Macaroons

My mother made these cookies the other day. Neither of us have really made macaroons before, but we wanted to find a recipe that uses the whole egg, not just the whites so yolks don't go to waste, and not a huge amount of coconut. My mother decided to make macaroons because they are gluten free, and she needed a gluten free cookie. We concluded that these are good, though macaroons just aren't our favorite type of cookie. A great cookie for coconut lovers though. The chocolate chip in the middle adds a little to the presentation. 

Macaroons
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated (white) sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups sweetened shredded coconut
chocolate chips or chunks, optional

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until well beaten. Whisk in the sugar, salt, and vanilla. Stir in the coconut. Drop dough by tablespoons using a small ice cream scoop on prepared cookie sheets, spaced several inches apart. Place a chocolate chip or chunk in the middle of each, if desired. Bake for 14-18 minutes, until golden.

If preferred, the macaroons can be dipped in melted chocolate once cool to make chocolate-dipped macaroons. You can coat the bottom, the top, or the entire macaroon. Use your favorite type of chocolate, and refrigerate until set.