Coconut Macaroons ... Delish

Photo: Food Network

The time has come to eat bake Christmas cookies. Do you make the same cookies every year like we do? Coconut macaroons are always on our list. We keep them pure and simple. It's the texture of the coconut and taste of vanilla that makes this cookie delicious. When perfectly baked, they look exactly like the photo above: Slightly crispy on the outside, yet soft, chewy and completely done on the inside. Here is our family recipe:

Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients:

4 large egg whites

1/2 cup white sugar

16 ounces sweet, shredded coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
a tiny splash of lemon juice
a tiny splash of rum

Directions:

1) Mix all the ingredients and beat until uniform. (If your batter is a little wet, you can add a spoonful of flour. If the egg whites are from extra large eggs, your dough can be sticky, so adding a little flour will help. Also pop the batter into the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes to make it less sticky and easy to work with.)
2) Scoop up the batter with a spoon and drop onto a cookie sheet. Shape more like a ball (as opposed to flat) so that you end with a chewy center.
3) Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes.
4) Remove from the oven and let cool. 

We like our coconut macaroons plain, but you can dip yours in melted chocolate (with paraffin wax) if you wish.

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