PSA: Coconut macaroons are an excellent treat to bring to a Passover Seder … especially if you’re the resident Gentile there (I know from experience) and also an excellent treat to bring to an Easter celebration (what is it with coconut flakes and Easter desserts?) AND both holidays are this weekend!
As a raised Catholic, I obviously celebrated a lot of Easters.
But I don’t associate Easter with the resurrection of Christ (sorry grandma if you are reading this…) but I do associate with…you guessed it…the MOTHERF*CKIN EASTER EGG HUNT!
That’s when we got together with a big group of kids, rolled up our sleeves, and ran around whoever’s family had the biggest yard. We threw bows to beat each other to the egg, played conniving tricks to throw each other off track, and at the end, we counted our loot to see who made the most money in dimes. I don’t think Jesus would approve of this tbh, but it sure was fun (and prepared me for the capitalistic society I would soon grow into!)
Sounds pretty standard, right?
Except my family had a different tradition. The Easter Potato.
My dad would draw a culturally relevant character on a huge russet potato (Elvis, Spongebob, Beavis and Butthead, you get the idea), drill a hole into the potato, and then hide a $20 bill. Of course, this was hidden in the most difficult spot in the yard. And if you found THIS you not only got $20 freaking dollars while everyone else was counting chump change, but you got bragging rights for the whole year.
As these things go, at some point, we got “too old” to do Easter egg hunts. But damn, I miss that big potato.
However, around the same time we stopped the Easter egg hunts, we became very close friends with the Goldarts who started inviting us to their Passover dinner every year.
They were wildly fun night filled with lots of food and singing - and once I was old enough, lots and lots of wine as well ;) Some of my favorite family memories are from those Seders - so much reflection and laughter. Another example of OG Sobremesas that really shaped how I see and interact with food to this day.
As the resident Gentiles, my mom did what she did best to contribute - she brought dessert! She would always bring a (1) Flourless Chocolate Cake and (2) Coconut Macaroons. To those of you who are not in the Tribe - you cannot eat anything leavened during Passover because when the Jews escaped Egypt, they didn't have time to let their breads rise before going into the desert.
A little history behind macaroons and Passover: Apparently, macaroons are actually an Italian dessert (but made with almond paste). But several centuries ago, Italian Jews, who appreciated that the chewy cookies contained no grains or leavening, started to eat them during Passover.
This was really the only time my mom would make these treats, and they hold a very special place in my heart.
So what are they? Not to be confused with the French variety, they are a freaking DELISH coconut and chocolate treat and kinda taste like a bougie Mounds bar…but like a classy version. They’re also extremely easy to make - I promise!
So, every time I eat these coconut macaroons, I think of all those wonderful times we spent at the table with our family friends. And my hope is that you make them this weekend too to share with family and friends. FYI - they will be equally delicious on Easter as well! I took them to a Seder in NY one year and someone described them as “little drops of heavenly clouds.” Just be careful, I made a batch of these this week and ate 3 by the end of the day….
Coconut Macaroons
Makes 15
GF & DF
Cooktime: less than 1 hour
Ingredients
Coconut Macaroons
4 large egg whites
3 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes (you can use shredded coconut but I prefer the texture of coconut flakes)
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
sprinkle of kosher salt
Chocolate Glaze
4 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon honey
Add the chocolate and butter to a medium heatproof bowl and set over a small pot of almost simmering water until melted. Stir in honey. Then pour the chocolate into a ziploc bag, and cut a small corner off. Set aside to drizzle on the macaroons when they are finished.
Let’s do it!
Preheat then oven to 350F.
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Combine all of the ingredients in a large heatproof stainless steel mixing bowl.
Set the bowl on top of another pot of barely simmering water and stir the mixture, scraping the bottom to prevent burning, until it is very hot to the touch and the egg whites have thickened, about 10 minutes. The egg liquid will be absorbed in the coconut and not runny.
It is ready when a scoop of batter on the cookie sheet holds a soft shape without a puddle of syrup forming around it.
Scoop about 2 Tablespoons of the mixture about 2” apart on the cookie sheet.
Bake 13-15 min., or until the edges of the cookies and the protruding coconut shreds are deep golden brown. Rotate sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway though baking to ensure an even bake.
Slide the macaroons on a rack if you got it to let them cool.
Drizzle with the chocolate glaze.
Enjoy!
Make some memories for me, okay?
Love ya mucho,
Tessa