Easy-to-make vegan and gluten-free Healthy Coconut Macaroons that are completely refined sugar and flour-free. Perfect instant snack idea for any time of the year!
Ingredients to make Healthy Coconut Macaroons
- Shredded Coconut, unsweetened.
- Almond Meal.
- Salt.
- Apple Sauce, unsweetened.
- Coconut Oil.
- Vanilla Extract.
- Dark Chocolate Chips or Chunks.
Shredded Coconut: get a good quality shredded coconut over the cheap dried variety. As we are not using any refined sugars in this recipe, we need to get that natural sweetness from the coconut. Do not use large flakes, use finely shredded coconut and not powdered coconut too.
Almond Meal: Almond meal works as a binding agent to keep shredded coconut together, and also adds a nutty flavor to the macaroons. You can use coconut flour in place of the almond meal too, but I have not tried it, let us know if that works!
Apple Sauce: Trust me, you will not get any apple flavor in these macaroons. The natural sweetness from apple sauce acts as a sweetener in this recipe. You can substitute apple sauce with the same amount of maple syrup or agave too.
*If you are allergic to gluten or serving these to someone with a gluten allergy, PLEASE double-check the ingredients before use, gluten intolerance can be deadly to some.
How to make Vegan and Gluten-Free Coconut Macaroons
Combine: Add all ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and mix with a spatula.
Bake: Scoop with a cookie scooper onto a parchment-lined baking tray and press lightly with fingers to adjust the shape of the macaroons. Bake at 300F for 22 mins.
Wait: Remove tray from oven and let macaroons sit aside for 15 mins to harden. Do not remove macaroons from the baking tray immediately after bake as they will be still soft and cannot hold shape, wait for 10-15 mins.
Chocolate Dip: Add chocolate chips and 1 tsp of coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl and melt for 30 seconds, stir with a spoon and keep it aside. When macaroons are hard enough to handle, dip in melted dark chocolate and drizzle chocolate on top if needed. Let chocolate set ( takes 10 mins ) and enjoy!!
* Use a spoon to get macaroons out of melted chocolate. Since coconut macaroons are very soft, they can be tricky to handle, make these when you are not in hurry and are in good mood!
Healthy Coconut Macaroons
Ingredients
- 1 cup Shredded Coconut unsweetened
- 1/3 cup Almond Meal
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 1/4 cup Apple Sauce
- 2 tbsp Coconut Oil melted
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 cup Dark Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and mix with a spatula.
- Scoop with a cookie scooper onto a parchment-lined baking tray and press lightly with fingers to adjust the shape of the macaroons. Bake at 300F for 22 mins.
- Remove tray from oven and let macaroons sit aside for 15 mins to harden. Do not remove macaroons from the baking tray immediately after bake as they will be still soft and cannot hold shape, wait for 10-15 mins.
- Add chocolate chips and 1 tsp of coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl and melt for 30 seconds, stir with a spoon and keep it aside. When macaroons are hard enough to handle, dip in melted dark chocolate and drizzle chocolate on top if needed. Let chocolate set ( takes 10 mins ) and enjoy!!
