Coconut Macaroons

Ahh...coconut. The taste of this is so delicious. You can do lots of flavor combos with coconut macaroons, but it is possible to dress them up too much.

However, I came up with a combination of perfectness for the wintertime/holidays. Chocolate-dipped macaroons, topped with crushed peppermint, was delicious.

Here's the finished macaroons. These are super simple. The macaroon itself is sweetened shredded coconut, egg white, and sugar. If you desire, you can also add chocolate (I cheated and used almond bark) and toppings. Or, you could break a Hershey's bar into small pieces and tuck them inside the macaroons. 

The first step is optional. If you like snowy-white macaroons, skip this step. I like mine to be a nice golden brown, so I toast half of my coconut in a 350* oven for 5-7 minutes, just until it is starting to turn color. This also makes for a deeper coconut flavor. 

In a bowl, whisk the egg whites and sugar until frothy.

Mix the coconut that is un-toasted in with the egg whites. Then add the toasted coconut, and fold together until it is sticky, but holds together well. 

Grease or line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out the coconut mixture in tablespoonfuls. You can form them with your hands, but I used a cookie scoop. Bake for 15-20 minutes. If desired, dip in chocolate or almond bark and add toppings. Enjoy!

Recipe:

3 cups sweetened shredded coconut

4 egg whites

1/2 cup sugar