The earliest recorded macaroon recipes are for the almond meringue variety similar to

Macaroon Cookie

amoretti, with a crisp crust and a softer interior. They were made from egg whites and almond paste. The name of the cookie comes from an Italian word meaning paste, maccarone.

About the origin, culinary historians claim that macaroons can be traced to an Italian monastery of the 9th century. Recipes for macaroons (also spelled “mackaroon,” “maccaroon” and “mackaroom”) appear in recipe books at least as early as 1725 (Robert Smith’s Court Cookery, or the Complete English Cook).

The Scottish macaroon is a sweet confection with a thick velvety center covered in chocolate and topped with roasted coconut. Traditionally they were made with cold leftovers of mashed potatoes and sugar loaf. A coconut macaroon is a type of macaroon most commonly found in Australia, the United States, the Netherlands and Germany, and is directly related to the Scottish macaroon. Its principal ingredients are egg whites, sugar and shredded dried coconut. It is closer to a soft cookie than its meringue cousin, and is equally sweet. A light, sweet, satisfying cookie after a heavy meal.

Ingredients

• 2 egg whites
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1-1/2 cup of bagged coconut

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Directions

1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or spray lightly with cooking spray
2. Beat egg whites and vanilla on high speed of electric mixer until soft peaks form
3. Gradually add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beat until stiff peaks form
4. Fold in coconut
5. *at this point you can add 1/3 cup of mini chocolate chips
6. Drop mixture by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheet about 2 inches apart
7. Bake for 20 minutes until edges are lightly browned
8. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

You can melt bittersweet chocolate in a microwave and dip the bottoms of the cookies in the chocolate or drizzle melted chocolate on the cookies. Eat healthy, eat well!!