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These Easy Coconut Macaroons Are Honestly Soooo Easy!
Looking for a simple holiday baked good that is really easy to make? These easy coconut macaroons – called Kokosmakronen in German – are made with only 4 ingredients!
Loaded with fresh shredded coconut, sugar, whipped egg whites, and vanilla extract, these chewy coconut macaroons are perfectly sweet and lightly crispy on the outside.
Along with other classic German holiday cookies, these coconut macaroons do not last long on any dessert plate!
It’s no secret that coconut macaroons are enjoyed all over Europe.
This iteration of macaroon is said to originally come from Italy but coconut macaroons have been popular in Germany and Austria for centuries now.
Looking for more holiday treats? Try our Stollen, German gingerbread cookies, and Pfeffernüsse or browse other European Christmas cookie recipes!
In Germany, they are called Kokosmakronen and Lisa grew up eating them at her grandparents’ house during Christmas time.
They have a slightly different name in Austria where they are called Kokosbusserl – literally translated to “coconut kisses”!
Whatever you call them, with this easy coconut macaroon recipe you can make delicious treats in no time.
Of course, there are other coconut macaroon recipe variations out there. Some recipes include condensed milk while others incorporate other flavors and aromas like almond extract.
Our macaroons are fragrant with vanilla and coconut – and we think they are perfect this way!
If you like, you can even drizzle semi-sweet melted chocolate on the top after baking for added design and complimentary chocolate taste.
How to Make Easy Coconut Macaroons
If you’re planning to make coconut macaroons (for the holidays or just for your own delightful consumption) then you can check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
In case you’d like to follow along with process photos – because you want to see the steps as you go – then you can check out the coconut macaroon process shots right below!
Start by separating your eggs and add the egg whites to a medium-sized mixing bowls.
Set the egg yolks aside. You can use them for a different recipe such as homemade German Egg Liqueur.
Beat the egg whites with the normal beaters of your electric mixer until stiff.
You can tell that the egg white is stiff enough in two ways:
- The egg white doesn’t slide when you turn your bowl upside down.
- You raise your beaters out of the eggwhites and “small mountains” form and stay (see photo above).
In a separate bowl, mix the shredded coconut with sugar and give it a stir with a spoon.
Alternatively, you can also use already sweetened shredded coconut. In that case you’d have to reduce the amount of sugar you use – or not add any sugar at all (depending on how sweet the shredded coconut is).
Add the vanilla extract to the bowl with the egg whites for additional flavor.
Then slowly fold in the coconut-sugar mixture into the egg whites using a spatula.
It’s important that you are gently here since you don’t want the egg whites to deflate.
We like using a spiral motion to carefully fold in the coconut mixture until everything is well combined.
Now preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and also line your baking sheet(s) with parchment paper.
You can either use two spoons or a piping bag with a wide tip to form the cookies. We usually like using two small spoons since it is the easiest.
Use approximately one teaspoon of dough per coconut macaroon. Don’t flatten the dough with your spoon – we don’t want the coconut macaroons to be flat cookies.
Space out the coconut macaroons slightly on your parchment paper since they will increase in size a tiny bit.
Bake them on the middle rack of your oven for approximately 20 minutes until they are slightly brown (see photo below for reference).
Once they are done baking, remove them from the oven and gently place them on a cooling rack to fully cool.
As we’ve mentioned above, you could drizzle the cooled coconut macaroons with melted chocolate for extra flavor.
Troubleshooting
If your coconut macaroons flattened in the oven it is most likely because you didn’t beat the egg whites enough or because you folded the egg whites too aggressively.
Another reason might be that your bowl or beaters from your mixer were oily or that some of the egg yolk landed in the egg whites when separating the eggs.
Both of these things make it more difficult for the egg white to get really stiff. And that’s important for the coconut macaroons to turn out light and airy.
Storage Tips for Coconut Macaroons
Store your coconut macaroons in container with a lid such as a cookie tin and in a cool and dry place (e.g. your garage or basem*nt). We don’t recommend storing them in the fridge!
This way your coconut macaroons won’t dry out and you can enjoy them for around two weeks.
Easy Coconut Macaroons
These four-ingredient coconut macaroons couldn't be more simple! Loaded with flakey shredded coconut, these light and sweet macaroons are perfectly crispy on the outside and deliciously chewy on the inside!
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Servings: 40
Ingredients
- 4 eggs, medium-sized
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups shredded coconut, unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Separate the eggs. Place the egg whites into a medium-sized mixing bowl and the egg yolks into a small bowl. You can use the egg yolks for a different recipe.
Beat the egg whites with the normal beaters of your electric mixer for around 5 minutes until they are stiff. You can tell that the egg whites are stiff enough if "small mountains" form and stay in the egg whites when you raise your beaters. After this, set your mixer aside.
In a separate bowl, combine the sugar and shredded coconut.
Add the vanilla extract into the bowl with the egg whites. Then little by little fold the sugar-coconut mixture into the egg whites with a spatula until everything is well mixed. Be gentle as you fold and use a spiral motion – you want to keep the egg whites thick and airy.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and line your baking sheet(s) with parchment paper.
You can either use two small spoons or a piping bag with a wide tip to place the coconut macaroons onto the parchment paper. We use approximately one teaspoon of dough per coconut macaroon.
Bake the coconut macaroons on the middle rack of your oven for 20 minutes. They should be slightly brown in places but not dark or burned!
Remove the coconut macaroons from the oven and place them onto a cooling rack to fully cool.
Notes
- In Germany, coconut macaroons are often made with baking wafers called Oblaten at the bottom. Since they can be quite difficult to find in North America we didn’t use them for this recipe.
- Once again, be careful as you fold in the shredded coconut into the egg whites since overmixing or aggressively mixing can deflate the stiffness of the egg whites. Be gentle!
- You could also use sweetened coconut to make this recipe. In that case, you have to reduce the amount of sugar you add (if any at all). Don’t use sweet shredded coconut and use the same amount of sugar as mentioned above – it would be too sweet.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 51kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 8mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
Course Dessert
Cuisine European
Author Recipes From Europe
