Coconut Macaroons
MAKES ABOUT 24 COOKIES
cups (about 9 ounces) lightly packed sweetened shredded coconut
½ cup sweetened condensed milk
teaspoon pure vanilla extract
teaspoon fresh lemon juice
large egg white
Dash of salt
Every now and then I get the urge for these moist, chewy treats, so I always keep a can of sweetened condensed milk in the pantry and a bag of coconut in the freezer. I guess you could say that being prepared is worth its weight in macaroons! Chocoholics might want to drizzle melted chocolate over the tops or go hog wild and dip the macaroons right into the chocolate to cover the whole darn thing!
PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
COMBINE the coconut, condensed milk, vanilla, and lemon juice in a large bowl.
USING an electric mixer, beat the egg white with the salt in a medium bowl until it holds soft peaks. Fold the white into the coconut mixture.
DROP small mounds of the batter, measuring about 1½ inches in diameter, onto the prepared sheet. Arrange them about 1½ inches apart. With slightly wet fingertips, pinch the mounds to make them a tad narrower and taller, about 1¼ inches in diameter and 1 inch high with a slightly pinched top. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, rotating the sheet from front to back about two-thirds of the way through baking, or until the macaroons are golden (some coconut shreds on top will be dark brown). Slide the parchment off the cookie sheet and onto a rack. After 5 to 10 minutes, remove the macaroons from the parchment using a thin metal spatula and place them directly on the rack to finish cooling.
STORE in an airtight container for up to 5 days.