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I have a serious soft spot for these Chocolate Chip Macaroons. Whenever I want something sweet, chewy, and completely gluten-free and flourless these are my go-to recipe. They bake up golden and toasty on the outside while staying soft and tender in the center, exactly how a macaroon should be. Whether you need a simple Passover Macaroon Recipe or just have a craving for something coconutty, these come together in minutes.
I’ve tested this chocolate chip coconut macarons recipe dozens of times to know exactly how to get them just right. It comes down to two things: the brand of sweetened condensed milk you use and how hard you pack the cookies. I realized that generic brands tend to be thinner, causing them to spread, and if you don’t squeeze the ball tightly before baking, they lose their shape. Even without a speck of flour, these macaroons come out soft, chewy, and perfectly shaped; nothing like the dry, crumbly cookies you get from a can.
If you love coconut desserts as much as I do, don’t stop here! Try my Chocolate Coconut Balls or cute little Coconut Cream Pie Bites for another sweet coconut treat you can whip up in no time.
Key Ingredients and Why They Work
Take a look at the key ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe. You can find all the exact measurements in the recipe card below.
- Sweetened shredded coconut: This is the heart of the macaroons. Stick with sweetened coconut for the perfect chewy, sweet texture. Unsweetened coconut will make them a little drier and less sweet.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and flavor. You can swap in almond extract for a stronger nutty note, but use a smaller amount since it’s more concentrated.
- Sweetened condensed milk: This binds everything together while adding sweetness. Don’t try evaporated milk as it won’t hold the cookies properly. Important: Through my testing, I found that Eagle Brand works best. Generic brands tend to be a bit runnier, which can cause the milk to leak out during baking.
- Chocolate chips: I usually toss in semi-sweet chips to balance the sweetness of the coconut and milk, but milk chocolate chips work great if you have a major sweet tooth.
- Melting chocolate (optional): Perfect for dipping the bottoms or drizzling over the tops for a bakery-style finish.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Macaroons
Step 1: Prep the Mixture
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grab a large mixing bowl and stir together the coconut, vanilla, and sweetened condensed milk until it is fully combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Step 2: Scoop and Squeeze
This is the most important step! Scoop about a tablespoon of the mixture (a cookie scoop works great here). Using your hands, squeeze the mixture tightly as you roll it into a ball. If the mixture feels too sticky, pop the bowl in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to firm up. Place them on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper, leaving a little space between them.
Step 3: Bake until Golden
Bake for 15-20 minutes. You want the tops and edges to be a nice golden brown. Keep an eye on them towards the end because every oven is different, and coconut can burn quickly if you aren’t careful!
Step 4: Cool and Dip
Let the macaroons cool on the baking sheet for a bit before moving them to a wire rack. Do not move them while hot, or they will fall apart. Once they are totally cool, you can dip the bottoms in melted chocolate and pop them in the fridge for 15 minutes to set.
Make Ahead & Storage Instructions
- Make ahead: You can mix the macaroon batter and keep in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking. Baked macaroons can be made 2 to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container.
- Store: These keep really well! Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days. If it’s really warm in your kitchen, the chocolate might get soft, so you can keep them in the fridge.
- Freeze: These freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. I recommend placing a sheet of parchment paper between the layers so they don’t stick together. When you are ready to eat them, just pull them out of the freezer and let them come to room temperature on the counter.
More Desserts You May Enjoy
If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it turned out in the comments below.
Chocolate Dipped Macaroons
Ingredients
- 1 14 oz. bag sweetened coconut
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 14 oz. can condensed sweetened milk
- 1-2 cups chocolate chips
- melting chocolate (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cookie sheet or baking sheet with a silicon baking mat or non-stick foil or parchment paper
- Mix coconut, vanilla, condensed milk together in large mixing bowl. Add in the chocolate chips.1 14 oz. bag sweetened coconut, 2 tsp vanilla, 1 14 oz. can condensed sweetened milk, 1-2 cups chocolate chips
- Take a tablespoon size of the mixture (a cookie scooper works great for this) and roll it in a ball with your hands (see tips above recipe!) You want the balls really tight, so squeeze the mixture in your hands!
- Place each on the cookie sheet spaced apart (they will spread a bit)
- Bake about 15-20 minutes until golden brown (the baking time really depends on your oven, you don’t want them to burn, so watch them carefully)
- Cool on a wire rack
- When totally cool – melt candy chocolate in a double boiler (follow your chocolates instructions) and dip the bottom and roll the bottom sides in the chocolate. Let cool for about 15 minutes in the refrigeratormelting chocolate
- Serve and enjoy!!
Jenn’s Notes
- Make ahead: You can prepare the macaroon batter and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking. The baked macaroons can also be made 2–3 days ahead and kept in an airtight container.
- Store: These store really well! Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for about 4–5 days. If your kitchen is very warm, the chocolate may soften, so storing them in the fridge is a good option.
- Freeze: These macaroons freeze nicely for up to 3 months. Place a sheet of parchment paper between layers to keep them from sticking together. When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply let them sit on the counter until they come to room temperature.
- Not packing the balls tightly enough: If you just gently roll the mixture into a ball, the heat in the oven can cause it to collapse, leaving you with a flat, spread-out cookie. Make sure to press and squeeze the mixture firmly between your hands so it holds its shape.
- Using the wrong milk: As mentioned in the testing notes, it’s best to use Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk. Some store brands contain more water, which can cause the milk to seep out and pool on the baking sheet while baking.
- Moving them while they’re hot: These cookies are very delicate right after they come out of the oven. If you try to move them to a wire rack too soon, they can fall apart. Let them rest on the baking sheet until they’ve cooled and firmed up.
Nutrition Info
Originally posted April 2014
use a bit of shortning to thin the chocolate
Yummy!!!! Super simple and quick recipe. Chocolate dipped bottom takes these cookies over the top!
If my chocolate is too thick, how do I thin it out so it will still harden?
Terrible recipe. Balls just melted into a puddle on the pan. First batch ruined. Looking for another recipe now.
Hmmmmm…. wondering what when wrong here. I make these all the time and if you are following the recipe above this shouldn’t be the case. What brand condensed milk did you use. Did you follow the TIPS in the recipe?
My guess is that they used a 7oz bag of coconut. I almost made that mistake myself. Mine held up really well but did overcook a bit at 20minutes. I will definitely make these again but next time I will keep a closer eye on them.
Looked back at the recipe and it totally specifies 15-20 & to keep an eye on them. Somehow I had it in my head as 20-25minutes. That’s what I get for skimming!!
I just made this recipe and it was to runny…the milk cooked out of the ball while baking and made a mess..thank God for parchment paper..I rolled them as tight as I could but they were still to runny, so next time i’m going to cut down on my condensed sweetened milk and see if that works.I used Mini cupcake papers, and a Mini cupcake tin…filled the bottom with chocolate and then push the ball down on it. I used no Generic ingredients. I hope I get this figured out..I love these.
Do you have a recipe for a 5 or 7 layer cookie bar if so can you share it with me I lost my own thank you
Hi Jenn, can use fresh shredded coconut?
Hi Farida! I actually have never tried that before so I honestly don’t know how they would turn out. The bagged coconut is also sweetened so it would be a little less sweet too.
I made the coconut macaroons. and they were delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Jennifer. Can these macaroons be frozen ahead of time, like 2-3 weeks prior to when I will need to serve them? Thx.
Yes, he macaroons can be frozen for up to 3 months. You will want to let them cool completely and store in an airtight container. I would also recommend separating the layers with parchment paper. When you are ready to serve them, remove them from the freezer and let them defrost to room temperature.
Hey! If i freeze this week for next week Passover- should I wait to dip the chocolate the day Iām serving?
Super yummy, tasteful, chewy macaroons. Better than what i made in the past. Thank you for sharing your recipe!