Remembering the first time I traveled to Paris, walking down the street, it seemed like every other window shop lead to a magical world know as la patisserie, or a pastry shop.  Mesmerized by the rows of mini berry tarts, eclairs filled with whipped cream and macaroons in every color—these sweet bites that are simply enchanting! Maybe its the bright hues of the berries or the perfectly curled chocolate shavings or the adorable boxes the French have for each shape and size of dessert, but there is something magical about a pastry shop.  Whether its peering through the window at those tasty works of art or catching scents of warm butter drifting down the street, desserts can transform any day into extraordinary!

In the words of my great grandmother, “always eat dessert first.” Dessert to me should be a treat, something that brings joy to your day rather than something necessarily overly sweet.  To me, the essence of eating healthy is to nourish your body while still enjoying living—combining your passions and desires with what is good for you can be a creative and exciting process.  I am constantly dreaming up more desserts and treats then I could ever make in a life-time, but our dreams keep us alive, so for me, I will learn to create desserts that I can enjoy, in good conscious and health, one sweet bite at a time!

These dense, rich chocolate macaroons are simply amazing! You may even want to make a double batch as they will disappear from your kitchen quickly.  These grain free macaroons are a fabulous dessert for children or entertaining as they are quick to make and enjoyed by all!  So bake away, sharing these sweet double chocolate morsels with your family and friends.

Don’t forget about a Tropical Traditions give-a-way on my blog this week!!

Chocolate Coconut Macaroons Dipped in Chocolate Glaze {Grain free, gluten free, refined sugar free}

A grain free, gluten free, refined sugar free bite sized cookie. Rich chocolate glaze covers a dense chocolate coconut macaroon.

makes 18 small macarons

Ingredients

• 2 cups finely shredded coconut, unsweetened
• 1/2 cup cacao powder
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 3/4 cup coconut milk, full fat & unsweetened
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• pinch of celtic sea salt

Glaze

• 3 tbsp raw cacao butter , chopped
• 2 tbsp cacao powder
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp raw honey

Directions

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a mixing bowl, sift together all dry macaroon ingredients, removing any clumps.
• Add coconut milk and syrup string till a thick batter forms.
• Firmly pack coconut batter into a 1 1/2 tbsp cookie scoop by scooping and dragging along the sides of bowl. Drop onto baking sheet.
• Bake for 40 minutes.
• Transfer to a cooling rack to allow macaroons to harden.

To make the glaze

• Heat one cup water in a small sauce pan.  Place cacao butter in a heat proof bowl, and melt over simmering water. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining ingredients.
• Allow the chocolate glaze to briefly cool and thicken, however, do not allow glaze to harden.
• Dip macaroons in chocolate and place on frozen cookie sheet.  This will quickly harden the glaze.  Allow the macaroons and glaze to set before serving.
• Chill macaroons in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Macaroons are best served chilled.

This & That

• Macaroons are best served slightly chilled after a few hours. They will firm up with time and are intended to be a dense cookie.
• Using finely shredded coconut such as this one, will yield the best results.  I recommend using the brand Let’s Do Organic for the best texture. Other shredded coconut flakes are thicker and will not make the best cookies.
• These macaroons make a great afternoon snack or quick dessert option for parties or entertaining.