Besitos de Coco (Coconut Macaroons)

These Besitos de Coco (coconut macaroons) were one of my favorite Puerto Rican desserts as a child. They have that perfect balance of sweet and salty, with a deliciously chewy texture thanks to my mom’s tip. Dip them in chocolate for an extra indulgence, or enjoy them fresh out of the oven!

Besitos de coco are one of those recipes I thought was incredibly impressive as a child. My mom would whip up a batch using the hand mixer, rolling them into perfectly shaped balls and baking until our house smelled like a tropical bakery.

I appreciate this Puerto Rican dessert even more now that I know how incredibly easy they are to make.

These coconut macaroons require less than an hour to make, and are perfect for sharing with friends with a cup of tea or cafe con leche.

Instructions

Mom’s Secret to Chewy Macaroons:

My mom made these all the time when I was a kid and she helped share all her secrets for this recipe.

One trick I see most other recipes overlook: chopping the shredded coconut. You can do this with a knife and cutting board or with a few quick pulses in the food processor.

It seems so simple but smaller pieces of coconut results in more compact, round macaroons. It’s the key to perfectly chewy, uniformly baked besitos!

More Coconut Desserts

Silky Panna Cotta with Coconut Milk 

Limber de Coco (Puerto Rican Coconut Popsicles)

Arroz con Dulce (Coconut Rice Pudding)

Puerto Rican Tembleque (Coconut Pudding)

Buen provecho,

Besitos de Coco (Coconut Macaroons)

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• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 24 besitos 1x
• Category: Dessert, Snack
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: American, Latin American
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

These Besitos de Coco (coconut macaroons) were one of my favorite Puerto Rican desserts as a child. They have that perfect balance of sweet and salty, with a deliciously chewy texture thanks to super fine shredded coconut. Dip them in chocolate for an extra indulgence, or enjoy them fresh out of the oven!

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 5 cups shredded coconut
• 2 egg whites
• 1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Optional: 1 cup chocolate

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Instructions

1. Prep the oven and coconut flakes: Preheat oven to 325°F. Pulse the shredded coconut in a food processor (or chop with a knife) to break down into super fine pieces.
2. Beat the egg whites: Add the egg whites to a bowl and beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer until stiff peaks form.
3. Combine remaining ingredients: Mix the chopped coconut, sweetened condensed milk, salt, almond extract and vanilla extract into the bowl with the beaten egg whites and fold together until evenly combined.
4. Bake: Using a cookie scooper or a spoon, scoop balls of the coconut mixture onto parchment lined baking sheets. Bake for 20-25 minutes (depending on their size), just until they begin to turn golden, rotating the baking sheet at the half way point to ensure they cook evenly. Let cool.
5. Optional: Microwave the chocolate for 15 second intervals, stirring in between until melted. Dip the macaroons in the chocolate and set back on the parchment paper to harden.