4-Ingredient Easy Vegan Coconut Macaroons
This vegan coconut macaroons recipe is easy to make with just 4 simple ingredients.
Introduction
These vegan coconut macaroons are different than traditional macaroons, so you won’t need flour, cornstarch, condensed milk or egg whites.
Instead, the recipe calls for blended coconut and cashews, which release oils helping to hold the macaroons together once baked. They’re sweetened naturally with dates which add a delicious caramel-like flavor.
Though a twist on regular macaroons, they still taste amazing and have the most delicious firm but soft and chewy texture.
For a chocolate version of this recipe, which is very similar but with cocoa powder, you can try these Chocolate Macaroons.
These Coconut Almond Macaroons are also similar but made with maple syrup, almonds and almond flour.
If you’re a coconut lover, add these Oatmeal Coconut Cookies, Homemade Mounds Bars and No-Bake Vegan Almond Joy Bars to your list to make next.
Ingredient Notes
- Chocolate: Use vegan chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips to keep the recipe vegan.
- Coconut: Use fine or medium unsweetened coconut (desiccated coconut).
- Dates: Any variety works but I do like soft and sweet medjool dates best for this recipe.
- Cashews: Use raw, plain cashews with no added oil or salt.
The complete list of ingredients with measurements is located in the recipe card below.
Variations & Additions
- Low-Sugar/Sugar-Free Options: For low-sugar macaroons, use 70-90% dark chocolate instead of chocolate chips. For sugar-free macaroons, use sugar-free chocolate of choice, such as Lily’s.
- Decoration: Drizzle any extra melted chocolate over the macaroons then sprinkle with shredded coconut.
- Coconut Flavor: To enhance the coconut flavor, can add 1 tsp coconut extract instead of or in addition to the vanilla extract.
- Lemon: Add 2 tsp lemon zest for lemon coconut macaroons that are lovely for Easter or Mother’s Day.
- Toasted Coconut: To bring out the coconut flavor, you can toast the shredded coconut before using in the recipe. Spread it in a single layer on a baking tray and toast for 5-8 minutes at 350 F, watching closely not to burn, until light golden brown.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. Soak the dates (pitted) in hot water for 15 minutes then drain well. It’s fine to leave them wet just make sure any excess water has been drained off. Start preheating oven to 350 F.
Step 2. While the dates are soaking, add the cashews to a food processor and blend into a coarse, grainy flour.
Step 3. Add the coconut shreds to the food processor and process until the mixture starts to get a bit chunky, oily and almost paste-like. This may take a few minutes. Make sure you reach this consistency as the released oils bind the macaroons together.
Step 4. Add the sea salt, vanilla and drained dates and blend for a bit until the mixture is completely combined. It should be oily but somewhat sticky.
Step 5. Line a baking tray with parchment paper then use a small cookie scoop to create 15-16 macaroons, placing them on the prepared baking sheet.
If you don’t have a cookie scoop, you can use your hands or a rounded tablespoon to shape 1.5-2 inch wide domes.
Step 6. Bake the macaroons for 12 minutes in the preheated oven then let cool on the pan for at least 30 minutes.
They will be fragile when they come out of the oven, so avoid handling them until they’ve firmed.
Step 7. When you’re ready, melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl 15-second intervals until smooth and creamy, taking care not to burn it.
Step 8. Press each macaroons into the melted chocolate so the chocolate reaches up the sides a bit. Place them back on the baking tray once dipped in chocolate.
Once you’ve dipped them all, place them in the fridge for 20-30 minutes until the chocolate has hardened. Once the chocolate bottoms are set, enjoy your macaroons!
Recipe FAQs
This recipe works best with raw cashews. I do not recommend substituting them.
Yes. These freeze very well and will keep in an airtight container for 3-4 months.
If you aren’t freezing them, store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. You can keep them at room temperature but due to the fats and chocolate, they’ll best kept chilled so they don’t melt.
Expert Tips
- Cooling: They will be soft and fragile when they come out of the oven, so resist handling them until they’ve firmed up for at least a half hour. If you rush this they may crumble when you dip them in the chocolate.
- Chocolate: For an easier method, simple drizzle melted chocolate over the baked macaroons on the pan and chill to set.
- Melting Chocolate: If using the microwave, melt in two or three 15-second increments, giving it a quick stir in between, then just stir to melt in any remaining chunks. This will prevent burning the chocolate.
More Holiday Recipes
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Vegan Coconut Macaroons
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 12 mins
- Total Time: 42 minutes
- Yield: 15
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
The best vegan coconut macaroons made with just 4 simple ingredients for an easy recipe perfect for special occasions.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup packed, pitted dates (110 g)
- 1 cup raw cashews (150 g)
- 2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut (200 g)
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips or dark chocolate
Instructions
- Soak Dates: Place the pitted dates in a bowl and cover with hot water. Soak for at least 15 minutes then drain well, shaking off any excess water.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Blend Cashews: Place the cashews in a food processor and process for 30-45 seconds until broken down into a coarse, grainy flour. If there are a few larger pieces left behind, that’s ok.
- Add Coconut: Add the coconut flakes and process until it starts to become a bit oily and almost paste-like. You should start to see bits of paste sticking to the side of the food processor. This might take a few minutes. Make sure you achieve this pasty consistency as the released oils are what bind the macaroons together.
- Add Dates and Salt: Add the soaked dates, sea salt and vanilla (if using) and process until completely combined. The mixture should be oily but somewhat sticky.
- Create Macaroons: Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper then use a small cookie scoop to create each macaroon. If you don’t have a scoop, you can use your hands to shape the dough into little domes. You should get 15-16 macaroons, placing each on the prepared tray.
- Bake: Bake for 12 minutes then remove from the oven and let cool on the pan for at least 30 minutes. They will be soft and fragile when you take them out of the oven so don’t handle them until they’ve firmed up for at least 30 minutes.
- Melt Chocolate: When you’re ready, melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave in 15-second intervals (stir between each increment) until completely smooth and creamy.
- Dip Macaroons: Press the bottom of each macaroon into the melted chocolate so the chocolate coats the bottom and about 1/8th of an inch up the sides. Once you’ve coated them all, place the entire tray in the fridge for about 30 minutes to firm.
- Once the chocolate is set, enjoy!
Notes
Storing: Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freezer for up to 3 months. I recommended keeping them in the fridge until just before serving as the chocolate may melt if gets warm. They can be stored at room temperature for up to 4 days if kept cool.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 6.2 g
- Fat: 15 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
Keywords: easy coconut macaroons, healthy coconut macaroons
Thank-you for this recipe! Even before I went whole food plant based I couldn’t eat macaroons because of egg whites. These are delicious! My sister and father really love them too. Also, the chickpea meatloaf is a favorite of mine. Thank-you for all the time and effort you put into the recipes!
These are absolutely delicious! The recipe is easy and requires just a few ingredients. The pictures of each step are so helpful!
★★★★★
Amazing! So glad you loved them.
Super easy to make and so so good!
★★★★★
I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for the kind review!
These macaroons are outstanding and so easy to make. They are a million times tastier than the tinned kosher ones I usually purchase. These will definitely be a holiday tradition for us.
★★★★★
Amazing! I’m obsessed! These were so good and so easy to make. These disappeared in days at our house. These will be a new Christmas tradition for sure. I can’t wait to try the chocolate ones too!
★★★★★
Love, love, love! I’m hooked on these, haha. They are so perfect with the chocolate coating. I love macaroons and these totally deliver on the flavour and texture of a traditional one. Thank you!
★★★★★
Fancy but not!! What a simple delectable!! Thank you so much for this one, Deryn. Love the no processed sugar. They are just the right amount of sweet with the dates and coconut on their own. I used a super dark chocolate for the feet, to keep it that way and drizzled the tiniest bit with my fork on top. Making to cheer people up while healthying em up, too 🙂
★★★★★
Thank you, Suzi! I’ve been waiting for some feedback on this recipe since I loved them so much too. So happy you enjoyed them and thanks for letting me know!