These Coconut Macaroons are made with creamy vanilla pudding and shredded coconut flakes. They´re soft, moist and absolutely irresistible! The bottoms are dipped in melted chocolate which takes them to another level. This recipe is perfect if you have leftover pastry cream from another bake, but I usually make them with instant vanilla pudding!
Why you´ll LOVE these Vanilla Coconut Macaroons
While these Vanilla Coconut Macaroons can be enjoyed all year round, I love making them for the holidays. This is not only because they are so delicous and make the house smell amazing, but also because they are INCREDIBLY easy to make with only a few ingredients. I like to dip mine in chocolate for some extra razzle dazzle, but if you are in a time crunch you could skip that step.
The five easy steps to making vanilla coconut macaroons are:
1. Whisk together the instant vanilla pudding according to the packet, along with the egg and a splash of vanilla.
2. Fold in the shredded coconut flakes until combined.
3. Scoop and shape into domes with rounded tops (too pointy and the tip will burn).
4. Bake for 10 minutes or until slightly golden.
5. Melt the chocolate and dip the cooled macaroons at the bottom.
That´s it! You really only need one bowl and no electric mixers.
Ingredients for making Coconut Macaroons
The beauty of this recipe is how quick and easy it is to make. These are the key ingredients for my Coconut Macaroons with some notes:
Instant vanilla pudding – Homemade pattiserie cream would probably elevate the flavor of this recipe, but the instant vanilla pudding works perfectly fine (and is much quicker). I use the Swedish brand Ekström’s Marsàn vanilla sauce which can be found on Amazon. I mix mine with whole milk for a richer flavor.
Vanilla extract – Instant vanilla puddings usually don´t contain any actual vanilla, so I like to add this to make the Macaroons taste and smell more vanilla-y.
Coconut flakes – Shredded and unsweetened coconut flakes to control the sweetness level of the final macaroons. If you use the sweetened kind, then make sure to adjust the amount of sugar used in the recipe.
Granulated sugar – Depending on what kind of instant pudding mix you use, you may have to adjust the amount of sugar you use.
Egg – Binds the ingredients together and helps the macaroons hold its shape.
Melted chocolate – I like to combine dark chocolate with milk chocolate for the perfect flavor and sweetness. You could use just semi-sweet chocolate, but in my opinion this homemade 50/50 combination is superior in taste specifically for drizzling or topping any cookies.
How to store Coconut Macaroons
Store these Coconut Macaroons in an airtight container in a dark and cool place for up to 5 days. You could also freeze these in a ziplock bag for up to 3 months. A trick I like to use for freezing is to put the cookies in a ziplock back, place a straw in the bag and close it up as tightly as possible before sucking in the air from the ziplock bag, then remove the straw and close it all the way. This will result in perfectly airsealed cookies that help the longevity and quality of the cookies that you freeze.
Vanilla Coconut Macaroons
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 dl) instant vanilla pudding
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup (0.8 dl) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups (200 g) coconut shredded unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/4 cup (50g) milk chocolate
- 1/4 cup (50 g) dark chocolate
Instructions
Coconut Macaroons
- Preheat the oven to 350 ℉ (180℃) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the instant vanilla pudding mix according to its instructions.
- Whisk in the egg, vanilla extract and granulated sugar until combined.
- Fold in the shredded coconut flakes with a rubber spatula until the mixture can hold it´s shape.
- Scoop the macaroons with a spoon or an ice cream scooper into your hands. Shape the macaroons into a cone by gently pressing the sides. Wet your hands with water if it gets too sticky.
- Place the macaroons on the baking tray and bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow the macaroons to cool on the baking tray for about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate dip by breaking up and placing the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in 30 seconds intervals, stirring in between.
- Dip the bottom of the coconut macaroons in the melted chocolate and place back on the baking tray (with parchment paper) to harden. Enjoy!