Make light, chewy coconut macaroons without condensed milk using egg whites, sugar, and shredded coconut - a perfect, easy alternative to the classic recipe.
Preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C) and line the cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt on high speed in a clean bowl until soft peaks form.
Add sugar: Slowly add the sugar while continuing to beat the mixture. Keep mixing until the egg whites are shiny and stiff. Add the vanilla extract.
Add coconut: Gently fold in the coconut using a spatula, and be careful not to overmix.
Shape macaroons: Scoop small amounts of the mixture using a teaspoon and place them on the prepared tray. Shape the macaroons into balls with your free hand or another teaspoon.
Bake the coconut macaroons in batches. Bake them for about 10 minutes or until they are just lightly golden; they should not take too much color.
Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Egg white adjustments: You can make this recipe with any number of egg whites - 1, 3, or 4 - by adjusting the proportions of the other ingredients. Just keep the ratios consistent to achieve the right texture and sweetness.
One large egg white weighs about 1 oz (30 g), which is helpful to know if you're using frozen and thawed egg whites and forgot to note how many you put in the bag.
Coconut: Shredded coconut is finer and more uniform, while coconut flakes are larger and irregular. Both can be used in coconut cookies, but shredded coconut provides a finer texture, while flakes add more chew. Substituting may slightly change the texture. You can also use desiccated coconut.