A brief history of macaroons, in 3 bullet points:
Macaroons can trace their origins back to a Venetian monastery in the 8th century. Back then, they were called ‘priest’s bellybuttons,’ due to the pastry’s shape.
Over time, two distinct macaroons factions developed: the traditional almond version, i.e. the “macaroon,” became popular with the European Jewish community as the unleavened, flourless cookie was a perfect treat during Passover. The other version, the French “macaron,” was developed in the French court in 1533 by chefs that the king’s Italian wife, Catherine de Medici, brought from Italy.
The addition of coconut in North America came in 1897, when a flour miller received a shipload of coconuts as a form of payment from a Cuban businessman. Worried his “payment” would soon spoil, he shredded and sold the more stable form of coconut to local bakers to experiment. The coconut macaroon stuck, since it was easier to pack and ship without spoilage, not to mention delicious.
The beauty of the coconut macaroon is that you don’t have to modify the recipe much to make them healthy and compliant. The end result is what you’d expect from the delicious and traditional version. French "macarons," on the other hand, are quite a different story … it may take a few more years (or a French patisserie chef writing in) before we tackle that one.
INGREDIENTS: Vanilla Macaroons
1 c Almond Flour
1 c Coconut Flakes
1 tsp Pure Monk Fruit
1/8 tsp Sea Salt
3 Tbs Coconut Oil
2 tsp Vanilla
INGREDIENTS: Chocolate Macaroons
1 c Almond Flour
1 c Coconut Flakes
1 tsp Pure Monk Fruit
1/8 tsp Sea Salt
2 Tbs Raw Cacao Powder
1 Tbs Cacao Nibs
3 Tbs Coconut Oil
1 tsp Vanilla
PREP
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or grease with coconut oil.
Combine the almond flour, coconut flakes, monk fruit, and salt in a blender or food processor. If you’re making chocolate macaroons, add the raw cacao powder and cacao nibs. Pulse until combined.
Add the coconut oil and vanilla and pulse again until a dough-like batter forms.
Using a tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop out a ball of dough, leveling the spoon to flatten the bottom of the macaroon. Place the rounded spoonfuls onto the cookie sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the bottom of the macaroons begin to golden. (Optionally, you can also freeze the macaroons instead of baking them.)