Coconut Macaroon Nests
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These Coconut Macaroons shaped into nests and garnished with candy eggs are a delicious, sweet, and easy spring dessert!
I have loved sweetened coconut for as long as I can remember. When I was a boy, if I had a craving for something sweet, I would sometimes go into my Mom’s baking cabinet and sneak a pinch of coconut from the bag. Into my mouth, that coconut would go. (This might be one of the reasons I was a chubby little kid. Ha! Oh well.)
To this day, I cannot pass on a coconut dessert. (Coconut cupcakes and coconut cream pie are two of my faves.) I also love me some toasted coconut macaroons. They are quite easy to bake, which makes them even more appealing. That’s why today I thought we’d whip up some Coconut Macaroon Nests. With thoughts of spring and Easter in the air, it only seems fitting.
I realize that these aren’t anything out of the ordinary, but sometimes basic is best. These little coconut nests have become a classic spring dessert for obvious reasons. They are a cinch to make, they taste delicious, and they look adorable.
How to Make Coconut Macaroons:
To make them, coconut is mixed with egg whites and a touch of extra sweetness. Tucked and pressed into mini muffin pans to resemble mini nests, they are quickly baked until perfectly browned.
Once they’ve cooled, you add a touch of melted white chocolate to each nest as “glue” and then tuck in a few candy eggs for color and crunch.
You can use any type of candy egg you prefer: candy coated chocolate eggs, jelly beans, Jordan almonds, or malted-milk eggs, to name a few options. I filled some of my nests with jelly beans and some with malted-milk eggs. After all, variety is the spice of life!
And that’s it, my friends. I told you these coconut macaroons are simple. These nests are a classic, tasty, and fun treat for spring that your guests are sure to love.
Want more Easter and spring dessert ideas? Check out:
- Cream Puff Cake
- Egg Hunt Easter Sugar Cookies
- Easter Dessert Kabobs
- Carrot Cake Truffles
- Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
- The Ultimate Coconut Cupcakes
If you’ve never tried making Coconut Macaroon Nests for spring or Easter, I definitely recommend giving them a try. They’ll make a beautiful and tasty addition to your seasonal entertaining.
Enjoy!
If you like these Coconut Macaron Nests, then I think you’ll love my Easter Dessert Kabobs. Aren’t they adorable?
These creative and colorful kabobs are a fun way to serve dessert for spring or Easter. You can learn how I made them by clicking HERE.
Coconut Macaroons Nests
Ingredients
Instructions
- Begin by preheating your oven to 300 degrees F. Coat the cups in a mini muffin pan with cooking spray and set the pan aside.
- In a large bowl, lightly whisk together the eggs whites, salt, and sugar to combine. Then, with a fork, mix in the coconut.
- Drop 2 tablespoons of the coconut mixture into each prepared mini muffin cup.
- Lightly press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of each cup. (Use your thumb or a wine cork.) Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, until lightly golden on top. (Loosely place a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the pan if the coconut starts to brown too quickly.)
- Let the nests cool in the tins on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Then run a spatula around the edges of the muffin cups to loosen the nests. Carefully lift out the nests and allow them to cool completely.
- With the melted chocolate in a piping bag (or plastic baggie with a corner cut off), pipe a small amount of chocolate into each nest. Add 2 or 3 candy eggs and press them gently to secure.
- Pack and store in an air-tight container.
what about a dab of melted chocolate on the bottom and then filled with fruit like raspberries
Made these today for my Easter brunch tomorrow.
Blessings,Leah
I’m making these now! What a great idea! Thank you! So adorable!!
I love coconut as much as anyone. How I wish I had a kitchen so I could make some. I had to move to an assisted living place, and since they do all our meals, I no longer have an oven. Since I have cooked and baked for others all my life, I really miss not being able to do so. I still love to look at different ideas and recipes. Thank you for fond memories of coconut macaroons and toasted coconut.I will follow IBC.
Are these chewy like the ones with sweetened condensed milk (what does the sweetened condense milk do?)
Michael are the egg whites beaten with the first and then adding the sugar and salt and then combining them with the rest of the ingredients I’m a little confused there I plan on making them for a potluck coming up next week
Lynette, You just need to mix together the egg whites, sugar, and salt to combine. You don’t need to fully beat them. A few whisks to incorporate, then mix in the coconut.
Hope that helps.
xo Michael
glad Lynette just asked this question about the eggs… I was wondering about it too.
Can you make this with unsweetened coconut and Honey?
I’m not sure? You could try looking for a different recipe that uses unsweetened coconut and honey.
xo Michael
These are adorable, easy to make and so yummy! Keeper! Thank you!
You’re welcome! Glad you like them!
xo Michael
Can you color the coconut green?
Sure! Just add the coloring into your egg whites.
xo Michael
Oh my gosh these are insanely cute! Great idea and undoubtedly yummy ?
This would make a cute easter gift for the nieces and nephew. Save your egg cartons and place a nest in each pocket. One could even alternate..3 larger candy eggs + 3 nests per carton! Love it! Thanks Michael ?
Yes! I love those ideas. I’ll definitely give them a try next time I whip up a batch of these.
xo Michael
is it easter yet?! and i like that these aren’t sweetened condensed milk based like other macaroons i’ve made before (tasty, but a bit sweet).
Have you ever tried dipping the bottoms in melted dark chocolate? A favourite bakery does that with this macaroons and it is so delicious! I may try it with these.
Yes! I have seen that. I actually thought about it, but I liked the look of the nests without them. I’ll have to whip up some regular macaroons for that. Ha!
xo Michael
I’ll be making these for Easter….wonderful to look at and delicious to eat!!!
Thank you!
You’re welcome! 🙂
xo Michael
Absolutely love everything coconut. These look so cute, delicious and definitely perfect as small bites for guests! Thanks for sharing these!
Love from Singapore,
Yeeling
http://artelounge.net | An Online Space for Travel + Inspiration
I adore any kind of coconut Michael, but that little touch of chocolate inside the nest … just golden! Thanx for sharing 🙂
Thankyou so much for this wonderful idea!! I will make these my place card holders for Easter dinner. You have the best and cutest ideas!
how do you melt the chips? Microwave? In a double boiler? Are directions on the pkg? Do you add anything to the chips?
You can melt them however you prefer. I used a microwave for this recipe (at 30 second intervals), but a double boiler works great too. And no, just the melted chips.
xo Michael
Hi, These scream Easter & spring! I love coconut macaroons. Why doesn’t anyone else in my house? I bet these are amazing. Pinned them in case we spend Easter with others & then I can make them! Other wise I’d eat them all myself. lol Love your site btw.
Interesting recipe for children . The must like this as it is really colorful and Representative.
These are adorable!
These look perfect for a potluck I have coming up (simple to make, high impact). Any idea if you can freeze them?
Mine are in the freezer now in hopes I can use them for Easter. I’ll have to get back to you on how they are after they thaw.
xo Michael
Aww, Michael, your post about eating coconut when you were younger reminded me that when I was a child, my sister and I used to steal my father’s hidden can of coconut(he too is a HUGE coconut fan) and hide behind the sofa to scarf it up! Love anything coconut, and will for sure be making these soon!