Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients

• 1 sweetened shredded coconut
• 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tsp coconut oil or vegetable shortening

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. In a mixing bowl, use a large spoon to combine the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, almond extract and salt until the mixture looks smooth and uniform. Stir in the coconut until it is evenly coated.
2. In another mixing bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric hand mixer, or use a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, on moderately high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer running, add the sugar gradually, then keep beating until the peaks are medium stiff.
3. Fold half of the whipped egg whites into the coconut mixture. Add the remaining half and fold again, gently but thoroughly, until no streaky pockets remain.
4. Scoop the mixture into rounds of about 2 Tbsp each on baking sheets lined with Silpat or parchment paper, leaving about 1 1/4 inches between cookies since they will not spread much. Bake at 325 degrees for about 25 minutes, moving the pans to the opposite rack once halfway through. If you are baking a half batch and are not rotating pans, cover the cookies loosely with foil once the tops are golden, then finish baking for the time listed. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. For the chocolate drizzle, put the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave at 50% power in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Spoon it into a ziploc bag, seal the bag, snip off one corner tip, and drizzle the chocolate over the cooled macaroons. Leave the macaroons at room temperature until the chocolate sets.