Homemade vegan coconut macaroons that are toasty and golden on the outside and sweet, moist, and chewy on the inside. Made with just 4 simple ingredients (plus a tiny pinch of salt) and naturally gluten-free!
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Hey friends it's coconut time!! And it's all squashed up in perfect vegan coconut macaroon form. Not your regular coconut macaroons though, because these are egg-free and come with a refined sugar-free option too.
Regular coconut macaroons are not vegan because they are bound together with egg whites. In this vegan recipe though, I use a combination of coconut milk and cornstarch to bind them. It works incredibly well.
The finished macaroons are so coconutty, and delicious. They are perfectly sweet and moist in the middle and slightly chewy on the outside. You're going to love them!
Mel x
Ingredients
These macaroons are ALL about the coconut! We've got shredded coconut and coconut milk going on, and the option of using coconut sugar too if you want to. If you don't like coconuts, walk away now. These are not for you. But if you do, you're going to love them!
Here is what you need at a glance, along with some important ingredient notes:
- Shredded coconut - This recipe will work with sweetened or unsweetened so use whichever you prefer. Sweetened for an extra sweet macaroon, unsweetened for a not-quite-so-sweet macaroon. The coconut must be finely shredded/desiccated coconut. The coarser shredded coconut with large shredded pieces won't work well and you risk your macaroons falling apart. Let's Do Organic Shredded Coconut is my go-to brand.
- Sugar - White sugar, cane sugar, brown sugar, or coconut sugar. Any of those are fine but bear in mind that the flavour will change with each one. I like to use coconut sugar to keep the coconut theme going and for the lovely golden, toasty colour and caramel flavour it gives the finished macaroons.
- Coconut milk - Canned and full fat not light. The fat helps hold these vegan macaroons together as they cool and it gives them amazing flavour.
- Cornstarch - Acts as glue in this recipe in combination with the coconut milk and replaces the egg whites that would otherwise be used.
- Salt - Just a pinch. It's as important in sweet recipes as it is in savoury ones.
- Optional dairy-free chocolate to dip or drizzle!
What makes this recipe really fantastic is that there are only 4 ingredients (plus a tiny bit of salt) and no special equipment is needed to make them. Just a baking tray, some parchment paper or a Silpat, and an ice cream or cookie scoop if you have one as it makes it easier to shape them.
How Do You Make Vegan Coconut Macaroons?
Here's how to make vegan macaroons step by step:
- Add everything to a mixing bowl, stir together really well then scoop mounds onto a baking tray.
- Bake until golden.
- Leave to cool on the tray.
- Enjoy as they are or drizzle or dip in chocolate.
Important Success Tips
- There are so few ingredients and they are all necessary. CHanging or omitting any of them will affect how the recipe turns out.
- Line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. If you don't, these macaroons will stick to the tray.
- Use finely shredded/desiccated coconut, not the large coarser shreds.
- Use an ice cream scoop or cookie scoop for perfectly domed macaroons.
- Pack the mixture into the scoop really tightly each time so they look neat and tidy and stay together well.
- Don't over-bake as it will dry them out.
- Do not attempt to substitute any ingredients or reduce the amount of sugar. Sugar doesn't just function as a sweetener, it also helps hold them together.
- Ensure your oven temperature is correct. If it is too high the macaroons will probably spread and form one giant flat cookie as they bake.
How To Dip In Chocolate
As lovely as they are plain, they are like OMG over the top if you dip the bottoms in some melted chocolate or drizzle it over the top of them.
Melt some dairy-free chocolate in a bowl over a pan of gently simmering water or gently in the microwave. Then either drizzle the chocolate over each macaroon or dip the bottom of each one into the chocolate and place it on a parchment paper or silicone mat-lined baking tray. Then pop them in the fridge or freezer until the chocolate is set. It will only take a few minutes.
Recipe FAQs
Here you will find frequently asked questions I have received regarding this vegan coconut macaroon recipe:
You need to really pack the mixture into the ice cream scoop when portioning these macaroons out onto the baking tray. If you don't they could crumble. The macaroons can also be crumbly and fall apart if you don't measure the ingredients accurately, change any of the ingredients (even a small change), or if you use the wrong type of shredded coconut. It absolutely has to be finely shredded. The coconut milk also has to be full-fat canned coconut milk.
Nothing. It absolutely has to be full-fat canned coconut milk or the macaroons won't hold together properly.
I have only tested this recipe with cornstarch. Some readers in the comments have used arrowroot and tapioca starch with success but I have not tested it that way so can't personally vouch for it.
No. The sugar isn't just for sweetness. It also helps hold everything together.
Recipe
Vegan Coconut Macaroons
Author:WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Ingredients
- 2 packed cups (180 grams) finely shredded/desiccated coconut , not the larger, coarser shreds
- ½ cup (100 grams) sugar , white sugar, cane sugar, coconut sugar or brown sugar are all fine
- 5 tablespoons (37.5 grams) cornstarch , (cornflour in the UK)
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ cup & 2 tablespoons (150 mls) canned coconut milk , full fat not light
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 325°F (162 °c) and line a baking tray with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- To a medium sized mixing bowl, add the coconut, sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir together really well.
- Be sure to stir your coconut milk well to combine the fatty layer at the top of the can.
- Gradually add the coconut milk, stirring as you go until the mixture is wet enough that you can squeeze it together in your hand and it stays mostly in one piece. You might not need all of the milk.
- With an ice cream scoop or cookie scoop that holds about 2 to 2½ tablespoons, scoop out the mixture, and press it in really tightly with your fingers or the back of a spoon or spatula to compact it. Then dollop it out gently onto the lined baking tray.
- Bake for 25 minutes, then remove from the oven and leave to cool on the tray. Don't try to move them because they need time to set and will be too fragile.
- Optional - See recipe notes for how to dip in chocolate.
NOTES
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Hilary says
I love this recipe. I make it every year. Several times. Not just for Passover. Easy and delicious. Limited ingredients. Perfect. Thank you.