Cranberry White Chocolate Macaroons

These gluten-free Cranberry White Chocolate Macaroons are crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. They’re delicate pillowy mounds of lightly sweetened coconut with hints of orange.

It’s December –  the season for cookie baking. These Cranberry White Chocolate Macaroons are a tradition in my home. They’re crispy on the outside and soft and chewy inside. They’re pretty pillowy mounds with tiny morsels of festive cranberries and hints of orange. Best of all? They’re gluten-free.

When you’re planning your holiday baking, it’s good to remind yourself to consider the needs of your friends who are gluten-intolerant or avoiding wheat in their diet. These cookies (and these Crispy Salted Coconut Cookies) provide the perfect solution.

You can make them in about 25 minutes and have at least one sweet treat for those don’t eat wheat.

Tips for making Cranberry White Chocolate Macaroons

While a traditional recipe for coconut macaroons uses sweetened long-shred coconut, I find it to be much too sweet. I used organic unsweetened medium-shred coconut successfully.

These cookies are delicately flavoured with either orange or lemon zest. Add some chopped dried cranberries for both colour and flavour.

This is an easy coconut macaroon recipe

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat baking mats to prevent the cookies from sticking to the pan.

Beat egg whites with sugar and flavouring until frothy, then fold in chopped dried cranberries, orange or lemon zest and coconut.

Use a cookie scoop, if you have one, to drop evenly sized mounds on to a baking sheet. Press the coconut mixture firmly into the cookie scoop so the macaroons keep their shape. Alternatively, you can roll them into balls with your hands, flattening the bottom slightly when you place it on a baking sheet.

Bake, cool, and drizzle with tempered white chocolate. Store in a tightly covered container. These white chocolate macaroons freeze well, so you can make them well ahead of time.

Delicious!

5 from 1 vote

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Cranberry White Chocolate Macaroons

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

25 mins

 

These Cranberry White Chocolate Macaroons are delicate little coconut mounds, flavored with cranberries and citrus and drizzled with white chocolate.

Course: Cookies and Bars

Cuisine: Canadian, American, Gluten-Free

Servings: 32

Calories per serving: 96 kcal

Author: Flavour & Savour

Ingredients

• 3 egg whites at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla or almond extract
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries chopped
• 1 tbsp orange zest or lemon zest, finely grated
• 3 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
• 4 oz pure white chocolate melted, for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites, sugar, extract and salt until frothy, about 2 minutes.

3. Gently fold in cranberries, orange or lemon zest and coconut.

4. Using a cookie scoop, press firmly into scoop and carefully drop on to baking sheets about 2 inches apart, making sure you have them nicely mounded.

5. Bake at 325°F for 12- 15 minutes until golden, watching carefully as they brown quickly.

6. Let them cool completely.

7. Melt 3 oz of the white chocolate over, not in, boiling water. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1 oz of chocolate. Drizzle over cooled macaroons, using a decorating piping bag or a spoon.

Recipe Notes

To temper chocolate, melt 3/4 of the required amount in a bowl over (not in) simmering water. Remove from heat, then add the remaining 1/4 cup, stirring until smooth and glossy.

Note that not all brands of white chocolate will melt. Check the label. The ingredients must include cocoa butter.

More holiday cookie ideas:

• Zebra Cookies and Holiday Cookie Roundup
• Traditional and Reliable Gingerbread Cut-Out Cookies
• Gluten-Free Almond Shortbread Cookie Balls
• Roasted Almond Chocolate Truffles (Paleo, Vegan)
• Gluten-Free Crispy Salted Coconut Cookies

This recipe was originally published in 2014. It has been updated with new information and photos.
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