Strawberry Coconut Macaroons
Chewy coconut macaroon cookies filled with warm strawberry chia seed jam and topped with a dollop of strawberry meringue. These are the cutest little cookies that are secretly vegan, gluten free, and gently sweetened.
Tasting Notes
Coconut | Strawberry | Sour gummy candies
Pairing Suggestions
Books | Vacation | Poolside
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About these strawberry coconut macaroon cookies
- Vegan
- Gluten free
- No refined sugars
- Ready in 30 minutes
- Fun twist on classic coconut macaroons
- Taste like a tropical vacation
- A healthy and satisfying sweet snack
- Great for meal prep!
- Packed with fiber and omega-3 fatty acids for brain and gut health
Ingredients to make these strawberry coconut macaroons
Coconut: unsweetened, desiccated coconut is the star of the show in this macaroon cookie recipe. I recommend giving the flakes an extra whirl in the blender for a finer flake – this extra step makes the cookie dough much easier to work with.
Oat flour: to add a bit more volume to the cookie dough without excess saturated fat; oat flour also helps the coconut flakes stick together. You can make your own by grinding down whole oats in a blender, or save the hassle and purchase certified gluten free oat flour with my amazon link!
Tapioca starch: this ingredient helps bind the dough together and thicken into a cookie texture while baking. Corn starch will also work.
Salt: to balance the sweetness from the maple syrup and cut through any bitterness.
Maple syrup: our unrefined sugar of choice – the maple syrup helps bind and sweeten the dough.
Banana: a binder and sweetener, just one mashed banana adds the perfect tropical compliment to the coconut in these cookies
Plant milk: I personally love the flavor and versatility of cashew milk. For a brand that doesn’t use any additives or gums, look no further than Elmhurst! They sell a variety of nut milks made with only two ingredients. Purchase here on Amazon (not sponsored, I just love their products!)
Strawberry Jam
Frozen strawberries: frozen strawberries work best in this sugar-free jam recipe, but fresh will do in a pinch!
Chia seeds: to naturally thicken the strawberry jam, all while adding plenty of healthy omega-3 fatty acids to these macaroons
Whipped meringue
Aquafaba: (optional) a dollop of pink whipped canned chickpea water is quite literally the icing on the cake – or in this case, the cookies.
Freeze dried strawberries: when ground up, freeze dried strawberries not only naturally sweeten the aquafaba meringue, they give it a lovely bright pink color.
Lemon juice: another addition to stabilize the meringue and contribute a bright punch of flavor.
Powdered sugar: just a touch of added sugar to sweeten the meringue. Powdered sugar contains corn starch will doubles the function of this ingredient by giving the meringue some structure.
How to make strawberry coconut macaroons
Prep steps
Some components of this recipe require planning, so be sure to read through the steps before starting.
Prep the aquafaba whip by sticking a can of no salt added chickpeas in the fridge to chill. They should chill for at least 4 hours, or for several days in advance. I also recommend chilling the beater wands and bowl, if you have space.
Strawberry Chia Seed Jam
The jam needs time in the fridge to thicken. The longer it sits in the fridge, the thicker it will become. If you’re in a pinch for time, don’t worry- you can always fill the macaroons with warm jam and allow it to thicken inside the macaroons. I recommend making the jam first, then moving to the cookies.
Make the jam by adding frozen strawberries to a small pot on the stove. Turn the heat to medium-low and stir occasionally as they begin to release their juices.
Continue stirring occasionally as the strawberries heat up and their skins soften. Once the strawberries are soft enough, mash them with a fork to break the skins and continue mashing to create a jam consistency.
Macaroon cookie dough
Blend the coconut flakes into a “flour” before adding to a large bowl with the rest of the dry ingredients. Then, simply stir to incorporate.
Next, make a well in the dry ingredients mixture.
Add the mashed banana, maple syrup and milk to the center of the well and give the wet ingredients a quick stir before folding into the dry.
A very common question! Let me try to clear any confusion:
Macaroons are relatively simple drop-and-bake cookies made with coconut flakes. They are dome-shaped, quick, and easy to make! They are typically white or light yellow in color, and have a rough texture from the coconut. These chewy domes are the cookie style that we’re making in this recipe.
Macarons are cookie sandwiches made from a delicate meringue cookie dough. They’re typically filled with jam or ganache. These cookies are popular gifts and displays in bakery windows. Macarons are often colorful, uniquely flavored, and aesthetically beautiful.
Substitutions
Maple syrup: feel free to use honey or agave in a 1:1 volumetric swap if you prefer – just note that honey is not vegan!
Plant milk: I used cashew milk from Elmhurst in this recipe, but feel free to use whatever milk you have on hand! Canned coconut is another great option to enhance the coconut flavor; just note that it will create a much denser cookie.
Tapioca starch: substitute corn starch at a 1:1 volumetric ratio here.
Oat flour: to keep these coconut macaroons gluten-free, you can replace the oat flour with bobs red mill gluten free baking flour or coconut flour. Since these flours have very different densities, making this substitution will require a kitchen scale. Measure the replacement flour by weight in grams (not volume) to achieve the equivalent amount. In this recipe, the weight of the flour component must be 60 grams.
Strawberry Jam: feel free to swap in your favorite jam with the note that nutritional values are calculated specifically for a no sugar added homemade jam recipe. Many store bought jams contain added sugars, so carbohydrate counts will no longer match those I provided.
Recipe Card
Strawberry Coconut Macaroons
Equipment
- 1 Baking sheet
- 1 electric hand beater
Ingredients
Macaroon Cookie Dough
- 2 cups unsweetened desiccated coconut
- ½ cup oat flour 60 g
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup plant milk
- 1 medium banana, mashed
- 3 tbsp tapioca starch
- ¼ tsp salt
Strawberry Jam
- 2 cups frozen strawberries
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
Whipped Meringue Topping
- 1 can chickpeas no salt added
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ cup freeze dried strawberries (slices)
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar
Instructions
Strawberry Jam
- Add the frozen strawberries to a small pot on the stove. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries start to release their juices (about 5-7 minutes)
- Add the lemon juice and turn the heat to medium. Cook another 5 minutes, stirring more frequently now, until the berries become soft and mash-able. Mash them with a spoon or fork.
- Once roughly mashed and the mixture resembles a thick soup, add the chia seeds and bring the berries to a boil. IMPORTANT: only boil for 20-30 seconds!! Stir constantly. Remove from heat after the quick boil.
- Set aside to cool as you prepare the cookie dough.
Macaroon Cookie Dough
- Give the coconut flakes a quick couple of pulses in the blender to create a fine coconut flour. Be careful not to overdo it – the coconut flakes will turn into coconut butter if blended for too long.
- Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl and mix to incorporate. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
- Add the mashed banana, maple syrup, and plant milk to the center of the well. Stir to combine, then fold into the dry ingredients.
Shaping and Baking
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat.
- Use a cookie scoop to measure out even sized dough balls and drop them onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges just start to turn golden.
- Remove from oven and press a divet into each still-warm cookie using the back of a rounded teaspoon or your thumb (just be careful!)
- Drop a teaspoon-sized amount of strawberry jam into each cookie.
Whipped Meringue Topping
- Add the freeze dried strawberries to a coffee grinder or small blender and blend into a fine powder.
- Using a cold mixing bowl and a chilled can of chickpeas, drain the liquids from the chickpeas into the bowl.
- Add the lemon juice and whip the mixture with a hand beater set on high until soft peaks form. This will take patience – trust the process! I usually need to beat the aquafaba for 6-7 minutes.
- Add the freeze dried strawberry powder while blending and continue blending until incorporated. Add the powdered sugar and blend to thicken – you want stiff peaks to form when the beater wands are lifted out of the meringue.
- Transfer the meringue to a piping bag or a ziplock bag and pipe a dollop of whipped meringue on top of each cookie.
Suggested Products
Bob’s Red mill
Certified gluten free oat flour
Cookie scoop
An essential for all cookie lovers!
Will you be baking these cookies? Let us know how you like them in the comments below!
