Coconut Macaroons

An easy recipe for healthy, chewy and gluten-free coconut macaroons, sweetened with honey. No condensed milk, no sugar! Just four wholesome ingredients.

I make these healthy gluten-free coconut macaroons every year for Passover. They’re inspired by the cookies my grandma used to make. They are easy to make, delicious, and wonderfully chewy.

Grandma’s Cookies

It was the Jewish holiday of Passover. I was ten years old, visiting my grandparents on Passover eve. My grandparents were Dutch, and their manners were impeccable.

My younger brother and I were always under a lot of pressure to “behave” when we visited them. Sometimes we managed, sometimes not so much.

On that bright spring day, in the early eighties, it was actually time for lunch and I was hungry. My father promised lunch at home – we were just stopping for half an hour to say hello.

So we sat there, in that European living room, decorated with beautiful antique wooden furniture. Grandma, oma, served good, strong Dutch coffee and cookies.

Oh, those cookies.

They were coconut macaroons (“kokosmakronen” in Dutch), made kosher for Passover with no flour. She made them with just coconut, sugar, and eggs. But they were nothing like the pale store-bought macaroons that I was familiar with.

These were round and fat and deep golden brown. They were fragrant and chewy and they tasted so good, and I was so hungry. I found myself reaching for one more cookie, then another, and then another.

My father looked embarrassed and sheepishly explained that we had not had our lunch yet. Grandma smiled, but she was obviously horrified at my lack of manners. Me? Delirious with coconutty sugar, I didn’t care. I was happy.

Honey-sweetened gluten-free coconut macaroons

I don’t have grandma’s recipe for those amazing, chewy cookies. But the version below is pretty close, even though it’s arguably slightly healthier. I use honey instead of sugar.

Let’s just say that once again, I found myself eating way more of those than I had planned. 😳

The ingredients you’ll need

You will only need four ingredients to make these delicious cookies (the exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below):

1. Eggs: I use large eggs.
2. Honey.
3. Vanilla extract.
4. Unsweetened shredded coconut: Make sure you don’t use reduced-fat shredded coconut. They have it at Whole Foods and it’s super dry.

How to make gluten-free coconut macaroons

It’s so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:

1. Start by whisking together the eggs, honey, and vanilla.
2. Add the coconut and mix to combine.
3. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
4. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes at 350°F.

How to store gluten-free coconut macaroons

These cookies are wonderful either warm or at room temperature. Once completely cool, they should keep for a couple of days in an airtight container at room temperature.

Unless I’m around to polish them off.

More coconut recipes you might enjoy

Love coconut? This gluten-free coconut cake is AMAZING! And if you don’t feel like baking, try these wonderful homemade coconut haystacks.

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4.96 from 74 votes

Coconut Macaroons

An easy recipe for healthy and chewy coconut macaroons, sweetened with honey. No condensed milk, no sugar! Just four wholesome ingredients.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Rest time15 mins

Total Time50 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: coconut flour, cookies

Servings: 16 coconut macaroons

Calories: 115kcal

Author: Vered DeLeeuw

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey and vanilla.
• Add the coconut. Mix well, with a spatula, to combine.
• Using a 2-tablespoon scoop, portion out the cookies and place on the prepared baking sheets. Flatten the top a little with the back of a spoon.
• Bake 20 minutes, until the macaroons are deeply golden and your kitchen is filled with the most amazing aroma of sweet toasted coconut.
• Cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then use a spatula to transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and cool 10 more minutes.

NUTRITION INFO Nutrition info is approximate and may contain errors. It is calculated using the SparkPeople.com recipe calculator, and the carb count excludes sugar alcohols. Please feel free to make your own calculations. Please read the disclaimers in our Terms of Use carefully before using any of our recipes. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Please verify they are before using.

Nutrition Facts

Coconut Macaroons

Amount Per Serving (1 macaroon)

Calories 115 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Sodium 12mg1%

Carbohydrates 11g4%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 9g10%

Protein 1g2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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