VEGAN COCONUT MACAROON COOKIES FOR THE HOLIDAYS

I'm still busy playing catch-up with housework and various projects and haven't blogged as much as I'd like to!  I've been dying to bake, but I'm trying to lose weight as well, so I've been holding off until I have company.  I hadn't quite got into the Christmas spirit yet, but we attended a great Christmas concert on Denman last night, put on by the Denman Is. Elementary and Community School and the "Rock Club" (as in "rock'n'roll"!).  Half the island came and we all had a ball-- what talented kids (including 2 of my grandaughters!). 

I wanted to share this favorite cookie recipe with you for the holidays before we head off to Vancouver for a few days to visit family and friends, and see my stepson Laurence play with his Celtic/rock band at a concert in Kitsalano.

DH loves macaroons, so some time ago I played with this recipe for several weeks.  Recipes solely based on beaten egg whites inevitably fall short of the mark when veganized, so I started with an old-fashioned American recipe which is based on sweetened condensed milk.    I used unsweetened large-flake coconut because I liked the texture better and I wanted them less sweet than usual, but you can use whatever coconut suits you.

We really enjoyed these, and they are easy to make and pretty, with lots of coconut crunch.   They are also versatile, and can easily be altered by adding bits of chocolate or dried fruits. The recipe can be doubled, in which case, beat the sugar mixture in a blender.

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S VEGAN COCONUT MACAROONS (GF)

Yield: 30
UPDATE: Dec. 2014.  If you prefer, you can use 1 ¼ cups of one of the many vegan sweetened condensed milk recipes on the internet instead of my own version (included in this recipe)-- just do a quick search and you'll find lots.
       In any case,  if you are allergic to soy, you will have to use one of the traditional-type recipes in which you cook down the milk of your choice slowly (may take an hour) until it is reduced and thickened.

Easy Sweetened Condensed Soymilk (just enough for this recipe):

3/4 cup unbleached granulated organic sugar (light color)

1/3 cup boiling water

1/2 Tbs vegan "butter" of choice (try my homemade vegan plam-oil-free butter)

3 Tbs soy milk powder

2 1/2 Tbs soy protein powder (plain)
Flavoring:

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp pure almond extract

1 pinch salt

Whipped Egg Replacer:

2 Tbs Ener-G or Orgran egg replacer powder (only these will whip up properly)

1/4 cup water

Additional:

7 oz large-flake unsweetened coconut (or use smaller shreds, if you like)

OPTIONAL:

If you like, you can add up to a cup of finely-chopped dried cranberries, pineapple, mango or papaya, or vegan semi-sweet chocolate

             

In the container that comes with a hand immersion blender, mix the sugar, boiling water, and Earth Balance.  Stir to melt.  Add the remaining ingredients up to and including the salt.  Blend until the mixture is smooth.

Preheat the oven to 325° F.

Beat the water and egg replacer in a stand mixer until like almost-stiffly-beaten egg whites (about 7-10 minutes). You can use the whip attachment on a Kitchen-Aid mixer, or the small whip attachment to the Bosch Universal Slicer/Shredder bowl, or the beaters on any inexpensive stand mixer-- it doesn't need a powerful motor to perform this task. 

Scoop the sugar mixture into the beaten egg replacer and fold until thoroughly mixed.  Add the coconut (and any optionals you are using) and mix evenly.

Line two cookie sheets with cooking parchment.  Scoop the cookie mixture out in slightly rounded tablespoons or with a small ice cream scoop with a release mechanism.  Place the mounds, which should not be loose-- make sure the mixture sticks together well-- about 1" apart on the cookie sheets.

Bake for 18 minutes, or until the cookies begin to turn golden.  Cool on racks.

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition (per cookie): 71.5 calories; 53% calories from fat; 4.5g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 24.1mg sodium; 46.7mg potassium; 7.4g carbohydrates; 1.1g fiber; 5.7g sugar; 1.1g protein; 1.6 points.

Enjoy!