Vanilla Bean Macaroons (Vegan)
Coconut is one of my very favorite foods, and I am entirely boggled as to how some people so detest it. Not only is it delicious, but it is rich in fiber and healthy fats!
I am a huge fan of macaroons, and when I saw these over at Oh She Glows, I was immediately drawn to them. While I knew I would like them since I absolutely LOVE all things coconut, I did not expect them to completely blow me away as they have done.
These macaroons are AMAZING! They are dense and chewy and absolutely addictive. The outside is perfectly crisp, and even after cooling, the inside is gooey and rich. The whole vanilla bean really pumps up the flavor and raises them above any macaroons you have tasted before. As Mikey bit into one, I heard an “Oh WOW!” Seconds later he was grabbing another :).
Also, these babies are completely vegan and relatively healthy when eaten in moderation- something that is almost entirely impossible ;).
PrintVanilla Bean Macaroons (Vegan)
Yield: makes 20-24 macaroons
Ingredients:
- 2 and 2/3 cups shredded unsweetened coconut (to make the coconut butter OR 1 cup store-bought coconut butter)
- 2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut (I used reduced fat here and regular in the coconut butter)
- 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
- 1 tsp sea salt
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line baking sheets with a silicone mat or parchment paper; set aside.
- To make the coconut butter: Add the 2 2/3 cups shredded coconut to the bowl of a food processor and process for 8-12 minutes until creamy, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
- Combine all of the ingredients (including coconut butter) in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat to combine.
- Scoop 1-2 tablespoon-sized mounds onto the baking sheet (they won't spread so you can place them fairly close to one another).
- Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden. Let cool on baking sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring to a plate or rack to cool further.
recipe slightly adapted from here
Aren't they insane??? You really can't believe how good they are until you taste your first. 🙂 Healthy Hoggin is a genius!Eric keeps asking me when I'm going to make more!
Oh my! I need these.
They look fantastic!
Angela, they really look so unassuming, but then you taste them and realize they are truly something incredible!
Gosh, those look glorious! Like scoops of ice cream! I want.
Your macaroons look beautiful! I just tried making them using the store bought coconut butter I had on hand, but the raw dough was more liquid-y than I imagined and didn't scoop pretty like yours. What do you think?
Was the coconut butter solid or liquid? I feel this may be the issue. The homemade butter is much runnier than the store-bought stuff (of which mine is solid at room temp).Also, the thickness of your coconut shreds could also be a factor. Mine were very fine.I'm sorry they didn't work so well :/
[…] apparently I have a thing for vanilla lately (please see: vanilla bean ice cream and vanilla bean macaroons)? I don’t know what the deal-io is with that but all I can say is that I super love […]