Vegan Coconut Macaroons
Vegan Coconut Macaroons – Toasty coconut on the outside, soft and tender on the inside, and naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup, these vegan macaroons are everything a good coconut macaroon should be!
Why We Love This Recipe!
Loaded with simple coco-nutty goodness, vegan coconut macaroons are purely decadent, delicious, and so easy to make!
And if you dip them in chocolate, they are very reminiscent of Almond Joy candy bars. Truthfully, I was never quite fond of Almond Joy’s, but in cookie form – I’ll eat them all day!
And if you’re not a chocolate lover, feel free to eat them plain and simple. But for the ultimate decadent treat – the chocolate is the way to go!
- egg-free
- vegan
- dairy-free
- healthy
- gluten-free option
- & of course delicious!
So without further ado, let’s get baking!
Ingredients You’ll Need
In this recipe, shredded coconut, coconut milk, sweetener, almonds, and flour are combined and packed into tight mounds, then baked for a tasty coconut treat.
Here is everything you will need:
- unsweetened shredded coconut – finely shredded
- coconut milk – use full or low-fat
- pure maple syrup – can sub with sugar as noted in the recipe card below
- slivered almonds – chopped is ok too, can also be optional
- oat flour – sub with spelt, all-purpose or gluten-free flour blend
- vanilla
- mineral salt
- vegan chocolate – dark chocolate bar or chocolate chips
How To Make Vegan Macaroons
(Note – The full printable recipe is at the bottom of this post)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat (<affiliate links).
- Start by combining the coconut, coconut milk, syrup, almonds, flour, vanilla, and salt, and mix well.
- Using a measuring spoon, scoop out rounded tablespoons, making sure to pack it well.
- Place packed mounds on cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart (above).
- Bake in oven for 20 – 30 minutes (depending on how big your scoops were), until slightly golden in color, rotating sheet half through baking. Let cool completely.
And now you’re ready to enjoy as is, or dip them in melted chocolate for a decadent treat!
Top Tips
- Use the right shredded coconut. There are different sizes of shredded coconut – large, medium, and finely shredded. Make sure to use finely shredded (almost minced) for the same results here. I used Bob’s Red Mill, and I also recommend Terrasoul Superfoods for this recipe. If using a larger shredded coconut, such as Trader Joe’s flaked coconut (affiliate links), see notes for adaptation!
- Pack well. It’s super important to pack the mounds well when shaping so your macaroons don’t fall apart.
- Keep them uniform. Make the mounds uniform in size by using a scooper like this 1 tablespoon trigger spoon, 2 tablespoon trigger spoon or 3 tablespoon trigger spoon (affiliate link), it makes things so much easier!
- Dip in chocolate. For extra deliciousness, dip the mound in melted chocolate or add a drizzle over top!
How To Make Chocolate-Dipped Vegan Macaroons
- Warm the chocolate on the stove over low heat, stirring frequently until melted. Alternately, you can melt the chocolate in the microwave, stopping to give a good stir every 30 seconds.
- Dip the bottoms of the macaroons into the melted chocolate.
- Place the cookies back on the lined baking sheet. Optionally, drizzle the remaining chocolate on top using a spoon or pastry piping bag.
- Refrigerate for 7 – 10 minutes, or until set.
How To Store
Vegan macaroons store well! I prefer to keep mine in the refrigerator as I like them chilled. Others leave them in the freezer and pull them out as needed. No matter your preference, they store well on the counter, in the refrigerator, or freezer.
- Counter: Store them on the counter for up to 5 days, in a covered container.
- Refrigerator: To keep longer, store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezer: They can also be stored in the freezer for up to 2 – 3 months. To freeze, put macaroons on a baking sheet and place in the freezer for a few hours until frozen. Place them in freezer-safe bags or containers. Let thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
More Easy Coconut Recipes!
If you love coconut, try these other delicious recipes using coconut as an ingredient. All are super quick and make for a healthy dessert or snack!
- Banana Coconut Ginger Ice Cream
- Healthy Apple Nachos
- Quick n Healthy Banana Boats
- See all Coconut recipes on TSV!
If you try this easy macaroon recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
PrintVEGAN COCONUT MACAROONS
Toasty coconut on the outside and tender on the inside, these vegan coconut macaroons use minimal ingredients and are super easy to make!
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: Makes 24 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 3 cups unsweetened coconut flakes, finely shredded (see notes)
- 1 cup canned coconut milk or cream, full or low-fat
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds (chopped is ok too), optional
- 1/3 cup oat flour, almond flour, all-purpose, or gluten-free flour blend*
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- pinch of mineral salt
- 7 oz. vegan dark chocolate bar or chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.
Mix: In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the coconut, coconut milk, syrup, almonds, flour, vanilla and salt, mix well.
Scoop: Using a 2 or 3 tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop out rounded tablespoons, making sure to pack it well**. This last part is very important, or your macaroons may tend to fall apart. Place packed mounds on cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart.
Bake: Place cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 20 – 30 minutes (ovens vary and it depends on how big the mounds are), until golden, rotating sheet half through baking. Let cool completely.
Chocolate: Warm the chocolate on the stove over low heat, stirring frequently until melted. Alternately, you can melt the chocolate in the microwave, stopping to give a good stir every 30 seconds. Dip the bottoms of the macaroons into the melted chocolate. Place the cookies back on the lined baking sheet. Drizzle remaining chocolate on top using a spoon or pastry piping bag. Refrigerate for 7 – 10 minutes, or until set.
Makes about 24 two tablespoon cookies, 18 three tablespoon cookies, or 12 four tablespoon coconut macaroons.
Store: Keep macaroons covered or in an airtight container, will last for up to 4 – 5 days on the counter. To keep fresher longer, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
*Spelt, all-purpose and pastry flour is ok too. If using coconut flour, use 1/3 cup.
**It is very important to gently, but firmly, pack the mixture when making the coconut mounds. If they aren’t packed well, they will likely fall apart or ‘go flat’ when done. Don’t be afraid to pack them well, you will be thankful in the end! :)
Use the right shredded coconut. There are different sizes of shredded coconut – large, medium and finely shredded. Make sure to use finely shredded (almost minced) for the same results here. I used Bob’s Red Mill, and I also recommend Terrasoul Superfoods (affiliate links). If using a larger shredded coconut such as Trader Joe’s flake coconut, use 1/2 cup of flour.
Maple syrup substitute: Use 1/2 cup of sugar and add an extra 1/4 cup of coconut milk.
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: I love this silpat or parchment paper to line my baking sheets. And using a 2 tablespoons trigger cookie scoop (affiliate links) helps keep the cookies uniform when scooping.
Edited: A few have had trouble with the macaroons staying together and seeing pictures on Pinterest, this may be due to not using the correct shredded coconut. I’ve updated the recipe to include the ‘other’ shredded coconut which needs more flour to bind.
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Hi, I just made these, have a powerful craving for coconut and chocolate at the moment. My cookies haven’t fallen apart but they feel very soft to the touch – unbaked I would say. But – is this normal for this recipe? The mixture was very wet when I mounded the cookies. I was doubtful about the mixture from the beginning as it was so wet but soldiered on. Any tips? Do they harden as they cool?
Did they stiffen up for you? They shouldn’t be too soft, wet like, they may be tender from the oven but should stiffen once cooled. Let me know how they cooled for you. Fingers crossed!
Pressed for time and have only sweetened coconut flakes in cupboard. Ok to omit maple syrup and use sweetened coconut? Thx!
I’ve never tried it, but it may work well! There should be enough liquids to stick. If you don’t mind testing it, I’d love to know how it goes too. Just be sure to pack them well when creating the cookie mounds. Good luck and enjoy!!
Maybe some people’s are falling apart because the quantity of coconut milk being used is not consistent? I’m using an entire 13.5 fl oz can but I just noticed in the photo that the milk is in a 1/2-cup measuring cup. Is it supposed to be half a cup of coconut milk only? I also added two egg whites to mine because it looked pretty watery so I wanted something to help the mixture hold together. Haven’t baked them yet… letting the mixture sit in the fridge to solidify a little.
Hi Nadine, it’s 1 cup canned. Usually a whole can is about 1 1/2 cups. You may need to add more shredded coconut and flour, and make sure to pack them well when making the mounds. Chilling the mixture a bit is a good idea too, I hope they come out to your liking. Let us know how it goes. Fingers crossed. :)
Made these, love them and thank you! I’m donating them to a fundraiser for a friends’ animal sanctuary! I couldn’t post a pic of my macaroons, so I tagged you on FB.
How long will these macaroons keep in an air tight container, or fridge? Recipe looks great.
They will keep in an air tight container for 4 – 5 days. They’ll last much longer in the refrigerator. You can also freeze them! Enjoy :)
Mine turned out tasty and beautiful! I had no crumbling at all and they came right off the sheet after cooling. As said above, I think you really need the proper cookie scoop to pack them together tightly. I’m in love with mine & it really is a baker’s must have!
Could I use almond milk instead of coconut.
They should be just fine using almond milk. Would love to know how it goes. Enjoy :)
This looks delicious! Can’t wait to try them :)
And the photos are amazing!
These look great! I’ve never had a macaroon before – will have to give them a try.
I just made these with splelt flour . My husband loves them. He had one refrigerted only and one frozen, said frozen way better.
Thank you!
Monica
These are great chilled, I will definitely have to try a few frozen! Glad you loved these, enjoy the rest! Cheers :)
All I can say is wow. What flour did you use? Thank you
Well, thank you! I used spelt flour here… I’ve also seen some recipes that use almond flour and coconut flour if looking to keep these gluten free, the oat flour would work great too. Of course, you can use any other flours you might normally use. Hope you get a chance to try them soon! Cheers :)