Don't get these confused with the "French macaroons" that look like a little sandwich. These are so easy and a much lighter option for dessert. These beautiful little bundles look difficult and are perfect for fancy dinner parties BUT are so simple that they can be made for anything!

I love using natural cane juice in my recipes and for these macaroons it helps create a soft pillowy texture in the middle that compliments the crunch that forms on the exterior when baked. I also find that unsweetened coconut is much better for this because if you use sweetened coconut there aren't any layers of flavor besides just being sweet. You should be able to find unsweetened coconut at a health food store and if you can't you can order it online. The brand I like it called Let's Do Organic. By using this mixture of natural cane juice (which you can get at Whole Foods... or online here) and the unsweetened coconut together you can really taste the creaminess of the coconut, the earthiness of the sugar, and without the overabundance of fake sugars it really allows the vanilla flavor to shine through to balance everything out.

These are a great option for someone who cannot have gluten. If you would like to add chocolate chips to these to really make them special then I recommend using Enjoy Life Brand since they are gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and nut-free... and actually taste really good!

Chocolate Chip Coconut Macaroons

3/4 cup natural cane juice (aka evaporated cane juice)

2 cups unsweetened coconut

2 large egg whites; room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chocolate chips; optional

powdered sugar for dusting; optional

*Preheat your oven to 325 degrees

*In a large bowl combine the sugar, coconut, and salt

*In a separate bowl lightly whisk the egg whites to break them up and add in the vanilla

*Add the egg whites and vanilla to the coconut mixture and mix until well combined

*Add in the chocolate chips if using and mix well; you can also make this recipe half with and half without chocolate chips

*Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

*Use a cookie scoop to scoop out about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the coconut mixture onto the lined baking sheet (if you don't have a cookie scoop you can use a large spoon)

*Use your hands (dampen them if the coconut is sticking to them too much) to shape loosely into a small mound... like a loose haystack; I like to form mine into a small pyramid type shape so that it gets a bit of a crunch on the top point... and they just look cute. Careful not to pack them too tightly. I have made that mistake and it created more of a tough macaroon instead of something light.

*While scooping make sure to space the macaroons about 1 inch apart on the baking sheet

*Bake until golden brown; about 12-15 minutes depending on the size. I would check on them at about 10 minutes to make sure they aren't getting too brown.

*Allow to cool completely on a cooling rack