Macaroons are my go-to when I do have leftover egg-whites. They are quick to make, variable and so delicious. But I do not like the amount of sugar normal macaroon recipes do ask for. So, I was pondering alternatives for a while. But when I found coconut caramel sauce in the store the other day, I knew I had to try this! And who does not like the taste of caramel! And the best is, it is dairy free. There is sugar in the caramel so there is no need to add any extra sugar. But still, I wanted to balance the sweetness with some tartness and a hint of salt. So this is how these coconut-caramel macaroons with sour cherries came about. But feel free to experiment with other add-ins like cranberries, small dark chocolate chips…. and let me know what you come up with. Post it on my Instagram with #handfulandapinch.com or on my Facebook page. I am looking forward to see your creations.
Vegan option with aquafaba
If you are vegan and do not use eggs,  aquafaba is the perfect substitute for egg whites. Aquafaba is the liquid in a can of  beans or chickpeas. It can be used just as egg white, beat into stiff, white, peak foam or like here for the macaroons. It is neutral in taste and rich in protein. 2 Tbsp. of aquafaba is equivalent to 1 egg white. So every time you are using a can of beans or chickpeas, drain the liquid and safe it! This is a very mindful and sustainable vegan option. If you know you will use the aquafaba soon, keep it in a glass jar the fridge. It keeps about 1-2 weeks in the fridge. But if you are not sure when you will use it, just freeze it in 2 Tbsp. portions in a silicon ice-cube tray. After it is frozen, put them in a freezer bag so you can use it any time you need “vegan egg-white”. Just let it thaw and it’s ready to use.
I am looking forward to hearing from you and see your delicious  macaroons.
coconut-caramel macaroons with sour cherries
A delicious balance of sweetness with coconut caramel, (no added sugar) and the tartness of the dried sour cherries, crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside.
Ingredients
- 2 C 130 g coconut shredded unsweetened GF
- 1/2 C coconut caramel
- 2 egg whites (medium eggs) for the vegan version use 4 Tbsp. aquafaba
- 1/3 C 40 g dried sour cherries sweetened you can also use dried cranberries instead
- 1/2 Tbsp coarse sea salt
- peel of 1/2 orange
- 1 Tbsp orange juice
Instructions
-
Pre-heat the oven to 300F/ 140C
-
In a big pan, toast the coconut until light brown and aromatic. Stir mindfully and pay attention that they do not get too dark or burn!
-
In a double boiler melt the coconut caramel, add the 2 egg whites (or aquafaba if you make it vegan, coarse salt, orange peel and orange juice and heat it until it hits 150F (65C /70C). Set aside and let cool for a few minutes
-
While the liquids are cooling, cut the sour cherries in small pieces
-
Add the toasted coconut and the cut dried sour cherries to the caramel
-
Line a cookie sheet with a SILPAT non-stick baking mat or use parchment paper. With a cookie scoop ( about 1 1/1 tbsp) make about 12 portions and place the sheet in the middle of the oven.
-
Bake for about 15-20 minutes until they are light to medium brown. Let the macaroons cool completely on a cooling rack before you store them in an airtight container.
-
Guten Appetit!
Recipe Notes
Storage:
They store well up to 2 weeks in an airtight container. They will get soft but you easily can crispy them up again when you pop them in the oven at 250 F/120 C for about 10 minutes.
Decoration:
If you like your macaroons with a light drizzle of chocolate on top. Just melt a 1/4 C dark chocolate chips (60%) and drizzle some on top with a fork. The only down side to the chocolate drizzle is that you can't crisp them up again. But if you add chocolate after re-crisping it works perfectly!
Comments:
I do read each and every comment and try to respond to questions asap, so ask away ~ and if you've made a recipe and really love it, come back, share your experience with all of us and please give it a thumbs up by rating it 5 stars!
hi, i am magdalena and I'm so happy you are here to share my passion for mindful vegetarian cooking and a creative life.