With crisp, golden shells and chewy middles infused with almond, vanilla, brown butter, and coconut, these are the very best gluten-free macaroons you'll ever taste! These take just 30 minutes of active time to whip up, plus an hour to chill the dough. Kosher for Passover but delicious any day.
Prep Time: 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 20 minutesminutes
Chilling time: 1 hourhour
Total: 1 hourhour35 minutesminutes
Servings: 28one-inch cookies.
Ingredients
½vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped(or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract added with the egg whites)
6tablespoonsunsalted butter(3 ounces)
¼cupfresh and soft almond paste(2 ounces) (see note for sub)
¾cuporganic granulated sugar(or maple sugar / coconut sugar) (6 ounces)
Combine the vanilla pod and scrapings with the butter in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until the butter turns golden with brown flecks and smells nutty, 5 minutes or so. The butter will foam up when it's nearly done, so watch it carefully at this point.
When the butter has browned, pour it into a heatproof measuring cup to stop the cooking. Remove the vanilla pod (you can wash and dry it and stick it in a jar with alcohol and more vanilla beans to make vanilla extract) and set aside.
Make the dough:
Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the almond paste with the sugar and 1 egg white on medium speed until smooth.
Add the remaining 3 egg whites, salt, and coconut, beating until combined, then add the flour and beat until incorporated.
Turn the mixer to low and, with the motor running, drizzle in the brown butter, mixing until the dough is homogenous.
Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and give the dough a stir with a sturdy spatula to make sure it is thoroughly combined. Chill the dough 1 hour. Or cover and chill for up to 2 days.
Bake the macaroons:
Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350º. Stack a rimmed baking sheet atop another rimmed baking sheet (this will prevent the bottoms of the cookies from burning) and line the top one with parchment paper.
Scoop the chilled dough into 1-inch balls (I like to use a #40 spring-loaded ice cream scoop) and place them 1-inch apart.
Bake the cookies until they're golden all over, 20-25 minutes, rotating the pan once halfway through to ensure even baking.
Remove the cookies to a cooling rack and let cool completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature. These macaroons are best they day they are baked, but will keep for up to a few days.
Notes
Adapted slightly from The Sweet Life, Desserts from Chanterelle.
These are kosher for passover, though sticklers will want to wait 2 hours before or after eating meat as they do contain dairy. Or use plant-based butter and watch closely during the browning process.
This dough needs to chill for an hour prior to baking, so plan accordingly.
If you don't have a vanilla bean, you can add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract with the egg whites instead; almond-lovers may wish to add 1/4 teaspoon or so of almond extract.
In place of almond paste, try adding an additional 2 tablespoons each almond flour and sugar.