Thumbprint Macaroons
Thumbprint Macaroons combine the crispy/chewy deliciousness of a Classic Macaroon with complimentary fillings to take it to another level. For people like me, who like layers of flavor… this is such a fun cookie to play around with the fillings. Jams, curds and chocolate all work well, taste great and look beautiful too!
A Few Simple Ingredients
I did a lot of experimenting developing this recipe to get the right balance of sweetness, texture and workability for this dough. Unsweetened finely shredded coconut resulted in a better flavor and was easier to shape than the standard shredded coconut. I played around with using (or not using) whipped egg whites and sweetened condensed milk. Ultimately I found that whipping the egg whites and using sweetened condensed milk resulted in the best texture and flavor combination. Attempting to make it egg or dairy free worked, but truly, the best result came from using both ingredients. See my recipe notes about sweetened condensed milk for Passover.
Making the Dough
Begin by combining the shredded coconut with vanilla and sweetened condensed milk in a large bowl. In another bowl, whip the egg whites, powdered sugar and salt until soft peaks form and no liquid settles in the bottom of the bowl. Fold the egg white mixture into the coconut mixture by hand. That’s all there is to it!
Shape, Fill & Bake
Use a small cookie scoop or spoon to measure about 2-3 tablespoons of the dough into your hand. Roll into a ball and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Using your thumb, fingers or a small spoon, make a well in the center of the dough. I found that dipping my fingers and the spoon in a little water kept the dough from sticking and created a smoother shape.
If you plan to fill the centers with a soft filling like a lemon curd, it is best to wait until after the macaroons have been baked. The soft fillings get very hot and may bubble over the center while baking. If using chocolate or stiffer jams, simply fill the center and bake. The cookies won’t spread when they bake, but leave a little space between them for air to circulate. That way they will get nice and crispy on the outside. Pop them in the oven to bake and when the bottoms have browned a little, they are done. Let them cool before removing them from the cookie sheet or eating them. The fillings will be scorching hot right out of the oven.
Fillings
I used a variety of Dove Chocolates, Godiva Dark Chocolate Ganache Hearts, lemon curd and a mixed berry jam for the fillings in these Thumbprint Macaroons. All worked really well and were fantastic compliments to the coconut macaroons. Although I didn’t try it, I would imagine that nut butters and some caramels might be yummy as well. Let me know what you come up with too in the comments! For details on how to make Chocolate Filled Macaroons or Classic Macaroons, follow the highlighted links.
More Gluten Free Cookies!
For cookie monsters like me, check out Hamantaschen, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, Pumpkin Whoopie Pies, Dirty Snowballs, Almond Cut Out Cookies, Naked Cut Out Cookies and College Dorm Cookies
Thumbprint Macaroons
Ingredients
- 5 cups finely shredded unsweetened coconut (*see note)
- 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk (*see notes below for Passover)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 egg whites (1/4 cup measured)
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar (*Gefen brand is Kosher for Passover)
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 1 cup jam, any flavor (lemon or mango curd & chocolates also work)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper.
- If the shredded coconut is not very finely shredded, pulse it in a food processor a few times. Then measure out the 5 cups needed for the recipe.
- In a large bowl combine the shredded coconut, vanilla and sweetened condensed milk. Stir with a large spatula to combine these very well.
- In a separate bowl, use a hand mixer on high speed to whip the egg whites, powdered sugar and salt until soft peaks form and there’s no liquid settling in the bottom of the bowl.
- Fold the egg white mixture into the coconut mixture. Don’t over mix, but be sure that all of the egg whites are incorporated well.
- Use a small cookie scoop to make mounds of the batter on the parchment lined baking sheet. Then use wet fingers or a small spoon to create a “thumbprint” in the center. You can spoon thicker jams or chocolate (that you want to melt) into the center of the batter or wait to fill them with softer curds or jam until after they are baked. Softer fillings like curds may heat too quickly and bubble over, so it is better to fill the macaroons with those after they have been baked.
- The macaroons will not spread, but leave about an inch between each one to allow air to circulate. The shape you put them in the oven is essentially the shape they will come out in.
- Bake for approximately 18 minutes, until the bottoms have brown slightly. Spoon softer fillings into the "thumbprint" after removing the cookies from the oven, then let them cool completely before removing from the baking tray or serving.
