Keto Coconut Macaroons (Tall, Chewy, Never Flat, 0.9g Net Carbs)
- Total time
- 40 minutes
- Makes
- 15 macaroons
- Net carbs
- 0.9g
- Calories
- 66
The first batch I made spread across the tray into one thin lacy sheet. Crisp at the edges, wet in the middle, and stuck firmly to the parchment. Not a single one looked like a macaroon.
Coconut macaroons only need a handful of ingredients, which means each one has to do its job. With sugar out of the picture the binding has to come from somewhere else, and that is where most keto coconut macaroons go wrong.
These hold a tall dome, brown deeply on the peaks and stay chewy inside. Fifteen of them, seven ingredients, 0.9g net carbs each.
Why These Keto Coconut Macaroons Stay Tall
The egg whites are whipped to stiff peaks. Many recipes just stir the whites in. That works with sweetened condensed milk holding things together, but there is none here, so the structure has to come from the whites. Whipped until they stand up straight, they set firm in the oven and hold the mound up.
A tablespoon of coconut flour soaks up the extra moisture. It sounds like nothing, but it is the difference between a macaroon that sits up and one that weeps a puddle on the parchment.
Use an erythritol-based powdered sweetener. Allulose and xylitol soften whipped egg whites, so the foam collapses and the macaroons spread. A powdered erythritol blend whips up glossy and stable.
A hot oven, not a slow one. At 375°F the outside strands toast and set fast, while the middle stays moist. Lower temperatures make a paler, drier macaroon that is closer to a coconut meringue, which is a fine thing, but not this.
Recipe Overview
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Bake Time: 12–15 minutes
- Cooling: 15 minutes
- Total Time: about 40 minutes
- Makes: 15 macaroons
- Net Carbs: 0.9g per macaroon
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity | Notes |
| Large egg whites | 3 | Room temperature, no trace of yolk |
| Fine sea salt | pinch | |
| Powdered erythritol-monk fruit blend | ½ cup (60 g) | Not allulose |
| Coconut flour | 1 tbsp (7 g) | Absorbs the extra moisture |
| Vanilla extract | 1 tsp | |
| Almond extract | ½ tsp | Optional, but it rounds out the coconut |
| Unsweetened shredded coconut | 1½ cups (135 g) | Shredded, not large flakes |
Check the coconut bag for “unsweetened.” The sweetened kind sitting next to it on the shelf carries a lot of sugar. Shredded coconut, the fine strands, binds into a tidy mound. Large flakes leave gaps and the macaroons fall apart.
Even a speck of yolk stops whites from whipping, because fat collapses the foam. Separate the eggs one at a time over a small bowl before tipping each white into the mixing bowl. Save the three yolks for scrambled eggs or a custard.
Recipe Timing
| Order | Step | Time |
| 1 | Whip the whites to stiff peaks | 4 minutes |
| 2 | Fold in everything else and shape | 6 minutes |
| 3 | Bake at 375°F | 12–15 minutes |
| 4 | Cool on the pan, then a rack | 15 minutes |
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Whip the whites
Heat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment. In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites with the pinch of salt until foamy. Add the powdered sweetener a spoonful at a time, then beat on high until stiff peaks form: lift the beaters and the peak stands straight up without flopping over.
2. Add the flavor and the flour
Sprinkle in the coconut flour, then add the vanilla and almond extract, and mix gently until just combined. Stop the moment it disappears. You want to keep as much air as you can.
3. Fold in the coconut
Add the shredded coconut and fold it through with a spatula, turning the bowl as you go, until every strand is coated. The mixture will look thick and sticky, and should hold together when pressed.
4. Shape tall mounds
Drop heaping tablespoons onto the parchment, about 15 in all, an inch and a half apart. Then dip your fingers in cold water and press each one into a tall, compact dome, pinching up a peak at the top. Wet fingers stop the mixture sticking to you, and a compact mound holds its shape far better than a loose spoonful.
5. Bake until the peaks are brown
Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until the peaks and edges are a deep golden brown and the bases are set. Pale macaroons are soft and wet in the middle, so let them color.
6. Cool before moving
Leave them on the tray for 5 minutes, then slide them onto a wire rack with a thin spatula and let them cool completely. They firm up a lot as they cool, and the chewy center settles.
Recipe Tips and Variations
Chocolate-dipped bottoms. Melt 2 ounces of sugar-free dark chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon of refined coconut oil. Dip the base of each cooled macaroon, set them on parchment and drizzle any leftover chocolate over the tops. That brings each one to about 1.4g net carbs and 89 calories.
Lemon. Swap the almond extract for the finely grated zest of one lemon.
Toasted coconut. Toast ½ cup of the shredded coconut in a dry skillet until golden, cool it, and fold it in with the rest for a deeper flavor.
If they spread, the whites were not quite stiff, or a little yolk got in. Whip them a minute longer than you think, and keep the bowl spotless.
Serving Suggestions
They are a small cookie, and two or three with an afternoon tea or coffee is plenty. They also sit well on a holiday cookie plate beside darker, richer things. If you love coconut, my keto coconut dream bars layer shredded coconut over a buttery almond crust with chocolate on top.
Leftover egg whites from another recipe are a good reason to make these. So is making my keto brownie bark, which is built on two egg whites too.
Storage
Room temperature: airtight, 2 to 3 days. Refrigerator: up to 6 days, and they get a little chewier. Freezer: up to 3 months, thawed at room temperature.
Keep them in a single layer, or with parchment between layers, so the tops do not flatten.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my keto coconut macaroons spread flat?
The egg whites were under-whipped, or the sweetener was allulose, which softens the foam. Whip the whites to stiff peaks with a powdered erythritol blend, add the coconut flour, and press the mounds tall with wet fingers.
What is the difference between macaroons and macarons?
Macaroons are these: chewy mounds of shredded coconut held together with egg white. Macarons are the smooth, colorful French sandwich cookies made from almond flour and meringue. Different cookies, one letter apart.
Can I use coconut flakes instead of shredded coconut?
Large flakes do not bind well and leave the macaroons loose and crumbly. If flakes are all you have, pulse them a few times in a food processor first.
Why are my macaroons wet on the bottom?
They came out of the oven before the bases had set, or the mixture had too much liquid in it. Bake until the edges are deep golden rather than pale, and let them sit on the tray for 5 minutes before moving them, which lets the bottoms firm up against the warm pan.
How many carbs are in keto coconut macaroons?
One macaroon is 0.9g net carbs and 66 calories, most of it from the coconut. The sweetener is not counted, in line with how it is treated across this site.
More Keto Coconut Desserts
- Keto Coconut Cheesecake — coconut cream in the filling and a macadamia and coconut crust.
- Keto Coconut Flour Mug Cake — a single serving cake in a mug that cooks in about two minutes.
- Keto Chocolate Truffles — rich dark ganache rolled into bites and finished with a coffee bean.
- Keto Sugar Cookies — cut-outs with sharp edges and an icing that sets, 1.1g net carbs each.
Recipe Card
Something warm to go with them? My keto hot chocolate mix makes a smooth, rich mug at 1.5g net carbs a serving.
Keto Coconut Macaroons
Equipment
- Stand or hand mixer with whisk
- Baking sheet lined with parchment
- Silicone spatula
- Wire rack
Ingredients
- 3 large egg whites room temperature
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup powdered erythritol-monk fruit blend 60 g, not allulose
- 1 tbsp coconut flour 7 g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract optional
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut 135 g
Instructions
- Whip: Heat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment. Beat the large egg whites with the fine sea salt until foamy, then add the powdered erythritol-monk fruit blend a spoonful at a time and beat on high to stiff peaks.
- Flavor: Gently mix in the coconut flour, vanilla extract and almond extract until just combined.
- Fold: Fold in the unsweetened shredded coconut until every strand is coated.
- Shape: Drop 15 heaping tablespoons onto the parchment, 1 1/2 inches apart. With fingers dipped in cold water, press each into a tall, compact dome with a pinched peak.
- Bake: Bake 12-15 minutes, until the peaks and edges are deep golden brown.
- Cool: Cool 5 minutes on the tray, then move to a wire rack and cool completely.
Notes
Keep cooking
