Coconut Macaroons

This is a light and sweet treat. It is light because it is made with egg whites, like a meringue. If you do it right, it may resemble the flavors of a Mounds or Almond Joy candy bar!

Tips:

Warm whites - room temperature eggs whip up faster than chilled eggs, so let the eggs sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes. 
Sift away - I usually don't have the patience to sift flour into a recipe, but in this recipe it makes all the difference. The air sifted into the flour makes for a lighter, crispier cookie.
NO-GO Yolk - Getting ANY yolk in with your whites will result in a failure, so be cautious when separating your eggs.
Stiff peaks? When I say "beat until stiff peaks form," what I mean is: when you turn off your mixer and remove the beater from the bowl, your egg whites form stiff mountain-like "peaks." They shouldn't fall over and should appear glossy.
Plastic bag piping - If you prefer to melt the chocolate in a bowl and dip the cookies, go for it! I prefer this method because it is less messy.

Oven Temperature: 325 degrees
  Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
Bake Time: 18-20 minutes 
Servings: 2 dozen cookies 

4 egg whites

2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups flaked coconut
1/2 cup slivered almonds (optional)
1, 12 ounce package dark chocolate chips (optional)


Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. 

2) In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar to the eggs and beat until stiff peaks form.

3) Gently fold in the vanilla extract until well combined.

4) Sift into the cookie the salt and flour and gently fold into the egg whites.

5) Add in the coconut and almonds and fold the mixture just until distributed.

6) Scoop the mixture onto prepared baking sheets by rounded tablespoons, 2 inches apart. 

7) Bake the cookies for 18-20 minutes or until they begin to turn lightly golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool for 3-4 minutes and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. SAVE THE PARCHMENT PAPER FOR THE LAST STEP.

8) In a large plastic bag, empty the bag of chocolate chips. Place the plastic bag into the microwave for 25 seconds; remove the bag and knead the chocolate and return to the microwave for another 30 seconds. Cut off one of the bottom corners to create a piping bag.

9) Pipe an approximate 1 teaspoon dollop of chocolate onto eat cookie. Place the cookie onto parchment paper. Press down slightly and slide the cookie around until the bottom of the cookie is covered. Allow the cookies to cool for at least an hour or place in the refrigerator until the chocolate sets.