Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Eight Years of Blogging! Chocolate Drizzled Toasted Almond Coconut Macaroons

Chocolate Drizzled Toasted Almond Coconut Macaroons, Gluten Free, Paleo

Today it has been eight years since I started my blog!  I cannot believe it—eight years!  When I started it, just to keep track of and share happenings of my boys and my life with my family and friends, I had no idea I’d still be at it this many years later.  My boys are sure growing up!

Smith Boys

 

It’s strange to think back to 2008.  Sam wasn’t even one when I started my blog.  He’s now almost nine!  Scott is 17, Parker is 14, and Taylor is 12!  Bah!!!  It’s too much to keep thinking about, so let’s talk macaroons instead.

 

I love coconut.  I don’t think I’ve ever met or made a macaroon I didn’t like.  But I think I’ve made one that might be my favorite now….and for always?  These have toasted almonds, ground nice and finely.  They are made with coconut sugar and raw honey, unsweetened coconut and egg whites.  Perfectly gluten free and refined sugar free, but you must believe me—they are so good.  Perfect, if I must say so.  Yes, they are great plain, as is.  But if you know me, I have to add a little chocolate to just about everything.  So I melted some Enjoy Life chocolate chips and drizzled it over the tops of the cookies, then sprinkled some more of the freshly ground toasted almonds on top.  Heavenly!

 

Coconut Macaroons

They really are great without the chocolate.  I know, I ate a few of them before the chocolate came along.  But come on—everything is better with chocolate.  It had to be done.  I just wouldn’t be me if I hadn’t.  You want the recipe, I know, that’s really why you’re here. 

 

Chocolate Drizzled Toasted Almond Coconut Macaroons

Can you guess which one I ate first?  That’s right—the one where the bigger drizzle of chocolate fell upon it. ; )

 

Chocolate Drizzled Toasted Almond Coconut Macaroons, by Katrina, Baking and Boys! (Gluten Free, Grain Free, Paleo, Refined Sugar Free)

 

2 large egg whites, room temperature

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1/4 cup raw honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 cups unsweetened (dessicated) shredded coconut

1/2 cup freshly toasted, then finely ground almonds*

3-4 ounces Enjoy Life chocolate chips (3 ounces is 1/2 cup)

1/2 teaspoon coconut oil

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg whites and begin beating them on high speed with the wire attachment until foamy.  Gradually add the coconut sugar then the honey. Scrape the sides of the bowl.  Add the vanilla, almond extract and salt and beat until soft peaks form.  Fold the coconut and ground almonds into the egg white mixture.  Using a cookie scoop, put the coconut mixture into mounds on the baking sheet, using your hands/fingers form each firmly together on the tops.  They can be fairly close together on the baking sheet as they do not spread.  Makes about 16 cookies.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Let cool on the baking sheet until almost cool.  Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.  Melt the chocolate in a glass dish in the microwave in 20-30 second intervals, stirring in between.  When it is almost completely melted, add the coconut oil and stir until melted and combined.  This only takes about 90 seconds total.  Using a small spoon (or add the chocolate to a sandwich-sized plastic zip top baggie with the corner snipped off), drizzle the chocolate over each cookie.  I happened to have some extra ground almonds and sprinkled it over each cookie. 

 

Drizzled Chocolate Toasted Almond Coconut Macaroons

I took the inspiration and basic recipe for these from a recipe for some macaroons I made a couple years ago that were also the bomb--White Chocolate Lime Coconut Macaroons and Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Coconut Macaroons.  These were also delicious!  Try them!  Credit goes again to What Jew Wanna Eat for the original recipe.

 

Happy Eight Years of Blogging to me.  Who knows—maybe another eight year or more?  I don’t even want to think about how grown up my boys would be then—and how old that would make me…..

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your many years of blogging, I remember seeing photos of you little guy as a baby, so I must have been reading your blog for most of the time. It does go by so fast!

Plain Chicken said...

Happy Blog Anniversary! The chocolate macaroons are the perfect treat to celebrate! They look delicious!

Katrina said...

Thanks, Anonymous!

Thanks, Stephanie! Yours is a favorite blog of mine, such deliciousness and love your cats!

megan said...

8 years..... hard to believe, I know.

BUT - we can console ourselves with chocolate, right? :)

MacMummy said...

Can't wait to make these. Your Almond Joy brownies are a big favourite, and these have all the same flavours I love. Thanks for blogging all this time :-)

Baking Ribbons said...

Congrats on 8 years!! Hopefully you will continue in your fine tradition for years to come!

Katrina said...

Thanks, megan, MacMummy, and Gloria!

gottagetbaked said...

Katrina, happy 8 year blogiversary! What a milestone! And these gorgeous chocolate covered coconut macaroons are the perfect way to celebrate. Here's to another 8 years and beyond!

Valerie said...

Happy anniversary! Your boys are getting so big!! I've been in the mood for something coconut and these look so perfect for my cravings!

Anonymous said...

These are really good! I had a little trouble, but I only have myself to blame! I used a hand mixer for the egg whites & never achieved 'soft peaks'. I also used maple syrup instead of honey (I prefer the taste) and I don't think the syrup was as sticky as honey so I had a hard time forming them & keeping them together. It all worked out n the end and they taste great! Just thought I'd share :-)

Katrina said...

Thanks, Nancy! Thank you, Valerie! Thanks for letting me know that, Anonymous!

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