Gluten Free Casually: Coconut Macaroons (Only 2 ingredients!)

Coconut Macaroons. Mouthwatering. Moist. Chewy. I love coconut. I know it is one of those things that you either love it or hate it. For the avid coconut lover...this recipe is a must for your recipe box! It is simple, inexpensive and absolutely heavenly!

This is one of the recipes that I almost hate sharing because it is SO EASY and delicious. Now people will have my secret to quick & easy cookies. They won't think I slaved all day over these. I thought I would be nice and share the recipe because it is a huge time saver when you need quick cookies that taste like you spent all day making them! These are a great addition to cookie plates for parties & holidays. It is also great for bake sales, potlucks or picnics. You can also dress them up with chocolate and put them in a nice tin or box for gift giving. (For Easter you can press your thumb in the center to give the cookie a "nest" look. Bake as directed & when they are completely cool then add some egg shaped M&M candies. Everyone loves eating these cute little nests!) You can also fill the thumb imprint with lemon curd, jam or a chocolate Hershey Kiss. That is why I love this recipe...it is so versatile!

These macaroons can also be dipped in melted chocolate if you want your macaroon to taste like a Mounds or Almond Joy candy bar. Or add mini chocolate chips or 2 tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder to the dough! I have used this recipe in place of a traditional pie crust for my cream pies. It is not only quick & easy but it is already gluten free and doesn't require expensive flours. I just spray my pie pan with non-stick cooking spray press the cookie mixture in the bottom and up the sides of the pan and bake 350 degrees until it is golden brown on top. Cool & fill with your favorite no-bake pie filling. (This is great for chocolate cream pie, vanilla cream pie, coconut cream pie, banana cream pie, no-bake cheesecake, etc.)

My entire family loves coconut so this recipe was something we used to make on vacations. When my kids were small, we used to vacation in Florida frequently and stay in a condo or apartment close by the beach. Eating dessert out can be expensive for the entire family so this was a recipe that I would make with the kids (we also used to make the peanut butter cookie recipe that only took 3 ingredients - see the recipe for that on my blog in Feb 2013). This recipe was less expensive than buying pre-made cookie dough & just as easy! Doesn't require a mixer - just a bowl & spoon. Plus, these cookies stayed fresh for a loooooong time!

Coconut Macaroon Recipe:

1 ( 14 oz.) bag of shredded coconut (I used the sweetened kind)
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk (NOT EVAPORATED!)

Yep, that is it! Just these two ingredients. Mix together in a bowl with a spoon until all the coconut & condensed milk are incorporated. The dough will be sticky. (At this point I like to put the bowl in the refrigerator for a couple of hours if I am making cookies. It helps keeps them in a ball shape when baking. ). Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheet (makes removing the cookies much easier!). I use a cookie scoop because it packs the cookie dough tight and keeps them from spreading much while baking. If you don't have a cookie scooper then just press the cookie dough together with your fingers or two spoons. Bake 350 degrees for about 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown on top. Cool & eat. You can bake these bars in a 8x8 greased square pan for 20-25 minutes if you prefer. If I am spreading into a 9x9 baking pan to cut into squares then I just spread in prepared pan and bake without refrigerating first. I like making these into cookies rather than bars because it seems like you get more! (I don't don't recommend using the light or fat free condensed milk in this recipe).