Almond Joy Macaroons

4.7 from 7 votes
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These sweet and chewy Almond Joy Cookies have only four ingredients and taste like a candy bar. Start with basic flourless coconut macaroons that take just minutes to make. Then add almonds and dark chocolate for an easy, delicious, and naturally gluten free cookie recipe that is sure to be a favorite!

Almond Joy Cookies – A Twist on Coconut Macaroons

Grab a glass of milk. It’s cookie time. When you are making cookies, do you prefer to stick to old standbys and family favorites? Or try new things?

For me, it is always a mix. For the holidays, I have to make Gluten Free Snickerdoodles and nutty Gluten Free Snowballs for my family. Any time of the year, Chocolate Chip Cookies and Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are timeless.

But I also like putting a twist on a classic.  Monster Cookies become Toffee White Chocolate Chip Monster Cookies. And in this case, simple 2-Ingredient Crispy Coconut Macaroons from The Fountain Avenue Kitchen are transformed into Almond Joy Cookies that taste like a candy bar.

Just like my Almond Joy Puppy Chow, I can’t get enough of the decadent combination of coconut, almond, and chocolate. But instead of a crunchy snack, now you have gooey and coconutty cookies with crisp edges. You are going to love making and eating these easy treats.

Almond Joy Cookies drizzled with chocolate on a cookie sheet resting on top of a red cloth napkin.

Why You’ll Love These Almond Joy Cookies

  • They are naturally gluten free without needing any special flour or other ingredients.
  • They are easier than similar recipes that have many more ingredients and require you to do things like whip egg whites or sift flour. This makes them easy to make if you have to throw something together last minute.
  • They are flexible and you can adjust it to how you like them. Flatten them out, keep them mounded, bake a little less, bake a little more – and you can get the thickness, level of chewiness, crispy, brown edges (or lack thereof), that you prefer.
  • They are more like a candy bar versus Almond Joy Cookies that have chopped almonds or chocolate chips. These have a whole almond and are dipped in chocolate, just like an actual Almond Joy. Skip the almond and you can call them Mounds Cookies!
Fingers holding an a macaroon cookie that has an almond pressed into the middle and chocolate covering the bottom and drirzzled on the top.

Recipe Ingredients

Yes, you only need four ingredients. Then just stir, scoop, press, bake, and dip. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full amounts and instructions. Or keep reading for all of my tips and tricks.

  • Sweetened flaked coconut – be sure your brand is gluten free, if needed.
  • Sweetened condensed milk – not evaporated milk, which will not work to sweeten and bind the cookies.
  • Whole raw almonds – use natural or almonds, as they will toast in the oven, and you don’t want them to be salted.
  • Chocolate – an Almond Joy candy bar is coated in dark chocolate, and I say the darker, the better. But you can use whatever you prefer, or even substitute milk chocolate if that is what you like.
Bowls of shredded coconut, whole almonds, and chopped chocolate, and an open can of sweetened condensed milk on a marble countertop.

How to Make Almond Joy Cookies

Start by lining your cookie sheets with parchment paper so they cookies don’t stick, and preheat your oven to 350°F. Now let’s make macaroons.

Make the cookie mixture. Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the coconut and stir with a spatula until it is well-mixed and the coconut is throughly coated.

Scoop and form cookies. Using spoons or a cookie scoop sprayed with nonstick cooking spray form mounds with about one tablespoon of the mixture. You can leave them mounded up or press them down slightly depending on whether you want your cookies thick and chewy or a bit thinner and crispier. Press an almond into the top of each mound.

Bake and cool. Bake at 350°F for 8-11 minutes, checking after 4 minutes to press the almond in further and flatten as desired. Let cool completely.

Tips for Success

The mixture is sticky. If you spray your scoop or spoon with nonstick cooking spray, it will be easier to scoop the mounds onto the baing sheets. Also, I highly recommend using parchment paper to keep the cookies from sticking to the pans.

Watch the baking time. Cook time and amount of spreading will differ based on whether your coconut contains cornstarch, and this varies by brand. If it DOES NOT contain cornstarch, you won’t want to press down the cookies, and they may take a bit longer to bake. If it DOES contain cornstarch, flatten the cookies a bit because they won’t spread much.

Mix in the chocolate and almonds. If you don’t want to deal with the dipping step, you can just stir aout 1 1/2 cups of regular or mini semi-sweet morsels and 3/4 cup chopped almonds into the coconut mixture before baking to get the same flavors with one less step.

Change things up. Feel free to use milk or white chocolate. You can also use a different type of nuts. Pecans will make these taste similar to turtles.

Storing Almond Joy Cookies

Package these cookies in an airtight container and they will last for 3 to 4 days. You can calso freeze them for up to two months. You cannot freeze the dough before baking.

A stack of three Almond Joy Cookies on a small white plate with more on the cookie sheet behind it.

Things You’ll Need

  • Spatulas – my favorite set of silicone spatulas comes in handy once again for stirring together the cookies and melting the chocolate.
  • Cookie scoop – a scoop will help you form the mounds and ensure evenly-sized cookies.
  • Parchment paper – essential for lining the baking pans, as these are sticky cookies.
  • Wax paper – you can use parchment, but it is easier to peel the cookies off of wax paper after you’ve dipped the bottoms in chocolate.
A stack of three Almond Joy Macaroons on a small white sitting on red, white, and black cloth napkins with more cookies on the sheet pan behind it.
4.7 from 7 votes

Flourless Almond Joy Cookies

These sweet and chewy Almond Joy Cookies have only four ingredients and taste like a candy bar. Start with basic flourless coconut macaroons that take just minutes to make. Then add almonds and dark chocolate for an easy, delicious, and naturally gluten free cookie recipe that is sure to be a favorite!
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 11 minutes
Servings: 48 cookies

Ingredients

  • 14 oz. bag sweetened shredded coconut
  • 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
  • Whole almonds about 3 1/2 – 4 dozen, one per cookie
  • 8-10 oz. dark chocolate

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a large mixing bowl, mix the coconut and the condensed milk until the coconut is evenly coated.
  • Use spoons or a small cookie scoop sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, form mounds of about 1 Tablespoon of the mixture on the line baking sheet. You can leave it in a mound or press it down slightly. Gently press one almond into the top of each cookie.
  • Place the pan in the oven, and, after about 4 minutes, press the almonds further into the coconut, flattening as much as you like depending on how thin and/or crispy you want your cookies.
  • Bake for another 4-7 minutes, or until as browned and crispy as you like them. Watch closely during the last few minutes.
  • Remove from the oven, and cool completely.
  • Melt the chocolate in the microwave at 50% power in 15-30 second intervals, or a double boiler over simmering water.
  • Dip the bottom of each cookie in the melted chocolate, and place on wax paper until they cool and harden. If desired, use any extra chocolate to drizzle it over the top of the cookies.
  • Store in an airtight container, separating the layers with wax paper.

Notes

The amount of spreading of the cookies seems to depend on whether the coconut used contains cornstarch. Please see The Fountain Avenue Kitchen’s recipe for 2-Ingredient Coconut Macaroons for information about this. My coconut did not contain cornstarch. I had to bake on the longer end of the time given, and mine did not brown as much as Ann’s. The ones I kept mounded together did not spread much, but those I flattened a little more spread a bit.
Nutrition Facts
Flourless Almond Joy Cookies
Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)
Calories 105 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 4g20%
Cholesterol 1mg0%
Sodium 34mg1%
Potassium 77mg2%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 22IU0%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 38mg4%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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40 Comments
  1. Vicki

    I had to substitute condensed coconut milk for the sweetened condensed milk to make these lactose free. It was a disaster! I have to throw the whole batch away and they are expensive to make. Next time I’ll make them the regular way.

  2. Terra

    Ummmmmm….YES PLEASE! When I ate candy bars, I loved….devoured almond joy candy bars:-) Your macaroons look really delicious, and a perfect holiday treat! Hugs, Terra

  3. Nancy @ gottagetbaked

    Awww, darn your wheat allergy! I would be in agony if I had one, especially this time of year. I’ve been “holiday” baking like a mad woman since November (I like to get a head start) and needless to say, been cramming my face with everything I’ve made. These macaroons are absolutely gorgeous – the perfect little bite!

  4. Almond Joys were one of my favorite candy bars as a child…I think I could do some damage to a batch of these. I think I could even eat them frozen!

  5. Paula @ Vintage Kitchen

    Coconut is a great ingredient for gf cookies. The almonds and chocolate make them amazing! You certainly have a lot to bake every christmas!

  6. I love your version, Brianne! Thank you for taking my recipe and putting a deliciously nutty and chocolatey spin on them! These are a favorite here and I, for one, am completely impressed that you were disciplined enough to only eat one: )

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