This recipe for coconut & lemon macaroons is so simple, anyone can do it. And let me tell you… they are gooooood. When I make these macaroons for guests or as a present, they go fast. There are often none left by the time I have poured the tea! But I don’t mind, that’s why I always keep one or two aside for me (shhh, don’t tell anyone or they will take those too!).
These coconut & lemon macaroons are quick to make- the prep time is just about 20 minutes. Creating fancy shapes will take longer, but if you go with a plainer look (which is the original style anyway) they are done in a jiffy. They make a more-ish accompaniment to your cup of tea or coffee, are great in school lunchboxes, as a snack, a dessert, or make up a box of them as a gift.
If you don’t like lemon, you can replace it with lime or orange zest. Or ditch the citrus altogether and go for a small dash of vanilla extract- try it and see which version you like best. This recipe makes 10-12 macaroons, depending on the size you make them. If you make them bigger, they need a bit longer in the oven. They are done when they have a nice golden colour.
In order to have the macaroons keep a nice round shape, be mindful that the batter needs to be thick. Ideally, the shapes you make should hold together during cooking. If you feel your batter is too thin, add more coconut or choose a finer grated coconut. Personally, I use two types of dried coconut. One is coarsely grated and the other is more fine. The more finely grated coconut helps the biscuits keep their shape, and the course is because of the texture. I like the macaroons to be a bit chewy.
Gather all the ingredients and separate the egg yolk from the egg white. Save the yolks for another recipe.
Whisk the egg whites together with the sugar, lemon zest and dried grated coconut
Mould the batter into your desired shape. I chose a round measuring tablespoon, as it made somewhat even sizes. But you can also use a small ice-cream scoop or just 2 tablespoons and make “blobs’.
Let them cool before tasting. They should be golden and a little crispy on the outside and soft and chewy in the centre.
Beautiful coconut & lemon macaroons. Enjoy!
Coconut & Lemon Macaroons
Equipment
- Small bowl
- Large Bowl
- Spoon
- whisk
- Grate
- Measuring spoon (optional)
- baking paper
Ingredients
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 pinch salt
- 100 grams dried grated coconut (About 50-50 fine and coursely grated)
- 100 grams Fine (caster) sugar (The lighter color sugars work best in this recipe. Like a light cane sugar or plain white sugar. If you use a brown sugar, like coconut sugar, the color of the macaroons will go brown too)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven (convection) to 200 degrees celsius
- Separate the eggs. Save the egg yolks for another recipe
- Whisk the egg whites until a bit foamy
- Add the sugar and whisk until the sugar has incorporated with the egg whites. The colour should remain white, there should be small bubbles & a runny consistency
- Add the salt, lemon zest and dried grated coconut and stir together well. You should have a thick batter that holds its shape. If it is not thick enough the macaroons will not hold their shape. So add more coconut, one tablespoon at a time, until the batter is thick enough.
- Line a baking sheet with baking paper
- Form the batter into your desired shape, but don't press or push down too much, as the batter needs to retain air. A bit of pressure when shaping is totally fine, just don't press the batter really hard.
- I chose the round measuring tablespoon I had to make macaroons of an even size. But you can also use a small ice-cream scoop or 2 tablespoons and make beautifully rustic "blobs'.
- Lay them on the baking sheet with some space in between. They will puff up a little bit during cooking.
- Bake for about 13-18 minutes, or until golden. Enjoy!
