almond joy macaroons
Flaky coconut macaroons hug whole almonds before being toasted to perfection and dipped in semi-sweet chocolate for this easy-to-bake take on the classic candy bar.
While prepping the ingredients for these Almond Joy Macaroons, Z asked me if I was making Mounds. I pointed out that I was using almonds which would make them Almond Joys and proceeded to relive one of my sillier childhood memories. In case the name wasn’t clarification enough, I repeatedly sang the 70’s jingle, “Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t. Almond Joy’s got nuts, Mounds don’t.” Z may have rolled his eyes and walked away, but there I stood and savored the moment for a little while longer.
I have vivid memories of my mom singing that song when I was a child and that afternoon, despite the number of the miles between us, my mom was in the kitchen baking with me as I quietly hummed away. I’m always fascinated by the memories we choose keep tucked away for a rainy day and by the seemingly insignificant triggers that cause them to resurface. Whether in person or in spirit, it’s always a great day when time is spent with family. Love you Mom, thanks for baking with me!
- 4 large egg whites
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 5⅓ cups (14 ounce bag) sweetened flaked coconut
- 24 whole almonds
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, sugar, salt and vanilla extract until foamy.
- Fold in coconut flakes until mixture is evenly distributed.
- Scoop golf ball sized mounds of coconut mixture, place almond in the center and roll into a ball. Place macaroons about one inch apart on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes until outsides are a light golden brown color.
- Cool for 5-10 minutes on baking sheet then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
- Melt chocolate chips either in the microwave or over a double boiler. Dip bottoms of cooled macarons into melted chocolate and transfer to parchment paper to set. Drizzle any remaining chocolate over macaroons if desired.
- Allow chocolate to set completely before storing in an airtight container.
I found these way WAY too sweet. I used the sweetened coconut like the recipe recomended and I cannot eat these. I didn’t even add the chocolate as they were way to sweet.
Did anyone else have this problem? Did other people use unsweetened coconut?
My recommendation would be to use unsweetened coconut. I still can taste the sugar from the tiny bite I had last night.
I had a difficult time with the chocolate. It never melted thin enough to drizzle. What brand of chocolate chips did you use? Did you add any liquid to the chocolate to thin it?
Hi Pam, sorry to hear you had trouble. I typically use Guittard chocolate chips, but have had success with most brands. It is important to melt chocolate slowly so that it doesn’t seize, a double boiler is usually the best method. I do not add any liquid to the chocolate, but if you need to, make sure it is not water based. A touch of coconut oil or vegetable shortening can help if needed.
Hello again. So my first batch came out amazing and was a demand for more. I cheated instead of cracking 8 eggs for the whites I use the liquid all whites and the macarooms are so dry, aweful. Any thoughts on this? Its 100% whites and nothing added I have never tried this in a recipe before. Anyone else?
Hello Kimberly thanks for sharing this recipe. I had about 1/4 cup of egg white mixture left in bottom of the bowl after I shaped all the macaroons. Is that normal or did I squeeze the little balls too tight?
Depending on how tight you ball your macaroons you may have more or less liquid left over. Some like a fluffier macaroon where some like a more dense chew – there’s no wrong way! :)
I’m excited to make these tonight for our staff holiday cookie exchange. I’ve read the recipe several time and don’t see directions on how to incorporate the almonds into the cookies. Can anyone clarify? Thanks
Hi Kelly! We do hope you enjoy the recipe. Step #4 is where it instructs you to place each almond inside a scoop of coconut before rolling into a ball. It’s just nestled right in the middle. Hope this helps!
Any tips on drizzling the chocolate on top? These are easy enough to make my 6 year old did most of the work. Yummy recipe. Thanks for sharing
Glad you liked it! I like placing the melted chocolate into a small ziplock bag and cutting a small hole in one corner. Then you can squeeze it out similar to using a pastry bag but with something you’ve probably already got on hand!
The recipe says 5 1/3 cups (14 ounce bag). The 14 ounce bag is only 4 1/2 cups. Is this a misprint on recipe?
Great question! Different brands of coconut display the measurements differently based on how tightly they choose to pack when measuring. For example, the Bakers brand marks 5 1/3 cups on their bag where Mounds marks 4 1/2 for 14 ounces. If you’re using a 14 ounce bag for this recipe you’re good to go! Weight is typically more accurate than volume in baking anyways.
Can these be frozen?
Yes! Let them cool completely after baking before storing in an airtight container. Allow to come to room temperature before freezing.
These sound delicious. Thanks for sharing this great lighter recipe that I am including in my “Healthy Holidays” board.
I will try again and do what you suggested. They tasted good and looked almost as pretty as yours. Thank you