Coconut Macaroons

Need a quick cookie? These are so easy to make and so delicious! Crunchy coconut on the outside, moist and soft on the inside. Drizzling them with a little chocolate makes them just that much more decadent. These cookies made it to our Christmas cookie tray this season, but they are good any time of year (even in the summer).

Coconut Macaroons

1 (14-ounce) package sweetened shredded coconut

3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

pinch salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 large egg whites at room temperature

10 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

1 tablespoon vegetable shortening (only if needed to thin the chocolate)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Combine the coconut with the sweetened condensed milk, salt and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to whip the whites until stiff peaks form (about 6 to 7 minutes).

Gently fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture. Scoop tablespoon-sized mounds (I used my small cookie scoop) onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately transfer the parchment with the macaroons to a cooling rack. Cool completely before topping.

If desired, melt the chocolate chips either over a double boiler or in the microwave at half power in 30 second intervals. If the chocolate doesn't get thin enough to drizzle easily, add some vegetable shortening until you can drizzle the chocolate. Use a spoon or add you melted chocolate to a ziplock bag and cut a small hole in one corner, drizzle the cooled macaroons with the chocolate. Enjoy!

recipe slightly adapted from Alton Brown's Paradise Macaroons on foodnetwork.com