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These small batch coconut macaroons are golden on the outside and soft and chewy in the center. Made with shredded coconut, an egg white, and sugar, they bake in about 15 minutes and deliver classic coconut flavor in every bite.
Featured Comment
“I made these macaroons and they were delicious!! Hubby said they were better than the ones at the store. And I agree.”
– Juanni
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Small Batch: Makes just a few coconut macaroons, perfect when you want a homemade treat without a full batch.
- Quick & Easy: Simple ingredients and ready in about 15 minutes of bake time.
- Chewy Texture: Crisp, golden edges with soft, chewy coconut centers.
- Naturally Gluten-Free: Made without flour and dairy, using basic pantry ingredients.
- Easy to Double: Double the recipe to make a larger batch for sharing.
Golden on the outside and soft and chewy in the center, coconut macaroons are one of those simple cookies that deliver big flavor. The sweet coconut toasts as they bake, creating crisp edges while the centers stay tender and slightly sticky.
I love that this small batch version makes just a handful. It is the perfect amount when you want a homemade coconut treat without baking a full tray. Simple ingredients, classic texture, and rich coconut flavor in every bite.
For more small batch cookie recipes, try our small batch Texas governors mansion cookies, small batch oatmeal cookies, small batch thumbprint cookies, or our ginger cookies recipe.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch coconut macaroons recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Shredded Coconut: Use sweetened shredded coconut for the best moisture, chewy texture, and toasted edges. Unsweetened coconut can lead to dry, crumbly macaroons. Use extra coconut in butter pecan granola, ambrosia for one, or toasted coconut ice cream.
- Egg White: Binds the ingredients so the macaroons keep their shape and stay light and chewy. Save the yolk for egg white recipes like quick and easy banana nut bread, potato gnocchi for one, single serving custard, or small batch chocolate chip cookies.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar adds the right sweetness and helps form a lightly crisp exterior with soft centers.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds warm, natural flavor that complements the coconut.
- Salt: A pinch balances sweetness and enhances overall flavor.
Recipe Variations
Try one of these easy ways to change the flavor of your coconut macaroons:
- Chocolate Dipped: Dip the cooled macaroons in melted semi-sweet or dark chocolate for a bakery-style finish.
- Chocolate Chip: Stir mini chocolate chips into the coconut mixture before baking.
- Almond Flavor: Replace the vanilla with 1/8 teaspoon almond extract for a classic bakery-style coconut macaroon.
- Lemon: Add 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest for a bright citrus note.
How To Make Coconut Macaroons
Follow these simple steps to make a small batch of chewy coconut macaroons. See the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Preheat the Oven: Heat oven to 350°F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Whip the Egg White: In a medium bowl, beat the egg white, sugar, vanilla, and salt with a hand mixer on medium speed for about 1 minute, until frothy and slightly thickened.
- Add the Coconut: Gently fold in the sweetened shredded coconut until evenly mixed.
- Chill: Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This helps the macaroons hold their shape while baking.
- Shape and Bake: Scoop heaping tablespoons of the mixture onto the baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until the tops and edges are lightly golden.
Tip: Scoop mostly the coconut, leaving excess liquid behind for better-shaped macaroons.
- Cool: Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Note: A small amount of egg white may spread during baking. This is normal and does not affect the chewy texture.
Expert Tips
- Use Only the Egg White: Even a small amount of yolk can prevent the mixture from whipping properly and affect texture.
- Chill the Mixture: Refrigerating for 30 minutes helps the macaroons hold their shape and bake up tall instead of spreading.
- Line the Pan: Always use parchment paper or a silicone mat to prevent sticking.
- Do Not Overbake: Remove when the tops and edges are lightly golden. The centers should still feel slightly soft for a chewy texture once cooled.
- Let Them Cool Completely: Macaroons firm up as they cool. Moving them too soon can cause them to fall apart.
Frequently Asked Questions
Macaroons turn dry when they are overbaked or made with unsweetened coconut. Bake just until the tops are lightly golden and use sweetened shredded coconut for a moist, chewy texture.
Chill the mixture for 30 minutes before baking and scoop mostly the coconut mixture, leaving excess liquid behind. This helps the macaroons hold their shape.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate up to 1 week.
Yes. Double all of the ingredients to make a double batch.
Yes. Once cooled, place them in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
RELATED: 15 Easy Dessert Recipes For One
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried these coconut macaroons or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Small Batch Coconut Macaroons
Ingredients
- 1 large egg white
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a medium bowl, beat the egg white, sugar, vanilla, and salt with a hand mixer on medium speed for about 1 minute, until frothy and slightly thickened.
- Gently fold in the sweetened shredded coconut until evenly mixed.
- Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This helps the macaroons hold their shape while baking.
- Scoop heaping tablespoons of the mixture onto the baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until the tops and edges are lightly golden.Tip: Scoop mostly the coconut, leaving excess liquid behind for better-shaped macaroons.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.Note: A small amount of egg white may spread during baking. This is normal and does not affect the chewy texture.
Notes
- Use Only the Egg White: Even a small amount of yolk can prevent the mixture from whipping properly and affect texture.
- Chill the Mixture: Refrigerating for 30 minutes helps the macaroons hold their shape and bake up tall instead of spreading.
- Line the Pan: Always use parchment paper or a silicone mat to prevent sticking.
- Do Not Overbake: Remove when the tops and edges are lightly golden. The centers should still feel slightly soft for a chewy texture once cooled.
- Let Them Cool Completely: Macaroons firm up as they cool. Moving them too soon can cause them to fall apart.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Made these yesterday but turned them into a version of almond joy cookies by putting a whole almond on top while baking and dipping bottoms in chocolate after cooling. Last night it was good, today it was spectacular! Made 7cookies. Small by my standards (about the size of a vanilla wafer)I burnt the first batch of coconut that I tried to toast so the second batch I didn’t even let get any color and took out of oven at about 4-5 min. Just dried it out a little. This worked well as the cooking phase turned them slightly golden at 15 min. when I took them out. Parchment paper is a must as they are very sticky going into oven. Will make every time I get a craving!
They sound heavenly. I’m so happy you enjoyed them.
It is just my husband and I, our son has grown and moved away. I love to cook and bake, however, cooking is not one of my best skills. I don’t have division to just put things together and they taste great. After seeing your website I have fallen in love with everything I see. I tried the blueberry muffins which we haven’t eaten yet but I had leftover egg white, so I clicked on the link for leftover ingredients and families coconut macaroons. I’m the only one in the house that likes that kind of thing. Just finished making the macarons and they are heavenly. The small batch is enough for me to enjoy by myself. Thank you Joanie for creating this website! I plan to try many more things and become a wonderful cook now.
I have not even tried out the recipe. But guess what, I was redirected from a small batch donut recipe and just the idea of handling leftover within is like amazing . I will be making both of these in one go. I am so pleased that the website does small batches and am glad not having to bake and then find someone to share it with 🙂
These macarons were just delicious! Thanks so much my husband and I loved them and they were really easy to make .Great recipe thanks from the UK.
I’m so glad you and your husband enjoyed the cookies. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know.
So happy I stumbled across this site! So many recipes I can’t wait to try. I made these macaroons and they were delicious!! Hubby said they were better than the ones at the store. And I agree. I followed the recipe precisely and made no substitutions. So quick and easy. And the fact that there were suggestions on using the leftover egg yolk….marvelous! Oatmeal cookies here I come!!
Just made these, but I tripled the recipe because I wanted more. OMG! These are delicious! Thank you so much for posting this recipe!
Renee
How much sugar would you use if all you have is unsweetened coconut? Thanks!
Hi Kathy,
First off, if you use unsweetened coconut in this macaroons recipe the cookies will not be as chewy. You can still use unsweetened coconut but just know that the texture will be a little different. Unsweetened coconut tends to be a bit drier than sweetened coconut so it will affect the texture a little bit. I really haven’t experimented with unsweetened coconut in this particular recipe so I don’t know the exact amount of sugar you’d need to add. You may actually find that the 2 tablespoons of sugar makes the cookies sweet enough for you – it can be a matter of personal preference.
Thanks for your timely reply! I did some sleuthing and discovered that one cannot simply add more sugar to an unsweetened coconut recipe as the sugar must be absorbed into the coconut. As you stated, texture is likewise an issue. However, if you find your pantry stocked with unsweetened coconut when you require sweetened, heres what to do: heat equal amounts of sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat until just melted. Pour over coconut and toss. Spread coconut on a parchment lined cookie sheet and allow to cool. Ratio: 3T water and sugar to 3/4 C coconut. Comments reveal that this method is a sweet success😁
Thanks Kathy for researching this (your comment below doesn’t have a reply button). I have toasted unsweetened coconut and was wondering how to use it in this recipe! I’ll be using an alternative sweetener too but it should work. Thanks again.
I have made so many of your dessert recipes! I’m looking forward to trying these. They are perfect for the two of us to enjoy a little indulgence without having leftovers to keep tempting us.
I’m so happy you love the dessert recipes. I hope you enjoy this recipe too.
Have a wonderful week.
Joanie
Your site is the best!!! I have a long list of things I’m going to try. I think these cookies are going to be first. The next one will be the banana bread to use up the egg yolk.
Thank you, Helen! Please let me know how you enjoy the recipes.
Have a wonderful week.
Joanie
I am so excited to see this small batch recipe. A couple of great points I’d like to share. Small batch baking allows you to see where you may or may not tweak, without wasting your ingredients or making so many.
I am beyond excited to make these and if all turns out well this will be added to my dessert table.