Like many Jewish kids, my family always had a can or two of macaroons during Passover. I certainly enjoyed them, and as an adult I continued to buy them in addition to the sweets I would make.
In 2012, I saw this recipe on Smitten Kitchen, and it totally transformed my thinking. It had never occurred to me a) how easy it is to make macaroons* and b) that I could make my own macaroons for Passover!
* Note: I want to be very clear and/or dispel any confusion. There is a difference between macarons and macaroons. Macarons are a European cookie made from a meringue mixture (egg whites and sugar beaten to stiff peaks) with (usually) almond flour mixed in. This mixture is spooned or piped onto a cookie sheet, left to dry, and then baked. They are most commonly finished by sandwiching two of these together with a filling. Macaroons, on the other hand, are made of coconut and sugar with egg whites (not whipped) as a binder. It’s amazing how much difference an “o” makes!
I had to make some changes, however. I keep strict kosher for Passover (KFP), and I have never seen KFP sweetened coconut. I took her suggestions for using unsweetened coconut into account, and changed the methodology completely. Instead of needing a food processor, this comes together with a bowl and spatula. Instead of separating eggs, I prefer to buy a carton of 100% egg whites (which, surprisingly, are usually KFP) so I can make multiple batches of macaroons without having egg yolks to use up.
They were an instant hit that year, and I’ve made them every year since, including sometimes making them outside the holiday. They are so moist and flavorful, definitely a step up from the cans.
This year, I fine-tuned the recipe and was able to have consistent results every time, and I’m happy to present this and encourage everyone to try their hand at this recipe. I promise, it doesn’t require any special baking knowledge.
This recipe should work with any berry – I made a batch earlier this year with strawberries that were measured and then pureed before being added to the coconut.
Raspberry Macaroons
Ingredients
- 10 ounces finely shredded unsweetened coconut (Paskesz and Leiber's are the commonly available KFP brands; I use Bob's Red Mill Shredded Unsweetened Coconut otherwise)
- 8 ounces fresh or frozen raspberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup egg whites, either from separated eggs or a carton of 100% egg whites
Instructions
- Place the coconut, sugar, and raspberries in a bowl. If using fresh raspberries, use a fork or rubber spatula to mix these ingredients together. If using frozen raspberries, use your fingers to break up the raspberries and work them into the mixture. This breaks them down and allows them to quickly defrost into the mixture.
- Measure the egg whites into the bowl, and stir the contents to combine them fully. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let it sit at room temperature for about an hour. This helps the moisture to penetrate the coconut and keep the final macaroons nice and moist.
- After the hour, preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Remove the plastic wrap from the bowl, and re-stir the mixture again to make sure everything is fully combined. Pick some up and test the moisture level - there should not be any actual liquid in the bottom of the bowl, but when you pinch it the coconut mixture should stay together. I haven't needed to, but you can add a little coconut or a little egg white if needed to fix the texture.
- Use a #60 scoop to pick up some of the mixture, and use your other hand to pack the mixture into the scoop. Make sure that it is packed as much as possible, this makes sure that the macaroon will stay together. Wipe off any excess (the scoop should be full and then flattened along the top to be the correct portion) and then release the ball from the scoop. If it was well-packed, it should hold together just fine.
- Place the ball immediately on a parchment lined baking sheet, putting the flat part along the sheet but otherwise try to handle as little as possible. The balls do not need much space between them, as the macaroons won't expand much (at all) in the oven.
- Bake about 30 minutes or until lightly browned, checking half way through to see if the sheet needs to be rotated.
- Remove baking sheet from oven, and cool for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, turn each macaroon over so that the bottom is in the air, and then allow to finish cooling. This serves two purposes - these macaroons are sticky enough that they release much better when the macaroon is still warm (the parchment paper sticks to the bottom if the macaroons are cold) and also it helps the bottom to try and not stay sticky.