Quick keto macaroons (or keto coconut macaroons) - with 6 variations in this recipe. Which will you try? Lemon? Orange? Cinnamon? And all for 0.6g net carbs each.
What do you do when you are really craving cookies, but want to keep up your healthy lifestyle? You make these luxurious keto macaroons!
Sugar-free macaroons are one of the great ways to use up leftover egg whites. You can easily adapt the recipe to different flavored macaroons too, so they are different each time. Keep reading and you'll see how simple these are and how to make a bunch of different flavors.
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How To Make Easy Keto Macaroons
These sugar-free macaroons are the perfect things to make when you are craving something sweet. They taste like a rich dessert but they have less than a gram of net carbs in each one!
There are only 4 simple ingredients in these decadent cookies! They are easier to make than you might think. There is no flour at all - just the egg whites, sweetener, vanilla, and shredded coconut.
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I preferred to use a granulated sweetener, but I am sure you can use a liquid sweetener too. Just don't use a confectioner's sugar substitute or brown sugar substitute. Those will not work in this recipe.
The secret to these light and airy macaroons is to whip and beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
You can whip the egg whites by hand, but this method will take much longer. I prefer to use an electric mixer. The stiff peaks formed in no time at all this way.
Do You Need To Pipe Macaroons?
No.
To make them look pretty (and only if I have time), then I will pipe the easy coconut macaroons. I line a baking tray lined with parchment paper to make them easy to remove.
If I am in a hurry, then I tend to spoon the macaroons instead of piping them.
Keto Coconut Macaroons Baking Tips
How many macaroons can I eat on keto?
You won't have to restrict yourself to eating just one when you make these macaroons! Each one has less than one gram of net carbs, so you can actually eat a few of them.
You'll want eat quite a few of them, too! The outside is crispy with a slightly-sweet taste. The inside has the exotic taste of coconut and it melts in your mouth.
The fact that they are sugar-free is completely surprising! There is no aftertaste and they taste just like traditional macaroons.
But with all things keto, please spend your carbs wisely. Don't spend all your carbs on keto baking and keto desserts. You want to base your meals and snacks on nutrient dense foods.
You can use the FREE macro calculator to set your daily carbs, fat and protein.
Here are some questions people often ask about these keto desserts. They are so easy to make that even if you have never whipped egg whites before, you will be able to make them.
What baking tray should I use for macaroons?
I use a large baking tray that I line with baking parchment or a silicon liner.
How can I decorate keto coconut macaroons?
I allow the macaroons to cool completely then on the lined baking tray, or my wire cooling rack, I drizzle with melted sugar-free chocolate or melted Lindt 95% for an extra treat.
What is the difference between a macaron and a macaroon?
This is a very common misunderstanding. The simple and quick answer is that macron looks like a sandwich cookie and a macaroon looks like a coconut cookie without any filling at all.
Beyond that, there are a bunch of other differences too.
A macaron is Italian. A sweet filling is sandwiched with two cookies. In fact, macrons used to be a single delicate almond flour cookie. When they were brought to France, they became the sandwich that we love today.
A macaroon is French. It was actually a twist on the original macaron recipe, using grated coconut instead of almond flour meringues.
Another big difference is the appearance and texture.
- Macaron - delicate eggshell-like crust with a sweet filling of either ganache, buttercream, or fruit jam.
- Macaroon - lumpy and dense texture filled with shredded coconut.
Is shredded coconut keto-friendly?
Yes, shredded coconut is a keto-friendly ingredient, as long as you use unsweetened coconut flakes. Shredded coconut is high in healthy fats and protein, so it is a fantastic choice on the keto diet.
In fact, in 2 tablespoons, there are just 2 grams net carbs and 1 gram of protein.
Nutritional values from cronometer.com
This is one of my favorite ingredients to use when I am trying to make a dessert because it adds healthy fats and fiber without adding carbs.
How do you store keto coconut macaroons?
The best way to store coconut macaroons is in an airtight container at room temperature. You do not need to put them in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for up to a week.
I bet you eat them up way before they get to the end of the week!
Can you freeze sugar-free coconut macaroons?
Yes, you can freeze sugar-free macaroon cookies. They will last about 3 months in the freezer. Just follow these steps:
- Place them on a single layer on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment or wax paper.
- Put them in the freezer for up to 3 hours or until they are completely frozen.
- Remove the baking sheet and place all the cookies in a plastic resealable freezer bag.
When you are ready to eat them, you can let them thaw at room temperature. Freezing them doesn't alter their texture at all!
How do you know when macaroons are done?
You will know the macaroons are done baking when they turn a nice golden color. When they are completely cooked, they should be moist, light, and chewy. If you overcook them, they will be dry and crumbly.
Sugar-Free Macaroons Flavor Variations
The best thing about these macaroons is that you can add different spices and flavors and make them taste completely different! Here are some of my favorite sugar-free macaroon flavor variations:
- Lemon - Mix in some lemon zest
- Orange - Mix in some orange zest
- Dark Chocolate Drizzle - Melt some sugar-free dark chocolate chips and drizzle it on top or dip them in the dark chocolate.
- Vanilla and Cinnamon - Sprinkle some cinnamon on top
- Spicy Ginger - Make them taste savory with some fresh-minced ginger
- Allspice and Nutmeg - Make some fall or Christmas cookies with the aromatic addition of nutmeg and allspice.
📖 Recipe
Quick and easy keto macaroons
Calculate ingredients
Ingredients
- 4 egg whites
- 2 tbsp granulated sweetener of choice or more, to your taste
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups (200 g) desiccated/shredded coconut unsweetened
Instructions
- Clean a large bowl with kitchen paper to ensure it is free of grease or oil, otherwise, your egg whites won't whisk to stiff peaks. Whisk the egg whites with the sweetener, to form stiff peaks.
- Add the vanilla and the coconut and gently mix to combine.
- Line a baking tray with a non-stick liner or baking paper. Roll (or pipe) a spoonful of macaroon mixture into a small firm ball and place evenly on the baking tray.
- Bake at 180C/350F for10-12 minutes depending on your oven and the humidity.
- Decorate with sugar-free chocolate (optional).
Nutrition
More recipes you may like:
- Nut free "Peanut butter" cookies
- Chocolate zucchini cake
- Keto key lime cheesecake (Instant Pot and oven) + VIDEO
- Low-Carb Flourless Orange Madeleines
- Low Carb Chelsea Buns
Mary Zeman
Pecans, Pistachios, finely minced dried apricotfs, what the heck, try a little peanut butter...that one tastes even better and gives a nice mouth feel...Great recipe to play with.
Sandy Knapp
Can I use liquid egg whites from a carton?
Libby Jenkinson, MPS
I've never used carton egg whites. Do they whip and whisk as fresh egg whites would behave? If yes, then great, you can make these macaroons. Please come back and let me know how it went. We all love to learn new ideas here.
Sue
I made these today n put cinnamon in n they are scrummy - can't wait to try the bounty bars
Melina
Need help please.
Just made these. Baked at 180’c for 12’. They came out and just crumbled.
Do they firm up later? Do I need to cook them longer?
Thanks for any advice!
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
It sounds like you may have either overcooked them or needed an additional egg to help bind the ingredients together. If they are too crumbly to eat, then use that to your advantage and use the crumbled macaroons as an instant grain-free granola.
Kari
This is not sugar free , just substituted with a sweetener
Amy
Which means it's sugar-free, Kari you twat.
Patti
Haha omg Amy
Ok, now I’m making these
Mary Zeman
Yes: a SUGARFREE sweetener...Get it?
Andrea
Oh. My. God.!!! Diiiiivine. Took these into work today after making them st the weekend. Everyone has asked me for the recipe! They can't believe there's no condensed milk or sugar in them. I will definately be including these in my secret Santa gift basket. That is of course if they actually make it to the basket!!!!!?? thank you for such a brilliant recipe. Came out just like the picture.
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Awesome result!!!! You may want to try them dipped in dark chocolate next time or even add some orange zest or lemon zest, for a bit of a festive theme 🙂
Wendy
Made the macaroons today. To my uneducated eye, when I added the coconut the mixture seemed too moist to make macaroon balls. However, I have never made macaroons or meringue before so I added some more coconut (maybe a little too much). I was able to form them into balls but they are very crumbly. Watched some videos on making macaroons and one mentioned letting the mixture sit for a while so that the coconut can absorb the liquid. Do you think this would work next time.
Adrianne
I think mine are doing the same thing. Lots of standard recipes use sweetened condensed milk, which is going to give it a very different texture. I even saw one that added flour to essentially this exact recipe. I tasted the meringue and it was very bland so I added some lemon peel and salt and am hoping I didn’t over bake them - they have been in the oven for nearly twenty minutes and are just starting to brown (I used a small cookie scoop - likely they were larger than the recipe intended).
Craah
I like that they are low carb, low protein and high in good fats. But these don't really taste like macaroons. They taste like sweetened baked coconut - which is basically what they are. It doesn't have that nice gooey experience that you typically get with macaroons. But it does provide a sweet Keto treat when you crave one.
Raina
I made hollandaise sauce with my brekkie this morning and was looking for a way to use the leftover egg whites - came across this recipe and they were perfect! I grated orange zest through the batter and it was absolutely delicious. Thank you so much!