Chocolate Coconut Macaroon Nests are a spring twist on a classic coconut treat, featuring a chewy coconut cookie dipped in chocolate and topped with Cadbury Mini Eggs. Make these easy cookies for Easter and spring celebrations!
Preheat the oven - Heat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Make coconut mixture - In a large mixing bowl, combine the coconut flakes, vanilla extract, almond extract, condensed milk, and salt until well mixed. Set aside.
14 oz sweetened coconut flakes, ⅔ cups sweetened condensed milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon almond extract, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Whip egg whites - Using a stand or hand mixer, whip egg whites on high. Continue to whip until stiff peaks form.
2 egg whites at room temperature
Mix egg whites and coconut mixture - Use a silicone spatula to gently fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.
Prepare and bake the macaroons - Use a cookie scoop or spoon to dollop drops of batter onto the parchment paper, at least 1 inch between. Use a spoon to gently press the center of each dollop to form a nest. Place the baking sheet in the oven on the middle rack one at a time and bake for 20-25 minutes. The bottom edges will be deep golden brown and the tops a light golden brown.
Heat the chocolate - Remove the macaroons from the oven and melt the chocolate. In a microwave safe bowl, add ⅔ of the chocolate. Heat in the microwave in 30 second increments at 50% power and stir in between each 30 second interval until melted and smooth. This will help melt the chocolate and prevent the chocolate from burning. Gradually stir in the remaining ⅓ chocolate in small amounts at a time until the chocolate is completely melted. This will temper the chocolate and give the cooled chocolate a nice shine.
1 cup chocolate chips or 6 oz chocolate
Dip the cookies in chocolate and add eggs - Dip the bottoms of each macaroon in the chocolate and place on a cooling rack or parchment paper. Take the remaining chocolate and place a small dollop in the center of each nest. Immediately arrange 2-3 Cadbury Mini Eggs on each nest.
9 oz Cadbury Mini Eggs
Cool then serve - Allow the chocolate to cool, then serve and enjoy!
Notes
Storage & Freezing
Once the cookies are baked, keep them in an airtight container or bag or under a cloche for 5-7 days.If you don't think you can eat an entire batch of these macaroons, we recommend freezing your cookies once they're baked. This will allow you to make one single batch and bake as you need, so you don't have to commit to an entire 30-40 cookies in one week. In order to freeze the cookies, place them in an airtight container or bag for 4-6 weeks, then thaw when you are ready to enjoy them.
Baking Tips
Make sure there are no egg yolks in the egg whites or they will not form stiff peaks.
Promptly dip the cookies as soon as the chocolate melts to ensure that the chocolate does not cool and harden before it goes on the cookies.
Always use high quality chocolate chips like Ghirardelli, Guittard, or Trader Joe's baking chips because they melt well. Cheap chocolate chips have fillers and do not melt as well.