Peppermint Macaroons
Make these super easy Peppermint Macaroons to take to your next Christmas party or cookie exchange! Made with only six simple ingredients, you can whip these up in no time! Dip them in festive candy melts or chocolate for a truly special treat! They are gluten-free and dairy-free--unless you dip them in chocolate!
Make these super easy Peppermint Macaroons to take to your next Christmas party or cookie exchange! Made with only six simple ingredients, you can whip these up in no time! Dip them in festive candy melts or chocolate for a truly special treat! They are gluten-free and dairy-free--unless you dip them in chocolate!
- Carbohydrate 0.198945 g
- Cholesterol 2.2425 mg
- Fat 0.86220225 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0.80879475 g
- Saturated Fat 0.496260375 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (11g)
- Sodium 14.4249 mg
- Sugar 0.198945 g
- Trans Fat 0.111129975 g
- Calories 12 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
- Chop your coconut in a food processor by pulsing it several times.
- Add the granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Pulse until sugar is incorporated.
- Add the egg whites and pulse until the mixture comes together. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the food processor as necessary. Mixture will be very sticky.
- Using a large cookie scoop, firmly pack the coconut mixture and place on a parchment or silicone-lined cookie sheet.
- Bake for 18-21 minutes until bottoms and tops begin to brown slightly.
- Remove from the oven and let rest on the cookie sheets for about 15 minutes, until cookies become more firm. Then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
- Once cookies are cooled, dip the bottoms in melted chocolate and place on parchment paper to let the chocolate harden up. To drizzle chocolate over the top, cut a small hole in the corner of a plastic sandwich bag. Put melted chocolate in the bag and gently squeeze it out of the hole.
Processing the Coconut
Pulsing the sweetened shredded coconut in a food processor before adding moisture breaks down the long fibers, creating a cohesive base that holds its shape during baking. Fresh coconut contains higher moisture levels than dried varieties, requiring more careful monitoring in the oven to prevent scorching, whereas desiccated bags absorb liquid differently and yield a denser crumb. Scrape the bowl frequently with a silicone spatula to guarantee even incorporation of the granulated sugar and peppermint extract.Judging Doneness Visually
Baking at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 18 to 21 minutes requires watching the color transition rather than relying strictly on timers. Pull the baking sheet from the oven exactly when the bottom edges and the tips of the shredded coconut show a light golden brown hue. Leaving them in longer will turn the delicate egg whites bitter, while removing them too early results in a structural collapse upon cooling.Cooling and Dipping Mechanics
Resting the baked cookies directly on the parchment-lined sheet for 15 minutes allows residual heat to set the interior starches without breaking the fragile exterior. Transfer them to a wire rack only after this initial phase finishes. Dip the cooled bases into tempered white or dark chocolate, then set them on fresh parchment paper until the coating solidifies completely at room temperature.
