Cherry Pecan Macaroons – The Perfect Afternoon Treat

One of the things I love most about the weeks and months around Christmas is that there’s always a cookie around for me to enjoy with my afternoon cup of coffee. Well, the last few cookies found their way into hubby and daughter’s lunch boxes. Thankfully I remembered that a friend shared a cookie recipe with me that I didn’t have a chance to try around Christmas. This afternoon was the perfect time to try it out and boy are they good. I think I’ll have to either hide them from the rest of the family or make a bunch more.

Cherry Pecan Macaroons

Ingredients:

4 egg whites
2 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup dried cherries, chopped
2/3 cup toasted pecans, chopped
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Instructions:

Place the egg whites, coconut, sugar, vanilla and salt in a large stainless steel bowl.  Fill a large skillet 2/3 full of water and place of medium heat.  Allow the water to start to simmer.  Place the stainless steel bowl into the simmering water.  Cook on medium temperature 5 minutes being sure to stir continuously from the bottom up (so the mixture doesn’t burn) until the egg whites begin to thicken and turn opaque in cooler.  Remove from the heat and stir in the cherries.  Allow mixture to cool.  Bring the oven temperature to 325 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Once the cherry mixture has cooled stir in the pecans and chocolate chips.  Drop batter, 2 teaspoons at a time, onto the prepared cookie sheet.  Bake 14 minutes or until cookies are a golden brown.  Cool on wire rack.