Mom's Best Cocoa Macaroons

These macaroons go the egg-white route, not the sweetened-condensed-milk one. The lighter binder gives you a less dense, more delicate macaroon with crispy peaks on top and chewy strands underneath. Two tablespoons of cocoa stir in just enough chocolate to deepen the flavor without turning the cookie brown all the way through.

The mixing method is straightforward: whip the whites to frothy (not full peaks), add the sugar, flour, cocoa, salt, and vanilla, then fold in four cups of coconut. The flour is doing a small but real job, tightening the structure so the cookies hold their drop shape on the sheet instead of spreading flat.

Spacing matters more than usual since these dry out at the edges before the centers fully set. Two inches apart on greased and floured sheets keeps them from steaming each other.

Pull them when the tops are just set and the tips of the coconut have turned amber.

Pro Tips

• Use sweetened shredded coconut for the classic chewy texture; unsweetened gives drier, more brittle cookies.
• Bring the egg whites to room temperature first; cold whites do not whip up as easily.
• Watch for the amber edges, not the clock; ovens vary, and the 11 to 16 minute range is wide for a reason.
• Cool only one to two minutes on the pan before moving; longer and they stick.

Variations

• Dip the cooled cookies halfway in melted dark chocolate for a bakery-style finish.
• Stir a half cup of mini chocolate chips into the batter for double-chocolate macaroons.
• Add a half teaspoon of almond extract along with the vanilla for an almond-coconut flavor.