I love sweets and need some kind of treat every day. It's just the way I roll! Having little indulgences each day helps me avoid cravings and gives me something special to look forward to. Usually, I take my treats in the form of chocolate, but a sweet, nutty macaroon also does the trick. And they're so easy to make healthy without losing any richness or sweetness!
Here's the secret: it's all about toasting your macadamia nuts and coconut. Toasting your nuts brings out the flavor and adds a whole new dimension. I prefer them just like this, but you can chill them, freeze them, or even dehydrate them depending on your preference. My mouth is watering just thinking of these coconut cookies!
Makes 15 macaroons
What you need:
- 1 cup, plus 15 whole macadamia nuts
- 2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut, divided
- 8 Medjool dates
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder or paste
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon water
What you do:
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly toast macadamia nuts and coconut for about 10 minutes, or until fragrant.
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Into a food processor, place 1 cup macadamia nuts and 1 cup coconut, and pulse until chopped into a fine meal.
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Add dates, vanilla bean powder, and salt, and pulse until finely chopped and the mixture begins to stick together. Continue to process, slowly drizzling in water until mixture resembles chunky cookie dough. Stir in the remaining 1 cup coconut by hand.
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Scoop walnut-sized pieces of dough and roll into balls. Press one whole macadamia nut into top of each macaroon.
Healthy hints:
- >> You can also make these macaroons into squares or bars. Who needs packaged energy bars?
- >> Make these extra special by adding chocolate chips or cacao nibs.
- >> Why do I always add salt to my sweets? Because salt elevates the sweet profile, and adds amazing depth to desserts. It's a must!