One of the staples in my baking cupboard is usually a bag of coconut and some cans of sweetened condensed milk. The coconut can be sweetened or unsweetened. I use the smallest cookie scoop I own and find that these minis are perfect for serving on a cookie platter for dessert or as a snack with an afternoon cup of tea with friends! In this recipe, I use unsweetened coconut as the sweetness comes from the sweetened condensed milk and the milk chocolate chips that I add. The walnut chunks give it just a bit of crunch and a tiny bit of nutrition so that you don’t have to feel totally guilty when you’ve had a few of these! Walnuts contain omega-3 fats and antioxidants and are known to promote heart and brain health! So go ahead and have another one… Toasty on the outside and full of coconut goodness on the inside, these Coconut Macaroon Crunchies are a hit for any age group and any occassion!
FOUR SIMPLE INGREDIENTS:
4 cups coconut
1 can of sweetened condensed milk (300 mL or 14 oz. can)
1/2 cup small milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnut pieces (the smaller the pieces the better)
Preheat your oven to 350F.
In one medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the coconut with the condensed milk. Mix with a rubber spatula, scraping the sides and blending the middle so that the condensed milk and the coconut is mixed throroughly.
Add the walnuts and chocolate chips and make sure to work them through gently with a larger spoon, trying not to crush the chocolate chips so that they maintain their shape.
Place a sheet of parchment paper on your baking sheets. If you have several baking sheets that you can use, prep them as well with parchment paper. This way you can keep scooping the Crunchies until the bowl is empty and then can relax while they bake, putting in the prepped cookies when the batches are done. Because I used a small cookie scoop, this portion made 55 little macaroon crunchies.
Place the macaroons about an inch apart. The won’t spread as there is very little moisture in them and no leavening agent to make them rise. Place on middle rack for 12-15 minutes, keeping an eye on their progress after about 10 minutes. The tops will be a nice golden brown.
Allow them to cool on the cookie sheet for about 10 minutes before removing. They cool quite quickly. Place the Coconut Macaroon Crunchies in an airtight container and they will last for at least a week. They freeze well too! Since this portion makes a fairly large batch, they are great for making ahead for the fall and winter celebrations to keep on hand. Place 10-12 in decorative little cookie bags and bring as hostess gifts or drop off at a neighbour’s house, just because!
4 ingredients – 5 minutes to assemble – less than 15 minutes to bake – and 30 seconds it takes to gobble up one of these treats you just created!
As always, enjoy! Lolita
Lolita Bakes! 