Chocolate Coconut Macaroons

These chocolate coconut macaroons are like a cross between a classic macaroon and a fudgy brownie. Ideal for Passover! You’ll never guess what the secret ingredient is.

By
Cindy Rahe
Cindy Rahe
Cindy Rahe
Cindy has over 10 years experience as a recipe blogger and was a contributor at BettyCrocker.com. Cindy began contributing to Simply Recipes in 2017.
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Updated February 24, 2022
Cindy Rahe
Cocoa Coconut Macaroons

Simply Recipes / Cindy Rahe

I am so excited to share the recipe for these Cocoa Coconut Macaroons because they are seriously one of my favorite things to come out of my kitchen, ever.

I can’t take all the credit, however. These macaroons are inspired by the perfect cocoa macaroons from Alma Handmade Chocolates in Portland, Oregon. I became obsessed with this shop and their macaroons when I lived in there.

fudgy chocolate Coconut Macaroons

Simply Recipes / Cindy Rahe

Achieving a Sweet Salty Balance

These macaroons taste like something between a classic coconut macaroon and a fudgy brownie. I've also added a sprinkle of crunchy sea salt to the tops of mine because I really like having a sweet—salty balance in my baked treats.

The Secret Ingredient to Moist Macaroons

There's one ingredient here that might be a surprise: applesauce! I took this tip from Elise's recipe for Coconut Macaroons and it worked like a charm, adding moisture to the centers and preventing them from becoming dry or crumbly.

I think my version of these macaroons nails the flavor of Alma's original. I wasn't able to do a side-by-side comparison so I can’t say for sure, but my memory says YES!

Cocoa Coconut Macaroons for passover

Simply Recipes / Cindy Rahe

Tips for Success

  • These macaroons are made by coarsely grinding the shredded coconut and piping the cookies with a piping bag. This makes pretty, perfectly symmetrical cookies with a soft texture.
  • If you are not planning to pipe these macaroons, leave the shredded coconut as is (do not grind) and shape the macaroons with a cookie scoop or large spoon.
  • It’s not easy to tell by just looking at the color of these cookies if they are done since they’re already dark brown. You’ll know when they’re done when the cookies are still glossy but feel dry to the touch and yield slightly to gentle pressure.

Are These Kosher for Passover?

Yes, these chocolate coconut macaroons can be kosher for Passover. None of the ingredients are forbidden at Passover and several brands produce kosher certified versions of each of the ingredients, including the chocolate—an ingredient that may or may not be kosher if not certified.

More Passover-Perfect Desserts

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Chocolate Coconut Macaroons

Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 12 mins
Total Time 32 mins
Servings 18 to 20 macaroons

You can use sweetened coconut in this recipe if you don't have unsweetened coconut. If you do that, reduce the sugar to 1/4 cup.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups (254g) unsweetened shredded coconut

  • 3 large egg whites

  • 3/4 cup (148g) sugar (reduce to 1/4 cup if using sweetened coconut)

  • 4 tablespoons (22g) cocoa powder

  • 5 tablespoons smooth applesauce

  • Flaky sea salt

Method

  1. Preheat the oven:

    Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

  2. Grind the coconut:

    Pulse the coconut in a food processor for ten 1-second pulses, until coarsely ground. (Skip this if you are shaping your macaroons by hand instead of piping in Step 4.)

    Grinding coconut in a food processor for macaroons

    Simply Recipes / Cindy Rahe
  3. Make the batter:

    In a saucepan off the heat, whisk the egg whites, sugar, cocoa, and applesauce together. Stir in the coconut.

    Place the pan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is pasty and hot to the touch.

    Stirring chocolate macaroon batter

    Simply Recipes / Cindy Rahe
  4. Shape the macaroons:

    Remove the pan from the heat and scoop the macaroon batter into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe mounds onto a parchmentined baking sheet roughly the size of walnuts in their shells.

    To shape by hand without piping: Use a cookie scoop or a large soup spoon to portion out the batter.

    Chocolate coconut macaroons before baking

    Simply Recipes / Cindy Rahe
  5. Bake the macaroons:

    Sprinkle the tops with flaky sea salt and bake for about 12 minutes, until they feel dry to the touch and yield slightly to gentle pressure (they will still look glossy). Remove from the oven and cool on the sheet pan on a rack. Once cool, gently lift each macaroon off the sheet pan.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
122 Calories
8g Fat
12g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 18 to 20
Amount per serving
Calories 122
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 11%
Saturated Fat 7g 36%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 42mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 12g 4%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 4mg 0%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 80mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.