in no time. This is a sticky dough and a scoop keeps your hands clean and makes all your cookies the same size which bake evenly.
PRO Tip:
Because you are making small cookies, be sure to use mini chocolate chips so the cookies hold together. When you stir in the melted sugar/egg white mixture, they will melt into the dough so you will get a mottled look which is fun. Just keep stirring with a spatula until all the dry coconut is moistened.
Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):
- Kitchen scale
- Chef’s knife
- Instant read thermometer
- Baking sheet pans
- Parchment paper sheets
- Cookie scoop
Gluten-Free Tips:
*You can adjust any baking recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of gluten-free flour, whisk the mix, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup until mounded, level off the top with the back of a knife, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial blends such as Pamela’s All-Purpose Artisan Blend, Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good choices.
You will get the best results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Almond Joy Macaroon Cookies (GF/DF)
Almond Joy Macaroon Cookies are a true delight. Lightly sweetened with chopped almonds and chocolate chips, these treats are nearly impossible to resist. Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, they will quickly disappear as if by magic!
Ingredients
- 4 cups (10 oz; 340g) unsweetened desiccated coconut
- 1-1/4 cups (5 oz; 143g) slivered almonds, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup (177g) mini semisweet chocolate chips
- 1-1/2 cups (297g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (177 ml; 210g) egg whites (from about 6 large eggs)
- 4 tbsp light corn syrup
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- Extra chocolate chips for decorating or melted and drizzled, optional
Instructions
- Position racks in the center and top third of the oven and preheat to 350°F (177°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Combine the coconut, chopped almonds, and chocolate chips in a large heatproof bowl and set aside.
- Combine the sugar, egg whites, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt in a heavy-bottomed small saucepan. Stirring constantly, heat over low heat until the sugar is fully dissolved and just hot to the touch (about 100°F to 105°F; 38°C to 41°C on an instant read thermometer).
- Pour this mixture over the coconut, almonds, and chocolate chips and mix well with a spatula until evenly moistened. Most of the chocolate will melt into the coconut and that is fine. You will wind up with mottled cookie dough. Mix it until there is no dry coconut in the bowl.
- Drop by tablespoons using a cookie scoop onto the prepared sheets, spacing them about 1-inch (3 cm) apart. Use wet fingers to help form the cookies into mounds and coax stray edges toward the center. I got about 16 to a tray. For more control, bake one tray at a time.
- Bake, swap the position of the sheets from top to bottom and spin back to front halfway through baking, until golden brown, about 15 to 17 minutes. Leave on the pan for a few minutes and then transfer to wire cooling racks and cool completely.
- If desired, melt extra chocolate in the microwave and drizzle over the tops of the cookies. Set aside to let the chocolate drizzle firm up before serving.
- The cookies can be stored at room temperature in airtight containers for up to 1 week.
Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com
Notes
You will get the best results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Adapted from a recipe in The Baker’s Dozen Cookbook.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
72Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 32Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 19mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 0g
The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.
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