Orange Date Coconut Macaroons
These orange date coconut macaroons are caramelized and crisp on the outside, soft and gooey inside, with lovely flavors from cinnamon and rose. And drizzled with chocolate.
Ingredients
Orange Date Mixture
- 15 Mejdool dates pits removed and ripped in half
- 2 oranges zest AND juice
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Macaroons
- 14 oz shredded sweetened coconut
- ¾ cup sweetened condensed milk 270g, or roughly ¾ of the can
- 2 egg whites
- 2 teaspoons rose water optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 10 oz bittersweet chocolate dark, semi-sweet, milk, or white chocolate will also work
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat the oven to 325°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cook the date mixture: In a nonstick pan over medium-low heat, combine dates, orange zest, orange juice, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, using your spatula to encourage braking the dates down. You're done when the result is a thick, jammy paste.
- Mix the coconut base: In a large bowl, stir together shredded coconut and sweetened condensed milk until combined. Add egg whites, vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon salt, and rose water if using. Mix until evenly incorporated.
- Combine mixtures: Add the date mixture to the coconut mixture and fold in using a spatula. You may need to use your spatula to mash it together while folding. The result should be mostly uniform with some small bits of dates.
- Shape the macaroons: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of batter and form into loose mounds. I like to just pluck each one out with my hands and plop them on the sheet pan. This leaves scraggly coconut edges that caramelize beautifully. Place on prepared baking sheets, leaving a small space between each.
- Bake until golden: Bake for 25–35 minutes, until the edges are deeply golden but not burnt. Let cool on the baking sheets.
- Dip in chocolate: Melt the chocolate in the microwave by breaking up the chocolate bar into pieces and placing in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, using a spoon to stir the chocolate in between each time. It should take about 2 minutes for all chocolate to be melted. Dip the bottoms of each cooled macaroon into the chocolate. Place back on parchment and drizzle remaining chocolate over the tops.
- Set and serve: Allow the chocolate to harden before serving. Placing in the fridge will speed up the chocolate hardening.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!