Halloween is right around the corner, and I am determined to enjoy the festivities despite the fact that I’m not dressing up this year.
I suppose I could… but a) we’re not going to any parties and b) we don’t get trick-or-treaters in our apartment building.
So instead of getting decked out in a costume, I decided to embrace the Halloween spirit by making macaroons inspired by Almond Joy candy bars.
I didn’t always love the coconut/almond/chocolate combination; in fact, while sifting through my Halloween loot as a kid, I would toss aside the Almond Joy and Mounds bars and instead go straight for the Snickers, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and Butterfingers.
My palate has since changed, and nowadays I absolutely adore coconut, almonds, and chocolate paired together.
Thus the inspiration for these macaroons!
The latest of my macaroon recipes, these cookies are irresistibly delicious.
The crisp exterior gives way to a soft and chewy coconuty interior studded with crunchy sliced almonds. The chocolate shell adds a touch of decadence, and completes the Almond Joy flavor profile.
I had fun adorning the macaroons in a variety of ways, from simply dunking the base into melted chocolate…
to dipping the chocolate-covered base into chopped sliced almonds.
You can also spoon the melted chocolate over the top of the macaroons, and finish ‘em off with additional chopped sliced almonds.
Regardless of the decorating technique you choose, these macaroons are so addictive it’s scary!
Sorry. Had to ;).
Almond Joy Macaroons
Printer-Friendly Recipe
yield: 30 macaroons
Ingredients:
- 2 2/3 cup full fat shredded unsweetened coconut (one 8 oz package) OR 1 cup of coconut butter
- 1 cup reduced-fat shredded unsweetened coconut
- 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup unsalted dry-toasted sliced almonds
- 3/4 cup pure maple syrup, preferably Grade B
- 2 tsp pure almond extract
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 cup chopped chocolate (dark, milk, semi-sweet, or grain-sweetened <– what I used)
- chopped sliced almonds for dipping chocolate-covered macaroons, optional
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- In a food processor, process 2 2/3 cups full fat shredded coconut for about 5-8 minutes, until a thick, smooth coconut butter forms, scraping down the sides as needed (this will yield about 1 cup of coconut butter).
- Combine the coconut butter and the remaining ingredients through salt in a bowl. Stir until well-combined.
- Using a mini ice cream scoop or a small spoon, scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet (no need to leave much room in between as they do not spread out). Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the bottoms of the macaroons are lightly browned. The macaroons will be very soft at this point.
- Allow the macaroons to sit at room temperature on the baking sheet for about 30 minutes, or until they firm up and cool down.
- While the macaroons cool, melt the chocolate either in the microwave using 30 second intervals or over a double boiler. You can either dip the cooled macaroons into the chocolate, covering the flat bottoms, (then dip the chocolate-covered macaroons in the chopped sliced almond, if using), or you can drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the cooled macaroons. Place chocolate-covered macaroons on a parchment or waxed paper-lined plate and place in the fridge until the chocolate has hardened.
Nutritional Information Per Macaroon:
104.3 calories, 6.4 grams fat, 4.6 grams saturated fat, 1.6 grams fiber, 6.2 grams sugar, 1.3 grams protein
