Chocolate Almond Macaroons

So today was the Bloggers Get Cooking Linkup hosted by myself and Katie.. And for the linkup I made some super yummy chicken, lettuce, quinoa wraps! But y'all know me.. I may live in South Carolina, but go big or go home still very much so applies to me when it comes to blogging. Over the weekend, I whipped up some DELICIOUS chocolate almond macaroons that I am just dying to share with everyone! 

For my birthday, I got a Macaroon Bible from my adopted grandmother, Oma. Most people only recognize French macarons as the only kind of macaron. Or maybe by most people I just mean bloggers. I personally love the American version, Macaroons. What can I say.. I'm a sucker for coconut I guess. So these are not MACARONS but instead MACAROONS. And they are incredible! 

PLEASE MAKE THESE COOKIES. Like I want you to experience how amazing they are, you must make them!

INGREDIENTS

One can of sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

One 14 ounce bag of shredded coconut (you can either get sweetened or non sweetened.. I suggest unsweetened if you're trying to make this slightly more healthy.)

2 large egg whites

A pinch of salt

A bag of almonds (you're gonna need both whole and chopped)

4 ounces of chocolate of your choice (I used  Hershey's Dark chocolate chips)

*Recipe adapted from Dan Cohen's The Macaroon Bible*

preheat oven to 350 degrees  &   line a baking sheet with parchment paper (it's actually very important you use parchment paper because it sticks to waxed paper)

In a large bowl measure out 10 1/2 oz of condensed milk or about 1 cup. Add vanilla and mix with a rubber spatula. Add coconut and combine until completely mixed. 

Add egg whites and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer or a smaller bowl if you're using a hand mixer. 

Beat the egg whites until very stiff peaks form so for about 3 minutes on high. 

Using the rubber spatula, fold the egg white mixture into the coconut mixture until it's one big blog and easier to portion out. 

Get a small bowl of water, two spoons, and a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the parchment paper on a baking sheet, and spoon out about 24 balls around 1 1/2 inches in diameter one inch apart from each other on the pan. Make sure you dip the spoons in the water and rinse so you can form the macaroons.

Once you get the macaroons on the cookie sheet, press a whole almond into each macaroon. Place the sheet in the oven for 22 minutes. (While they're baking, chop up a few handfuls to sprinkle on top of the cookies when they finish) They should be a light brown color. Let them cool. 

Once they're cool it's time to melt the chocolate. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir, then put back in for 10 seconds. Stir and repeat until melted. 

dip the macaroons in chocolate, you can either do one half, the underside, the entire top, whatever you feel like! After you dip in chocolate, sprinkle the chopped almonds on top. Put them in the refrigerator, and wait about 15 minutes.. Then Instagram a picture of your creation, and enjoy!