How to Make Chocolate Macaroons Your Signature Cookie

Chocolate macaroons are a childhood cookie. Moms around the world make this easy cookie, and they’re all different. Here’s how to make chocolate macaroons like mom used to make (we start with the basic recipe), and how to take it to the next level for a signature cookie that wows the crowd.

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Chocolate macaroons are light and sweet with different heavenly textures. They are more of a confection than a cookie. They taste great warm straight from the oven, room temperature or even cold from the refrigerator.

They are the perfect dessert to make if you want something sweet but don’t have any flour in the house.

There are several varieties of Chocolate macaroons, some are even no-bake.

most recipes contain coconut flakes or shredded coconut
some use oatmeal (my mother made these & we called them cow plops but they’re also called haystacks)
then there are recipes with both oatmeal & coconut (called frogs)
crunchy ones use fried chow mein noodles
even crunchier ones use Corn Flakes dried cereal
“gourmet” macaroons can include coffee, Hershey Kisses, nuts, dried fruit

Step 1: Decide on the base for your signature chocolate macaroon cookies

First, you have to decide on your base. There’s a huge difference between coconut, oatmeal, fried chow mein noodles, and Corn Flakes.

For whom are you making them? Adults, kids, guests to impress?
What texture are you wanting? Smooth, use flaked coconut or oatmeal. Crunchy, use fried chow mein noodles or Corn Flakes.
How sweet do you want them? For adults, coconut. For kids, the other ingredients.
Are you going for the nostalgia? Use the base that everyone knows and loves. Maybe even combine oatmeal & coconut.

Step 2: How to make chocolate macaroons your signature cookie by presentation and flavor.

This is where it gets exciting! Do you want a casual grab-one-and-run chocolate macaroon cookie like mom used to make? Then read no further. But if you want to make your chocolate macaroons something more, something everyone will know is yours when they see it, here are some suggestions.

Blossom Cookie: with a Hershey Kiss on top. (See our recipe.)
Thumbprint Cookie: with a chocolate or caramel center. (Like Lindt did)
Black Forest: with a maraschino cherry on top or as a thumbprint.
Chocolate Dipped: bottoms, tops or half of cookie.
Triple Chocolate: stir in mini chocolate chips or put a Hershey Kiss or Lindor Lindt chocolate in the center of the coconut, and drizzle chocolate on top.
German Chocolate: stir in mini chocolate chips and/or Skor baking bits or toffee bits, and/or drizzle with caramel sauce and then chocolate.
Mocha: stir in 2 tsp instant coffee or espresso powder
Chocolate Hazelnut: add 1 Tbsp Nutella & top/thumbprint with one roasted hazelnut.
Fruit: blend coconut with 1 cup of strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, or canned & drained mandarin oranges in a blender. Wrap around a piece of fruit, optional. Drizzle with chocolate or dip bottom or half of cookie in chocolate.
Mint Chocolate: add 1 tsp mint extract to coconut in reusable bag and shake. Dip or drizzle with chocolate.
Peanut Butter & Chocolate: add 1 Tbsp peanut butter. Top with roasted peanut, optional.
Nutty: add 1/2 c of your favorite chopped nuts (usually pecans or walnuts)
Almond: substitute almond extract for vanilla and add 1/4 c slivered almonds.
White: substitute with white baking chocolate, add mini white chocolate chips and drizzle or dip with white chocolate.
Festive: add a couple drops of food coloring to the coconut; do not mix in baking chocolate, just dip all sides so you can see the color when you take a bite. (Put it in a reusable bag and shake.) Red for Christmas or Valentine’s Day. Orange for Halloween. Green for St Patrick’s Day. Pastel Pink for Easter or Mother’s Day. Or whatever color matches your party theme.

Want more signature recipe suggestions?

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