Coconut Macaroons

Coconut macaroons tend to be rather chewy affairs.

Super sweet. Super chewy.

Like the inside of an Almond Joy bar. (My dad, by the way, loves Almond Joy, gets tons of it to give away at Halloween knowing that the rest of us won't touch them and he'll have more for himself.)

Me? Not a big fan.

That is, until our pastry chef neighbor Evie brought over her macaroons. Soft and smooth on the inside. Lightly sweet. No texture issues. Lovely.

The Secret Ingredient for Macaroons

Evie's secret ingredient? Baby food applesauce.

That's right, baby food. It's just the smoothest applesauce you can get, and it comes in conveniently small jars. You don't need that much.

Which Shredded Coconut to Buy

After multiple batches and lots of experimenting, I found that you also need to use unsweetened coconut, somewhat finely ground. Sweetened coconut won't do, because you won't be able to break it down enough even in a food processor.

Smooth or Crunchy Texture

I also experimented a bit with the ingredient amounts. I found that you get a smoother cookie through and through if you use two cups of the coconut, but if you want a more crunchy, textured surface, you need to add a little more, perhaps another 1/4 cup of coconut to the mixture.

How To Store Macaroons

Store your macaroons in an airtight container between layers of wax paper. At room temperature, they'll keep for about a week.

You can also freeze macaroons. Wrap them well in aluminum foil, then transfer them to a plastic freezer bag or another container. They'll keep for at least month or more. To thaw, unwrap and let them sit on the counter for a few hours.