These chocolate-covered strawberry macaroons are chewy, packed with coconut (and a smidge of almond), and bursting with fresh strawberries. An easy cookie recipe is made even more special by a dark chocolate dip and drizzle!
A few weeks ago, Brian and I skipped town and visited my family in San Diego. A return to our old stomping grounds! We spent time hiking beachside cliffs, visiting a winery, trying not to freak when we retraced our old work commutes, and eating ALL the things. Spending time with family too, of course. 😉
Now that we live in Nashville, something we definitely took for granted in San Diego was just how close every single store you could possibly need was. Trader Joe's, a humongous conventional supermarket, a humongous natural foods market, HomeGoods (♥), Nordstrom Rack, Pier 1, World Market, and more. You name it, and you could be there within ten minutes. Hooooooly efficiency.
Where we currently live in Nashville? Not so much. Errands require a lot more pre-planning and finger crossing if we'd like to not spend our entire weekend driving from here to there to everywhere. So on our little jaunt to California, we stopped by the BEST market with a ton of natural foods just about every day so I could comb the aisles and exclaim to Brian every five minutes, "LOOK. They have so-and-so! In stock, in person!".
One of those so-and-so's was a mean coconut macaroon. I'm not going to tell you how many I ate. Just know I did copious amounts of blog research. 😉
So today I bring you macaroons! Chocolate-covered strawberry macaroons. Not macarons, as I seem to the have the baking equivalent of a gardening 'black thumb' when it comes to those, but macaroons. Chewy, ultra coconut-y, and moist cookies that make my self-control fly out the window.
This version is jazzed up by the addition of fresh strawberries, because Lord knows I can't pass up the strawberry display without loading cartons into my cart like I was a contestant on Supermarket Sweep. Except if I was really on Supermarket Sweep, I'd be gunning for higher cost items like infant formula and rib roasts. I may or may not have had an obsession with that show back in the day.
This recipe is quick to prepare and makes use of the food processor. Sweetened, flaked coconut goes for a spin to reduce the size of the flakes and keep the chewiness in check, and then a bit of sugar, egg whites, salt, and a smidge of almond extract are added. Can't you just smell the coconut and almond mixture just reading about it? Sooooo good.
Lastly pureed strawberries are folded into the macaroon mixture, coloring the cookies pink and adding that fresh burst of strawberry flavor that screams spring. Or, screams spring-almost-summer. Or both!
As an extra special twist, I dipped the bottoms of each macaroon in melted dark chocolate and used the excess chocolate to pipe a chocolate drizzle over the top of each one. Chocolate-covered strawberry anything is a winner in my book.
Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Macaroons
Ingredients
- 7 oz. sweetened flaked coconut
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1-2 large egg whites (see note)
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ¾ cup roughly chopped strawberries, blotted as dry as possible (see note)
- Approx. ½ cup dark chocolate chips or semi-sweet, milk, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a food processor, add coconut and process until flakes resemble small, flaky pieces. Add sugar and process until mixed in. Add egg whites, sea salt, and almond extract and process until mixed and batter is evenly moist.
- Transfer coconut mixture into a bowl and add strawberry pieces to the now empty food processor. Process for a few short pulses, until small pieces remain. Fold strawberries into the bowl with the coconut mixture until it's just about all combined (the batter doesn't need to be an even pink throughout - a few swirls are just fine).
- Using a 1 ½-tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop batter and use a spatula to press it so coconut mixture is densely packed. Level off the top of the cookie scoop and place cookies evenly-spaced on the parchment-lined baking sheet. These macaroons don't spread very much at all, so they can be placed near each other.
- Bake 25-30 minutes (my oven took 25), or until the bottom edges of macaroons have browned and top coconut flakes are golden brown. Remove baking sheet from oven and let macaroons cool on the pan, at least 10-15 minutes.
- Once cooled, I placed the macaroons in the refrigerator to harden up a little bit and get them ready for dipping in melted chocolate.
- Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in twenty-second intervals on half-power, stirring after each interval, until chocolate chips just lose shape and stirring results in a smooth, dippable consistency. Alternatively you may melt chocolate in a double boiler if you prefer.
- Remove macaroons from the refrigerator and dip bottoms of cookies into chocolate. Place on a piece of aluminum foil. I transferred the melted chocolate left after dipping the cookie bottoms into a plastic bag, sealed, and snipped of the very corner of the bag to pipe chocolate on the top of the cookies. Place in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes until chocolate hardens.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate. As it can vary due to many factors (brands used, quantities, etc.), we cannot guarantee its accuracy.
Food Safety and Nutrition Disclaimer
Mary says
Made these with unsweetened coconut and they were perfect! I only had about 4 oz of coconut so I halved the rest of the recipe and used a 1 tbsp measurer to get 13 mini macaroons. Baked the same amount of time. They turned out awesome. Thanks!
Alyssa says
Awesome! I'm so glad you enjoyed them, Mary. I love the idea of mini macaroons for when I'm running low on ingredients but have a craving. I'll be giving that a shot! 🙂
Catherine says
Dear Alyssa, these look so pretty and they sound delicious. Anything with coconut is right up my alley! xo, Catherine
Alyssa says
I'm a huge coconut fan Catherine! Thank you!
Kathy @ Olives & Garlic says
Holy.....macaroons.... I will pay top dollar to have you overnight these to me, ASAP! 🙂
Alyssa says
Haha you know I would Kathy! 🙂
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen says
I saw these macaroons on Facebook today and couldn't believe how incredible they looked. Love the strawberry and chocolate combination!
Alyssa says
Thanks so much Christin! I think I'd be a fan of anything strawberry + chocolate flavored. 🙂
Erin@WellPlated says
San Diego will forever be one of my favorite cities. Glad you guys had a great time! I'm also loving this fun twist on classic macaroons. What a great flavor combo!
Alyssa says
San Diego is definitely a beauty! Thanks Erin!
Ashley | The Recipe Rebel says
This is brilliant. I love macaroons AND strawberries and chocolate! I also love San Diego -- jealous!
Alyssa says
Thanks Ashley! So many of my favorites all rolled into one, too. 🙂
Katalina @ Peas and Peonies says
These macaroons definitely look scrumptious and delicious, the flavor is so delicate, just like the cookie itself, love the chocolate on top.
Alyssa says
Thank you Katalina! Chocolate on top definitely makes things extra sweet! 🙂
Monica says
Oh gosh - these are just so pretty! Great flavor and texture all in one package to boot! : )
Alyssa says
Thanks so much Monica!
Michelle | A Latte Food says
Don't even get me started on Home Goods! That store seriously is addicting. These macaroons also look addicting! Strawberry chocolate and coconut?! Sold!
Alyssa says
Haha that store is definitely trouble Michelle! Thanks! 🙂
Cindy @ Pick Fresh Foods says
Your trip back reminds me of myself every time I go back to our old town. Now, everything is a good 25 minute or more drive away. Before everything was so close and so many options. We really have to plan out our trips. These macaroons look so amazing. I love the addition of strawberries and chocolate. Yum!
Alyssa says
Thanks Cindy! The distance (although it's not THAT far) has definitely made us better planners. Still it was so nice to be able to zip out to a store and pick up something I forgot without taking up a big chunk of the afternoon!
Kristi @ Inspiration Kitchen says
Well, aren't these beautiful and delicious looking little cookies, Alyssa! I totally love them and I love the color too. They look so tasty!
Alyssa says
Thanks Kristi! I'm so tempted to add every fruit and candy I have laying around into macaroons!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
I love San Diego! I'm trying to convince my husband to move there...it's not quite working! 🙂 These macaroons are gorgeous, Alyssa! I love the chocolate and strawberry combo! Yum!
Alyssa says
Haha well if you take a trip out in the winter, you'll escape the frigid weather where you guys are and maybe he'll become smitten, too! Thanks!
Ashley says
First, these are so pretty! I love how they are pink! And strawberry and chocolate is suchhh a good combo!
I don't know what I would do if I didn't live super close to all my favorite stores! We got lucky when we moved from DC to NC - I can still get to everything pretty fast!
Alyssa says
Thanks girl! We're hardly out in the middle of nowhere, but we just seem to have bad luck in that we're awkwardly equidistant from all the stores. Probably better for my wallet that way though! 🙂
Jess @ Flying on Jess Fuel says
Ahhh so jealous!! I loooove San Diego!! Glad you had fun. These macaroons sound so, so good. I love that they're pink, too. So fun!!
Alyssa says
San Diego is wonderful for sure! Thanks Jess! 🙂
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely says
Sounds like you had a fun trip back! I'm so spoiled here with all the great grocery stores and clothes shopping within just a few minutes of my house. Especially since we just had a nordstrom rack open up last month. Woo hoo! Loving these macaroons! Obsessed with all things coconut. These strawberry ones look so good!
Alyssa says
Oh it was great! So nice about the Nordstrom Rack. Our closest one now is about 20-25 minutes away. Whomp! Right before we moved they opened an Off Saks outlet right next door to our Nordstrom Rack there...it was probably a good idea we left town! Haha