Dairy and egg-free coconut macaroons are possible, and delicious – these healthy chocolate orange macaroons are excellent and plant based! Like most macaroons, they’re also gluten-free as is.
Macaroons usually include eggs, but after a little trial and error, this recipe uses just coconut milk and honey (or another sticky sweetener for vegans) to hold the cookies together. This recipe needs just seven ingredients and most of them are probably already in your pantry.
They have a crunchy outside, a chewy and slightly sticky middle, and the dark chocolate takes the edge off of any overly sweet tendencies the coconut might have. Macaroons make a perfect holiday gift and since these freeze so well, they’re a great everyday cookie, too.
If you’re on a coconut kick, try these no-bake chocolate coconut balls, a date-sweetened coconut banana bread, or make a batch of homemade bounty bars.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Hazelnut meal: substitute almond meal if you can’t get hazelnut meal, or make your own.
- Coconut: this should be unsweetened, raw shredded coconut. Flake coconut can’t be substituted in this recipe.
- Coconut milk: this must be full-fat. Look for one that lists coconut solids at 70% or higher for the best results, and only use the cream from the top of the can. When buying, choose a can that doesn’t slosh around when shaken – there must be a solid layer of cream.
Recipe Notes
If you have a conically shaped coffee scoop, it will work perfectly to get little mounds or rounded pyramids for these. I used a rounded coffee scoop. Otherwise don’t worry, and just scoop them out with a spoon and use wet hands to shape them a little into how you’d like them to look. They won’t rise or melt while baking so whatever shape you choose is the one you’ll end up with.
If the mixture doesn’t want to form clean scoops immediately after mixing, let it cool to room temperature. The cream will solidify a bit and make it easier to form the shapes you want. It also helps to rinse the scooper after every few cookies – the dough will release more easily this way.
How to Store
Storage: keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one week. I don’t recommend keeping these cookies out at room temperature for more than a few hours.
Freezing: place cooled cookies in an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. The chocolate should be fully set before freezing.
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Expert Tips
- Use creamed honey: it’s a little harder to mix, but the colour of the macaroons is much nicer with a light-coloured creamed honey rather than amber runny honey.
- Choose an unwaxed orange: since you’re using the zest, it’s even more important to choose an organic, unwaxed orange for this recipe. Wash well before zesting.
- Go for desiccated: any shredded coconut is fine, but desiccated makes for the tidiest looking cookie and, I think, best texture.
More Eggless Cookie Recipes
Vegan Gingersnaps
Coconut Sugar Cookies
Gluten-free Peanut Butter Cookies
Trail Mix Cookies
If you make these Eggless Macaroons or any other dairy-free cookie recipes on Occasionally Eggs, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more OE, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, purchase the Occasionally Eggs cookbook, or subscribe for new posts via email.
Egg-Free Coconut Macaroons
Ingredients
- ¾ cup full-fat coconut milk cream only, from the top of a can
- ¼ cup honey*
- 2 tablespoons orange juice about half an orange
- Zest of an orange
- 2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
- ¼ cup hazelnut meal
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup dark chocolate for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small sauce pan, gently heat the coconut milk over low heat until warm. Remove from the heat and whisk in the honey until incorporated, followed by the orange juice and zest.3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk, 1/4 cup honey*, 2 tablespoons orange juice, Zest of an orange
- In a large bowl, combine the coconut, hazelnut meal, and salt. Stir in the coconut milk mixture and let this sit for ten minutes to thicken slightly.2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut, 1/4 cup hazelnut meal, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- Use a coffee scoop or spoon to make small mounds of the coconut mixture on your prepared baking sheet. The scoop I used is equivalent to a heaping tablespoon. Bake for 8-10 minutes, watching closely once they start to turn golden. Your baking time will vary depending on the size of the scoop you use. Turn the baking sheet halfway through the baking time for evenly browned cookies.
- Take the cookies out of the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 30 minutes before gently removing and cooling completely on a rack. Freeze them for at least 10-20 minutes before dipping them in the chocolate to make it easier.
- Dip one half of the cookie in chocolate and place it on a sheet lined with parchment. Repeat until all of the cookies are coated. You can either let the chocolate solidify at room temperature, or place the cookies in the fridge until the chocolate is hard to speed up the process. The cookies will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.1/4 cup dark chocolate
Notes
* For American cup measurements, please click the pink link text above the ingredient list that says ‘American’.
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
This post was originally published in December 2016. It has been updated with no changes to the recipe as of January 2023.
Teresa says
I love the concept you chose for these and they sound (and look) absolutely delicious!
Markus Mueller says
These looks so good! Plus easy to make! I'll be adding these to my Christmas baking list for sure!
Elaine says
Mmm–so easy, so pretty, and gluten-free too!
Hilary says
I love a good macaroon and your flavour combination looks and sounds amazing! I will have to give it a try. And I love your idea of omitting eggs- I'll give that a try too!