Makes about 20 cookies These cookies, which we make year-round, have many loyal fans at Bi-Rite Market and the Creamery alike. You can bake these cookies in the traditional mound shapes, or flatten them out for use in ice cream sandwiches.
In addition to being pretty and delicious, they’re also a good option for those avoiding wheat.

CHILLING TIME: At least 2 hours or up to overnight

SHELF LIFE: 1 week

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup egg whites (from about 4 large eggs)
• 2 tablespoons tapioca syrup or corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 cups (8 ounces) finely shredded unsweetened coconut (organic, if possible)

INSTRUCTIONS 

PREPARAING THE DOUGH

1. Put about ½ inch of water in the bottom of a double boiler or medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
2. In the top of the double boiler or in a medium nonreactive bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients except the coconut.
3. Put the double boiler insert or bowl over but not touching the simmering water.
4. Cook, whisking frequently, until the mixture becomes somewhat translucent but still has some visible granules of sugar (about ¾ of the sugar should be dissolved), 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut.
6. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill until the dough is firm, at least 2 hours or up to overnight. (This is a very sticky dough even after it is chilled thoroughly, but it will firm up quite a bit in the refrigerator.)

BAKING THE MACROONS

1. When you’re ready to bake, position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. Scoop up 2 tablespoons of dough and form it into a ball.
4. Repeat until all the dough has been shaped.
5. For traditionally shaped (mounded) macaroons, space the balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheets and leave them as is.
6. For flat cookies that can be used for ice cream sandwiches, space the balls 3 inches apart and use water-dipped fingertips to flatten them until they are about 3 inches in diameter and ¼ inch thick.
7. Bake for 10 minutes, and then rotate the baking sheets top to bottom and front to back.
8. Continue to bake until the cookies are golden brown on top, about 5 minutes longer for flattened cookies and about 10 minutes longer for rounded cookies.
9. When the cookies come out of the oven, slide the sheet of parchment, cookies and all, onto a cooling rack.
10. Let the cookies cool completely before peeling them off of the parchment (otherwise they will fall apart).
11. Line the baking sheet with another sheet of parchment and bake any remaining dough, following the same steps above.