Cherry Chocolate Macaroons

Cherries and Chocolate. Can you really go wrong with that combination? Just saying it, cherries and chocolate, brings a gush of saliva to my mouth lol! Ok, so maybe that was a little TMI hehehehe.

Sooooo a local Celiac Support group is having thier monthly meeting and for December they are doing a cookie swap and I think "PERFECT opportunity to bust out the cherry chocolate macaroons". (boy if I keep saying that, I will need a bib). This is such an easy recipe and I am excited to share it with you. 

You start with melting your chocolate. I am a big dark chocolate fan so I like to go for the semi-sweet Bakers Brand Chocolate squares. I throw in about half a box in my mini slow cooker on high while I am making the cookies. The chocolate should be all melted and ready to go by the time the macaroons are out of the oven. Then pre-heat the oven to 325.

Next throw 3 egg whites in a bowl and start blending on high. You will do this for about 3 minutes until they become stiff and start forming peaks.

Now measure 1 cup sugar and add it to the eggs 1 tablespoon at a time while still blending on medium. Once all the sugar is added, the mixture should become very glisteney (is that a word??? Or another Jillism???). It is very pretty to look at isn't it?

Seeeeee! It glistens! Hence....glitseney ;)

Next, mince up 1/2 cup drained marachino cherries and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and add to the glistening egg whites. Then measure out 3 tablespoons sweet rice flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt (sifted together) and gently fold in 1 tablespoon at a time.

Next, gently fold in 2-2 1/2 (depending on how coconutty you like your macaroons) cups shredded coconut. Unfortunately I was too busy snacking on the coconut to take a picture of this process. Just use your imagination on this step.

Once coconut is folded in, spoon about 2" balls onto a greased wax paper, and bake for 8-11 minutes. 

Bake until just the tips of the cookies start to turn golden brown. You don't want to over cook and overtoast the coconut. Once cookies are cooled, drizzle on the luscious melted goodness.

Now I just need to refrain from devouring them before I make it to the meeting tonight lol!

Recipe Breakdown:

Cherry Chocolate Macaroons

Melted chocolate of your choice (about 1/2 cups worth)

3 egg whites

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons sweet rice flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup minced marachino cherries

2 - 2 1/2 cups shredded coconut

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pre-heat oven to 325. Begin melting chocolate. Sift together sweet rice flour and salt then set aside. Beat egg whites for approximately 3 minutes or until they start forming stiff peaks. Reduce speed to medium and add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Keep mixing until eggs become very shiny and stiff. Slowly fold in vanilla extract and cherries then add the flour/salt mix 1 tablespoon at a time. Next gently fold in the coconut. Place on greased wax paper and bake for 8-11 minutes or until the tips of the macaroons start turning golden brown. Do not over cook. Remove and cool. Drizzle melted chocolate on cookies then allow to cool completely.