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    Home » healthy cookies recipes

    Healthy Macaroons

    Published: Apr 9, 2020 · Modified: May 9, 2025

    healthy macaroon cookie recipe
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Healthy Macaroons Recipe! My healthy coconut macaroon recipe is made without refined sugar and tastes just as delicious.

    You just need a few simple ingredients to make my 5 ingredient healthy coconut macaroon recipe. These are made with no sweetened condensed milk and no corn starch!

    Love baking and want to truly take your healthy baking up a notch? Read my full No Discard Sourdough Starter Guide for Beginners! You can use sourdough starter in everything from cookies to cakes, breads, and so much more!

    5 HEALTHY MACAROON INGREDIENTS

    1. 4 large egg whites
    2. ¼ cup honey
    3. 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    4. pinch sea salt
    5. 4 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

    ARE COCONUT MACAROONS HEALTHY?

    While traditional coconut macaroons aren't the most unhealthy cookie out there, they are not a healthy cookie. Coconut macaroons use sweetened coconut flakes, and sweetened condensed milk. Both of these ingredients are loaded with refined sugar which will spike inflammation all over your body and make you age faster.

    1 traditional coconut macaroon cookie usually has around a whopping 15 grams of added sugar!

    Is one coconut macaroon going to make or break you? No of course not! But if you can make a coconut macaroon that tastes just as good minus the refined sugars... then why not!

    I made my healthier coconut macaroon recipe using organic unsweetened coconut flakes to limit the refined sugar content. I also used honey as a sweetener.

    While honey does still spike blood glucose, it is not as much as refined white sugar and it is also less processed.. so less chemicals. Plus, the fiber in the coconut and the protein in the eggs will decrease the blood glucose spike.

    1 of my healthier coconut macaroons has around 5 grams of added sugar.

    HOW I MADE MY MACAROONS HEALTHIER

    I love to look at traditional cookie recipes and figure out what substitutions I can make to create a cookie that is healthier but just as delicious. Here's what I did with the ingredients from a traditional macaroon recipe.

    1. Sweetened Flaked Coconut. Instead of using sweetened coconut, this easy healthy cookie substitution was a no brainer. I just used my favorite organic flaked unsweetened coconut!
    2. Sweetened Condensed Milk. In place of highly refined sweetened condensed milk, I used raw local honey. Now I know this is still a sweetener, but it is far more natural than refined sugar. Better for your body to process. I also reduced the total amount of sweetener from almost an entire cup of sweetened condensed milk to about ¼ cup honey.
    3. Vanilla Extract. I always use pure vanilla extract in place of artificial vanilla extract.
    4. Egg whites. This one I pretty much left alone. I do buy my eggs locally since they're allowed to eat a real diet and not grown up in the dark.. some might argue the nutrition is the same, but I'm in the camp that food from animals treated well will be more nutritious.
    5. Salt. In place of bleached refined salt that many times has anti caking ingredients and a type of iodine that your body can't really absorb, I used pure real sea salt. If you need iodine try some fish or seaweed!

    And that's it! I took the refined sugar content out of these macaroons, reduced the artificial ingredients and came up with a healthy macaroon cookie that tastes just as good!

    TIPS TO MAKE THE BEST HEALTHY MACAROONS

    USE PARCHMENT PAPER OR A BAKING MAT. Macaroons can stick to a baking sheet very easily, and you don't want them cooking on a lot of grease. So the best way to not have macaroons stick to your tray is with parchment paper or a baking mat!

    BEAT EGG WHITE AND HONEY TILL FROTHY. Beating them till frothy will give you a little bit of fluffiness. But don't beat them to stiff peaks, you want a little egg white liquid in there for the coconut flakes to absorb.

    DO NOT OVER BAKE! Just bake them until they are starting to turn golden brown. Overbaking will result in harder macaroons instead of light fluffy macaroons.

    COOL COMPLETELY ON A RAISED WIRE RACK. Remove healthy coconut macaroons from the cookie sheet and transfer them a wire rack. This helps to prevent egg white macaroons from getting soggy.

    HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HEALTHY MACAROONS

    For full instructions, see the recipe card below.

    Equipment needed:

    • Hand held beaters or a standing mixer
    • Mixing bowl
    • Cookie sheet
    • Silicone baking mat or parchment paper
    • Cooling rack
    • Small saucepan
    • Wire whisk

    STEP 1: BEAT HONEY AND EGG

    Now lets make the healthy macaroons!

    Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.

    In a large mixing bowl add:

    • 4 large egg whites
    • ¼ cup honey
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • pinch salt

    Beat the egg whites with the honey, vanilla, and salt with an electric mixer. Beat the egg whites until the mixture is frothy.

    STEP 2: FOLD IN COCONUT FLAKES

    Next, fold in the 4 cups unsweetened coconut flakes. Make sure to do this gently. You don't want to deflate your egg whites.

    STEP 3: BAKE AND ENJOY!

    Form the macaroon batter into balls with your hands and place them on your prepared baking sheet.

    Bake them for about 20-25 minutes or until they are golden brown.

    Cool on a wire rack completely before removing!

    FAQ's

    Frequently asked questions about my healthy egg white macaroons recipe.

    CAN MACAROONS BE HEALTHY?

    Yes macaroons can be healthy if you use healthier ingredients! Skip any artificial ingredients like fake vanilla and overly refined sweetened condensed milk. Choose natural sweeteners like honey or pureed dates. And choose unsweetened coconut flakes.

    HOW MANY CALORIES ARE IN AN AVERAGE MACAROON?

    A traditional macaroon made with sweetened condensed milk has around 130 to 140 calories per cookie.

    ARE COCONUT MACAROONS GOOD FOR YOU?

    Are coconut macaroons healthy? No. Coconut macaroons are not healthier than any other cookie out there. Yes they're made with coconut, but most traditional macaroons recipes are made with sweetened flaked coconut. There is also a TON of sweetened condensed milk in them. Instead, make my healthier take on coconut macaroons!

    WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MACARON AND A MACAROON?

    Macarons are typically made as a sandwich cookie and almond flour, giving a unique hard shell with light fluffy center. Macaroons are made with coconut flakes and rolled into a ball.

    You're going to love these Healthy Cookie Recipes next!

    • Lemon Zucchini Cookies with Lemon Glaze
    • Healthy Molasses Cookies
    • Half Moon Cookies
    • Healthy Meringue Cookies
    • Matcha Macarons with Mango Buttercream
    • Almond Pulp Cookies Chocolate Dipped
    • Healthy Lofthouse Cookies
    • Healthy Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies
    • Coconut Flour Cutouts

    If you try my Healthy Coconut Macaroon Recipe, please let me know your thoughts by leaving a rating and comment below! Ready for more? Subscribe to my newsletter or follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube!

    macaroons with passion fruit

    Delicious Healthy Coconut Macaroons!

    Light and fluffy macaroons are made with much healthier for you ingredients like local egg whites, unsweetened organic coconut flakes, honey, and pure vanilla extract. My healthy coconut macaroons are made without sweetened condensed milk and taste just as good!
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 50 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American, French
    Servings 12 macaroons
    Calories 85 kcal

    Equipment

    • hand held beaters
    • Mixing bowls
    • baking sheet
    • silicone baking mat
    • Cooling rack
    • sauce pan
    • Whisk

    Ingredients
      

    For the coconut macaroons:

    • 4 large egg whites
    • ¼ cup honey
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • pinch salt
    • 4 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

    Instructions
     

    For the coconut macaroons:

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
    • In a medium sized bowl, beat the egg whites with the honey, vanilla extract and salt until frothy.
    • Fold in the 4 cups of coconut flakes. Form the macaroons into 12 balls and place on the baking sheet.
    • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they are golden brown. Allow them to cool on a wire baking rack.

    Notes

    Nutrition facts for any recipe on thehintofrosemary are only an estimate and not guaranteed. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1macaroonCalories: 85kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 2gFat: 9.2gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 34mgPotassium: 128mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 16IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 14mgIron: 0.61mg
    Keyword 4eggwhitemacaroonrecipe, coconutmacaroonsrecipe, coconutmacaroonsrecipehealthy, easycoconutmacaroons4ingredients, easyeggwhitemacaroonrecipe, eggwhitecoconutmacaroons, eggwhitemacaroonrecipe, healthycoconutsnacksrecipes, healthymacaroonrecipe, healthymacaroonsingredients, healthymacaroonsrecipe, lowsugarcoconutmacaroonsrecipe, sugarfreecoconutmacaroonsrecipe
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 5 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Christie

      April 13, 2020 at 7:56 pm

      5 stars
      I loveeee that these macaroons contains passionfruit! What a great way to incorporate this tropical fruit. Believe it or not, I've never had it but want to try it soooo much!!!

    2. [email protected]

      April 16, 2020 at 3:35 pm

      Ahhh thank you Christie! If we can't vacation right now, at least we can bring the vacation to us! You HAVE To try these-- they're a classic and so easy!

    3. Beth

      April 07, 2022 at 5:24 pm

      5 stars
      Wow these were so good!! Thank you for all the tips I never realized super fresh eggs made a difference but it makes total sense!

    4. Rose

      April 07, 2022 at 5:24 pm

      5 stars
      My kids loved helping me with these! The filling was a little hard to get inside like you said so we used it as a dip! So good!!

    5. Rosemary

      April 08, 2022 at 3:39 pm

      Yes! It's such simple fixes that make perfect macaroons!

    6. Rosemary

      April 08, 2022 at 3:39 pm

      Ooo I love the idea of using the passionfruit filling as a dip how fun!!

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    Rosemary Squires registered dietitian of the hint of rosemary blog

    Hi, I'm Rosemary, a registered dietitian and proud mom to a lively toddler. Back in 2015, I launched Hint of Rosemary to share my genuine passion for delicious and enjoyable healthy eating.

    In our home, I celebrate the delightful fusion of American and Jordanian cuisines, drawing inspiration from the rich tapestry of Arabic cuisine, and striving to create a harmonious blend of cultures. My hope is that you'll find inspiration here and, above all, savor every bite.

    More about me →

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