For the Jewish holiday of Passover, there are many dishes that are considered essential to a Seder –– a feast that marks the onset of this holiday. Dishes may include Charoset, a sweet combination of fruits and nuts, gefilte fish, a poached mixture of ground deboned fish, or, my personal favorite, macaroons. Macaroons are a cookie-like treat that are crunchy on the outside, chewy in the middle, and accompanied by an irresistible coconut flavor. Whether you observe Passover or not, these coconutty goodness treats are easy to whip up in minutes.
During the eight days of Passover, or Pesach, Jewish people must refrain from eating grains or any food that leavens. This includes wheat, oats, rye, barley, and spelt. Furthermore, depending on your Jewish ancestry, you must also avoid legumes, corn, and rice. When it comes to Passover treats, macaroons are the ideal dessert. They require no flours and no leavening, and they are oh-so delicious.
Usually, ingredients in macaroons include milk and eggs. However, to keep these vegan-friendly, I swapped these ingredients for maple syrup and all-natural flavoring for a chocolate and raspberry taste. After making these coconut treats for your friends and family, you’ll never want to go back to buying store-bought macaroons again.
Ingredients:
Makes 14-18
- 2 cups of unsweetened coconut shreds
- 1 tbsp of maple syrup
- ¼ cup of chocolate chips
- ½ cup of raspberries
Directions:
- Preheat your oven to 360°F.
- Add the coconut shreds to a food processor and blend until reaching a dough-like consistency.
- Add the maple syrup into the blender until fully mixed in with the coconut.
- While blending, melt the chocolate chips by warming them up in a microwave or over low-medium heat in a pan over a stove.
- Mash the raspberries until no clumps remain.
- Once the maple syrup and coconut are well-combined, divide the mixture in half into two separate bowls.
- In one bowl, add in the melted chocolate chips and mix well with a spoon.
- In the other bowl, add in the mashed raspberries and mix well with a spoon.
- From each bowl, scoop out a tbsp-sized macaroon and use your hands to form the coconut mixture into a circular shape. Place the macaroon balls onto the baking sheet on the baking tray.
- Place the baking tray into the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes.
- Allow to cool then add toppings!
To make this recipe your very own, there are countless ways to tweak it! In the batter, try adding in vanilla extract, peanuts, or even blueberries. Once they’re fresh out of the oven, try topping the macaroons with cinnamon, strawberry jam, or even a dollop of coconut yogurt.
