These keto macaroons taste just like the real deal - minus all the carbs and sugar. Made with shredded coconut and dipped in sugar free chocolate, this is a crispy, chewy and utterly delicious treat.
I love coconut desserts and I have a bunch of keto coconut treats on my website. There are coconut haystacks, these coconut almond butter bars, and of course my sugar-free bounty bar bark.
The great thing about coconut recipes - apart from the delicious coconut flavor - is that they always seem to be very simple and require only a few ingredients.
Just like these sugar-free macaroons!
We make them regularly, because they are such an easy treat.
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🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy recipe - only 4 main ingredients
- Quick - ready in 20 minutes
- So much flavor - Coconut heaven, with hints of vanilla and dipped in sugar-free chocolate
- Light, airy and fluffy texture
- Dairy-free, gluten-free, low carb and keto friendly - just 1.7g net carbs per macaroon
Regular macaroons are made with flaked coconut, egg whites and condensed milk. Obviously, condensed milk is very high in sugar and not keto friendly at all.
I always try to stay as close to the original when making a sugar-free version of a recipe.
However, I did not want to add the additional step of making sugar-free condensed milk. That's why I decided to use main 4 ingredients for my recipe: coconut, egg whites, powdered sweetener and coconut butter.
Ingredients
- Egg whites - from large eggs. Make sure the eggs are very fresh for best results.
- Powdered sweetener - I recommend powdered erythritol, an erythritol based monk fruit sweetener or Swerve. Don't use xylitol or allulose, they make the egg whites soft.
- Desiccated coconut - that's shredded coconut in the US. When buying it make sure it is unsweetened. I blended the coconut shreds in the food processor first to make them finer and smaller. This is optional, but made it easier to form the macaroon shapes.
- Coconut butter - this contains contains both the coconut oil and the coconut meat. You can omit it, but we enjoy the buttery dimension it adds.
- Vanilla extract - optional, but recommended
- Unsweetened or sugar free chocolate, for dipping (also optional)
Instructions
This section contains step by step instructions and photos that show how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites with an electric mixer until they form stiff peaks.
Step 2: Add powdered sweetener to the egg whites and mix until combined.
Step 3: Add the melted coconut butter and vanilla. Blend until combined.
Step 4: Fold in the unsweetened shredded coconut with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined. Try to keep some air inside the mix!
Step 5: Using a cookie scoop or your hands, form round shapes with a flat bottom. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in the oven until lightly browned on the top.
Step 6: Once the macaroons are fully cooled, melt the chocolate. Dip the bottoms of the macaroons into the chocolate and place back onto the parchment paper.
Then, cool them in the fridge until set.
Top tip
The key for fluffy keto coconut macaroons are egg whites that are whipped to stiff peaks.
Always use fresh eggs for this, and check that your bowl is clean and dry. Even a little water, fat or egg yolk can prevent the whites from becoming stiff.
I achieve best results with a glass or porcelain mixing bowl and a handheld electric mixer like the one shown in the top image.
FAQ
Yes. It contains just 5.5 grams of net carbs and 13.1 g fat per 1 cup or 75g, making it a great food of anyone on the keto diet. It is also rich in fibre and packed with nutrients such as manganese, copper and selenium (source).
Macaroons are often confused with French macarons. What is the difference? Both start with beaten egg whites and sugar (or sweetener). But whilst macarons are made with almond flour, macaroons are made by folding shredded coconut into the meringue. In essence, we are making keto coconut cookies!
Make a sugar free custard, keto rice pudding or keto mayonnaise.
I used 100% unsweetened chocolate and added powdered sweetener. You can also make your own sugar free chocolate or use store-bought sugar-free chocolate chips. Another alternative is a 90% dark chocolate such as Lindt - it has a very low sugar content.
Either your egg whites were not stiff or the shredded coconut pieces were too large. I blended my coconut to finer shreds before I added it. If you want to use the shredded coconut without blending it first, you must use a cookie scoop and pack the mix tightly. If it is too sticky, add more coconut shreds.
Variations
Substitute: You can substitute the coconut butter for coconut cream. This will result in a lighter coconut macaroon texture that resembles a moist cookie.
Add: Add a pinch of salt to bring out the flavors even more.
Omit: It's also possible to omit the coconut butter altogether. This will reduce the amount of net carbs and give an even lighter texture.
Toast: For an extra-rich coconut taste and all-over golden colour, toast the desiccated coconut before using. Simply put it in a dry frying pan and heat until golden.
Drizzle: Option to drizzle the melted sugar-free chocolate over the macaroons as well.
Storage
Refrigerator: Sugar-free macaroons can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Freezer: You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. Freeze in a single layer so they don't stick together. Let them defrost on the counter.
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Recipe
Kato Macaroons
from Sugar Free LondonerNote: The servings slider only changes the first amount in each line and not any subsequent amounts. Please make your own calculations where necessary.
Ingredients
For the Macaroons
- 3 large egg whites
- 3 tablespoon powdered sweetener
- 3 tbsp / 40g coconut butter melted
- 2 cup / 200g desiccated coconut unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
For the Chocolate Dip
- 50 g / 1.75 oz unsweetened chocolate
- 2 tablespoon powdered sweetener
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius / 350 Fahrenheit (electric) or 160C / 320F fan.
- Whisk the egg whites in a dry and grease-free glass or ceramic bowl with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
- Add the powdered sweetener and whisk until fully incorporated.
- Add the melted coconut butter and vanilla extract and mix.
- Now stir in the desiccated coconut.
- Use a cookie scoop or form balls with a flat surface and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.Â
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Melt unsweetened chocolate in the microwave (in 30 second bursts) or in a double boiler. Stir in 2 tablespoon powdered sweetener and dip the macaroons into the chocolate. Place back onto the parchment paper and cool in the fridge until the chocolate is set.
Notes
Nutrition
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Katrin Nürnberger
That is so interesting. I think brands are very different from one another. When I first published the recipe, I weighed 100 grams per cup. When I weighed the ingredients again yesterday, it was 80 grams per cup and the macaroons turned out so lovely and light. Please do let me know how yours turn out.
Jess
I was reading the comment about the weight of the coconut. Should we weigh it first or put it in the blender to make it finer and than weigh? I’m only asking because I bought a 8oz bag of unsweetened organic coconut but it definitely looks more than 2 cups plus it says it’s 226g. Sorry I’m new to this baking healthy.
Katrin Nürnberger
Hi Jess, it seems to me that a range between 160grams and 200 grams works fine. So, if you are using cups, just measure the coconut before blending. If you are using grams, decide whether you want the macaroons to be lighter and use 160 grams, or if you want them a little firmer and use 200 grams. Once you have a cookie dough, you and see if it's easy to form cookies of if you need a little more coconut to make it workable. It's always best to use less first.
Molly
Can I use an alternative to coconut butter?
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, you can use coconut cream or even leave it out.
Annie
These are the BEST things ever!!
Jane
Hi may I know the shelf life of these? 🙂 thanks
Katrin
Hi Jane, I think they are good for about a week. They may last longer, but I'd keep them in the fridge then just in case.
Charlie
Fab! thanks so much for this awesome recipe 🙂
laure drieberg
Hello ! Just arrived on your website and what a découvert !! I live in Switzerland and speak french but do my best to try to write in english...
I have a question. In your recipes you wrote : serving ex. 18 pieces. Does it mean that the total of calories and macros is for the 18 pieces ?? Cause I don't see so much calories and I just want to make sure that the total of calories is not only for one piece. Imagine if I eat all of the pieces and the serving is only for 1 piece....
Thank you for your answer !! and thank you for all your yummy recipes !
Laure
Katrin
Hi Laure, my mix made 14 macaroons. The nutrition is calculated per 1 macaroon, as you thought. They are fairly high in calories as coconut is high in fat. One macaroon is about 3 bites and I think it's a satisfying portion. If you wanted to push the boat out you could possibly eat 2. But I think you'd struggle to eat more than 2 in one go, they're really filling!
If you're following a low carb lifestyle - no sugar, no grains - you don't have to count calories. You get your energy from fat and not from sugar (carbs). Fat is our friend 🙂
Amanda
Hi! I absolutely LOVE this recipe, definitely helps with the cookie cravings! I have even made sure to share a link to it with my readers on my website. Just wanted to say thank you for a great recipe 🙂
Karen S
These are great! Followed the recipe step by step and my macaroons turned out absolutely delicious. Thank you for all the wonderful recipes and keep on posting!