Coconut Macaroons with Sweetened Condensed Milk

I hope you are ready for coconut, chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, and the beautiful combination of all three to form: The Coconut Macaroon with Sweetened Condensed Milk!

Let's talk about the slightly less fancy version of the Macaron, the Coconut Macaroon. That's right, that extra 'o' is important!

Wait, wait, wait. I know this seems like I typed the same word twice, but there's actually a huge difference between a macaroon versus a macaron.

First off, they're actually pronounced differently. Macaron is pronounced mac-ah-ron, like the same sound as 'on'. while macaroon is pronounced mac-ah-roon, as in the same sound as moon.

Now that we have that tricky pronunciation out of the way. The other difference is the ingredients and end result. Macarons are typically made with almond flour and are sandwiched together with frosting, jam, or chocolate. Macaroons are typically made with sugar, coconut, and vanilla. They're typically dipped in chocolate but are formed into cluster ball shapes.

If you've heard tough things about the process of making these, you were probably thinking macarons. While these cute little cookies look sweet and innocent, it can be hard to get the perfect end result. But these coconut macaroons literally could not be easier (make sure you pay attention to the 'o'!)!

Why Add Sweetened Condensed Milk?

This recipe for coconut macaroons uses sweetened condensed milk which takes the sweetness to the next level without being too sweet!

I am a huge fan of sweetened condensed milk. I think it adds a deep sweetness without being overly sweet. It also adds liquid in addition to sweetness, so really a two-in-one ingredient!

I've made coconut macaroons before using just sweetened condensed milk, coconut, and vanilla extract and they were divine! I like adding the egg white because it makes them more light and airy, but this just goes to show how incredible sweetened condensed milk can be!

Be sure to note that this recipe doesn't add the whole can of sweetened condensed milk. You can save the extras for your morning cup of coffee!

Dealing with Egg Whites

The trickiest part of these coconut macaroons is dealing with the egg whites! They're really not hard at all!

My biggest tip when it comes to separating the yolks from the egg whites is to use the shell of the egg. I know there's a ton of tools out there to use but the more you transport the egg yolk, the more likely you are to break the yolk. If you break the yolk, and even the tiniest bit of yolk gets into the egg white, you'll have to make scrambled eggs, and start from scratch. Which is kind of a win-win, you get a delicious snack while you make these coconut macaroons.

I crack the egg like normal and guide the egg yolk to one half of the shell. Then I carefully pass the yolk from one side of the eggshell to the other, letting the egg white slip in between the shell. It sounds far more complicated than it is! So I have a video showing you what I do!

I suggest using a stand mixer, but you could use a hand mixer, or a whisk if you're feeling strong that day. Add the egg whites to a bowl and whip them until stiff peaks form. Stiff peaks mean that if you pick the whisk up and flip it upside down, the excess egg white will stand straight up, defying gravity, if you will.

Now that the "hard" part is out of the way, it's really just about mixing the rest of the ingredients together!

To dip or not to dip? That is the question...

I like to dip mine in milk chocolate, just because I feel like milk chocolate is really a crowd-pleaser. But you could do any type of chocolate, or just leave them as is!

The same goes for the sprinkles on the bottom. I like the little extra crunch the sprinkles provide.