These Toasted Coconut French Macarons With Cream Filling are a scrumptious dessert with the balance of a slightly crusty meringue shell and a sweet creamy filling.
So light and airy and so incredibly decadent. They’re also gluten free!
They take a little time and some experience to make but are so well worth it!
Ingredients For Coconut Macarons
For Macaron Shells:
- Powdered sugar
- Caster sugar or granulated sugar (see FAQ’s)
- Almond flour (not almond meal, see FAQ’s)
- Large egg whites – room temperature
- White food coloring (optional)
For Coconut Cream Filling:
- Salted butter – room temperature
- Powdered sugar
- Milk
- Vanilla extract
- Shredded coconuts or coconut flakes
If you’re a real coconut lover:
- Substitute the vanilla extract with 1 tsp coconut extract.
- Substitute regular milk with coconut milk.
Helpful Tools
- Mixer (hand blender or standing)
- Baking tray
- Cooling wire rack
- Sifter or a fine-mesh sieve
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat (see Pro Tip)
- Piping bag
- Large bowl
- Medium bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Plastic wrap
- Rubber spatula
- Oven Mit
Pro Tip: There are silicone baking mats that have macron circles on them which makes it much easier to create a perfect round cookie shell.
How To Make French Coconut Macarons
Combine dry ingredients –
- Sift almond flour and confectioners’ sugar into a large bowl.
Beat egg whites –
- In a larger bowl, beat the egg whites on medium speed for 2 minutes or until soft peaks form.
- Slowly add the granulated sugar and beat on high speed for approximately 2 more minutes, until glossy stiff peaks have formed.
Fold in dry ingredients –
- Use a rubber or silicone spatula to gently and gradually fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites.
- Add a few drops of food coloring.
- Mix the batter until it flows in very thick ribbons when the spatula is lifted. Do not overfold.
Make the macaron shells –
- Use a piping bag fitted with a round tip and fill it with about 1/3 of the batter.
- Pipe circles on prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Repeat with remaining batter.
- Tap the baking sheet firmly against the counter to release any air bubbles.
Allow macarons rest for 30 minutes –
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until they are set. Rotate halfway through the baking time.
Let cool 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Cool completely before assembling.
How To Make Coconut Buttercream Filling For Macarons
Coconut buttercream is so easy to make in minutes using a handful of simple ingredients.
- Use a mixer(either a hand or stand mixer) and cream butter until soft and smooth.
- Add powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract.
- Beat until light and fluffy.
- Fold in 1/4 cup of shredded coconut and blend throughly.
How To Toast Coconut
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF.
- Place shredded or flaked coconut evenly on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Bake on the middle rack for 4 minutes or until golden brown.
How To Assemble Toasted Coconut French Macarons
- Spoon the coconut buttercream filling into a piping bag with a round tip or into a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off. Swirl the coconut mixture on half the cookies.
- Gently place a second shell on top and carefully push down until the filling comes to the edge of the sandwich.
- Roll the macaron on the sheet pan of coconut to coat the exposed cream filling.
- If more coconut is needed, use a spoon or just your fingers to press it on to the filling until it’s completely covered. Don’t be afraid to use a lot of coconut, it’s looks beautiful and is delicious!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Difference Between Macarons and Macaroons?
Macarons – Pronounced “mack-uh-rohn,” consists of two meringue-based cookies sandwiched together with a filling.
A piping bag is required to pipe the batter into flat, round circles on prepared baking sheets and baked to perfection.
Once cool, the delicate french sandwich cookie is filled with ingredients like jam, white chocolate ganache, or a buttercream. Macarons are often made in a variety of colors.
Making macarons can be a little difficult for the amateur baker but don’t be intimidated, practice make perfect. My macarons look homemade but are so incredibly tasty!
Macaroons – Pronounced “mack-uh-roon” are denser, chewier, and much easier to make than French Macarons.
These cookies are little mounds of coconut most often made with sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, salt, and are typically dipped in melted chocolate (milk chocolate or dark chocolate).
If you are looking for a great coconut macaroon recipe, check this one out by the Preppy Kitchen.
What Is The Difference Between Almond Meal and Almond Flour?
There are very similar but the two have some distinct differences.
Almond flour is made with blanched whole almonds and the skin has been removed. Also, almond flour is ground more finely.
Almond meal is whole ground almonds with the skin still on.
What Is Caster Sugar?
Basically caster sugar (sometimes called castor sugar or superfine sugar) is finely ground granulated sugar.
It refers to sugar that is ground to a consistency between granulated and powdered sugar in texture.
Toasted Coconut French Macarons With Cream Filling
If you have a sweet tooth, check out these other delicious recipes from Join Me In The Kitchen:
- Easy 6 Ingredient Classic Greek Almond Cookies Recipe – These are gluten free!
- Mini Pecan Raisin Tarts – a family favorite
- Easy 3 Ingredient Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie With Caramel – super easy and kids love it!
Toasted Coconut French Macarons With Cream Filling
These coconut macarons are a scrumptious dessert with the balance of a slightly crusty meringue shell and a sweet creamy filling. So light and airy and so incredibly decadent.
Ingredients
- Macaron Shells-
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup caster sugar or granulated sugar (see FAQ’s)
- 1 1/4 cups almond flour (not almond meal, see FAQ’s)
- 3 large egg whites – room temperature
- 2 -3 drops white food coloring (optional or any other color you prefer)
- Coconut buttercream Filling-
- 1/2 cup / 1 stick salted butter – room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 teaspoons milk* – see notes
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract* – see notes
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut or coconut flakes for filling
- 1/2 cup toasted shredded coconut or coconut flakes
Instructions
1. Beat egg whites. In a larger bowl, beat the egg whites using an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes or until soft peaks form.
2. Slowly add the granulated sugar and beat on high speed for approximately 2 more minutes, until glossy stiff peaks have formed.
3. Using a rubber or silicone spatula gently and gradually fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites, using the “J” motion until mixture is completely combined, smooth and shiny.
4. Add a few drops of food coloring. Mix the batter until it flows in very thick ribbons when the spatula is lifted. Do not overfold.
5. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat (see Pro Tip).
6. Use a pastry bag fitted with a round tip (#10 or a 1/2″) and fill it with about 1/3 of the batter.
7. Cover the rest of the batter with plastic wrap while you pipe the shells.
8. Pipe 1 1/2″ circles on prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Repeat with remaining batter.
9. Tap the baking sheet firmly against the counter to release any air bubbles.
10. Let the macarons rest for 30-45 minutes until they form a shiny skin. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP
11. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
12. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until they are set. Rotate halfway through the baking time.
13. Let cool 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
14. Cool completely before assembling.
How To Toast Coconut:
- Heat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Place shredded or flaked coconut evenly on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Bake on the middle rack for 4 minutes or until golden brown.
How To Assemble Toasted Coconut French Macarons:
- Spoon the coconut buttercream filling into a piping bag with a round tip or into a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off.
- Swirl the coconut mixture on half the cookies.
- Gently place a second shell on top and carefully push down until the filling comes to the edge of the sandwich.
- Roll the macaron on the sheet pan of coconut to coat the exposed cream filling.
- If more coconut is needed, use a spoon or just your fingers to press it on to the filling until it’s completely covered. Don’t be afraid to use a lot of coconut, it’s looks beautiful and is delicious!
Notes
You can make smaller shells (1″ circles) to yield more cookies.
*If you're a real coconut lover –
- Substitute the vanilla extract with 1 tsp coconut extract.
- Substitute regular milk with coconut milk.
Helpful Tools
- Mixer (hand blender or standing)
- Baking tray
- Cooling wire rack
- Sifter or a fine-mesh sieve
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat (see Pro Tip)
- Piping bag
- Large bowl
- Medium bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Plastic wrap
- Rubber spatula
- Oven Mit
Pro Tip: There are silicone baking mats that have macron circles on them.
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