Cherry Kissed Coconut Macaroons

Cherry Kissed Coconut Macaroons are one of my very favorite cookies. They’re a spin on my classic coconut macaroon recipe with fresh sweet cherries in the center for Valentine’s Day… Or spring. Or tonight.

I love coconut macaroons.

Seriously, if there was only one cookie recipe on earth, I would want it to be a macaroon recipe.

Crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, with shreds of sweet coconut and a light airy texture.

No other cookie compares to coconut macaroons, texturally.

And NO… I don’t want to hear any arguments on the matter. *wink*

We use this macaroon recipe to make all sorts of variations through out the year:  chocolate drizzled, macaroons with sprinkles, “turtle” coconut macaroons, but this simple version, Cherry Kissed Coconut Macaroons, with a fresh cherry tucked down in the cookie is my favorite.

When you bite into the cookie, tangy pink juice runs down the side, saturating the coconut shreds. I’ll admit, it’s a little pleasure, but truly magical.

I left a little piece of myself in the photo. See my legs?

The key to a really good coconut macaroon recipe is to whip the egg whites into firm peaks before adding the rest of the ingredients. You may have seen that terminology in other recipes and wondered what it means.

You’ve got “firm peaks” when you’ve whipped the egg whites into a meringue, forming points that don’t move when you lift the whisk out of the bowl. Like this…

Then simple fold in the rest of the ingredients, gently, so you don’t break the meringue.

Another secret to my macaroon recipe is that I always add a little bit of almond flour for extra flavor and texture. This addition isn’t necessary, but it really makes these coconut macaroons stand out in flavor.

Finally press a fresh cherry into the center of each cookie and bake until golden.

You have now entered cookie euphoria.

Enjoy!

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Cherry Kissed Coconut Macaroons

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Cherry Kissed Coconut Macaroons are a Valentine's Day spin on my classic coconut macaroon recipe with fresh sweet cherries in the center.

Servings: 30 cookies

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

• 14 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
• 7 ounces sweetened condensed milk half a can
• 3 egg whites at room temperature
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 30 fresh cherries

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Whip until soft and foamy, then add the sugar and vanilla, and whip until firm peaks are formed.
• Gently fold in the sweetened condensed milk, salt, almond flour, and shredded coconut. Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, place mounds of the coconut mixture on the cookie sheets, 2 inches apart. Then gently press a fresh cherry in the center of each mound. **I left the pits in, but you could surgically remove them from the bottom, or use maraschino cherries if you prefer.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before moving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 108kcal, Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 87mg, Potassium: 94mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 25IU, Vitamin C: 0.8mg, Calcium: 26mg, Iron: 0.4mg

Course: Cookies

Cuisine: American

Author: Sommer Collier

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