Recipe: Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons

For a lot of New Yorkers, macaroons are more associated with early fall and Rosh Hashanah than as a springtime snack, but this year’s Memorial Day happens to coincide with National Macaroon Day! To celebrate, Head Chef Andrew Werblin is dishing out his recipe for macaroons as an unexpected—but wholly welcome—dessert for your Memorial Day table.

Not to be confused with macarons, a delicate French sandwich cookie made with aged egg whites and lots of patience, these sweet coconut treats dipped in chocolate only take a little bit more time to make than your standard chocolate chip cookie, but we’re pretty sure they’ll vanish way quicker.

Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients

• 1 14-oz bag sweetened flaked coconut
• 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped or chips

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Set two oven racks near the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the coconut, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form. Use a large rubber spatula to fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.
• Using a mini ice cream scoop or two spoons, form heaping tablespoons of the mixture into mounds on the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart. Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back, until the tops and edges are golden. Let cool on the pans for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water. Dip the bottoms of the macaroons in the chocolate, letting any excess drip back into the bowl, and return to the lined baking sheets. Place the macaroons in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to allow the chocolate to set.