Salted Caramel Coconut Macaroons (AIP, Paleo, Vegan)
These lovely little thumbprint macaroons are filled with the most delicious dairy-free salted caramel sauce. The coconut edges toast until golden and crisp, while the centers stay soft and chewy, with a little pool of rich, salty-sweet caramel tucked into each one. They’re completely gluten-free and dairy-free, while also being vegan, AIP and Paleo friendly. Bake up a batch for your next holiday gathering and pass them around the table fresh out of the oven.
How this Salted Caramel Coconut Macaroon recipe fits AIP and Paleo
Like most cookies, macaroons rely on some combination of flour, dairy, sugar and eggs — all of which can be tricky when you’re looking for an AIP and Paleo sweet treat. But since we’re starting with coconut, which is widely enjoyed on both protocols, these coconut macaroons are already off to a good start. A little coconut flour and tapioca starch help hold everything together, coconut cream stands in for traditional evaporated milk, and coconut sugar brings plenty of sweetness along with its rich, caramel-like flavor. The result is a tender, chewy cookie with toasted coconut around the edges and a swirl of dairy-free salted caramel on top.
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It’s important to not overwork the dough while still making sure that everything is mixed evenly. Start by whisking together all of the dry ingredients — coconut flour, tapioca flour, coconut sugar and salt. Then, whisk in the coconut cream.
A Note About Coconut Cream
For this recipe, I use a can specifically labeled coconut cream or coconut heavy cream, rather than the thick cream scooped from the top of a can of coconut milk. The contents may be separated when you open the can, with a very thick layer of coconut fat on top. Stir everything together before measuring to create a rich, creamy consistency similar to evaporated milk. Using only the solid cream from a can of coconut milk will give you a different ratio of fat to liquid and may change the consistency of the macaroon dough.
Lastly, fold in the shredded coconut and form into a dough. You’ll notice that the dough holds together well when pressed, and doesn’t easily crumble.
Form the dough into one-inch balls and arrange them on a lined cookie sheet. For uniformity, they should all weigh about 1 ounce and the dough will yield 20 to 24 cookies. Then, press a small measuring spoon into the center of each ball and press down. You’ll flatten the cookie into a thick round and also leave a divot (or thumbprint) that we’ll fill later with caramel.
You’ll find the salted caramel recipe right here. It’s completely dairy-free and made with just coconut sugar and coconut cream, plus a little salt for balance. It takes about 10 minutes to make (plus an hour to chill), and happily, the recipe makes more than you’ll need for these macaroons. Trust me, you’ll have no trouble finding plenty of other uses for the leftovers.
Bake for 17 to 19 minutes, or until the macaroons are crisp and golden. They’ll be very tender right out of the oven. Let them cool for around 20 minutes on the cookie sheet, which will help the tapioca flour set and give them structure.
Once they’re cool, drizzle in a spoonful of salted caramel into each indentation, finish with a sprinkle of flakey sea salt and serve. They’re best the day they’re baked. I love to pass these macaroons around the table so everyone can add their own scoop of caramel right before eating.
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If you love these Salted Caramel Macaroons, try one of these dessert recipes next.
Zucchini Bread with Maple Glaze
Sunbutter and Jelly Blondie Bars
Blueberry Crumble
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Salted Caramel Coconut Macaroons FAQ
Salted Caramel Coconut Macaroons (AIP, Paleo, Vegan)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (30g) coconut flour
- 2 tbsp tapioca starch
- ¾ cup golden coconut sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut cream
- 3 cups (190g) unsweetened, shredded coconut
- ½ cup Salted Caramel
- Flakey sea salt, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, tapioca starch, coconut sugar and salt. Whisk in the coconut cream until smooth, then fold in the shredded coconut until a wet, cohesive dough forms. The dough should hold together when pressed.
- Form the dough into 1-inch balls, about 1 oz each, and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Using a small measuring spoon, press a divot into the center of each macaroon.
- Bake for 17 to 19 minutes, until golden and toasted around the edges. Let cool on the baking sheet for at least 20 minutes to set.
- Spoon salted caramel into each divot, finish with flaky sea salt and serve.
- Macaroons are best the day they’re baked, once they’ve cooled enough to set. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days, but they will soften as they sit.
Notes
The inspiration for these came from a salted caramel macaroon recipe I spotted in Allrecipes. I loved the concept, so I headed to the kitchen to see if I could create a gluten-free and dairy-free version that would work for AIP and Paleo, too.
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Satisfies the sweet tooth!