Almond Joy Macaroon Cookies
These sweet and chewy Almond Joy Cookies have only four ingredients and taste like a candy bar. With the classic combination of coconut, almonds and dark chocolate, they’re an easy and naturally gluten free cookie recipe that will remind you of macaroons with a nutty twist!
Table of Contents
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Oven
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free
- Skill Level: Easy
Why You’ll Love These Almond Joy Cookies
Grab a glass of milk. It’s cookie time!
I don’t know about you, but I can’t get enough of the decadent combination of coconut, almond, and chocolate. Today we’re making gooey, coconutty cookies with crisp edges. Here’s why I love them so much:
- Naturally gluten free. You won’t need any special ingredients to make this recipe. It’s a classic almond joy cookie recipe that just happens to be gluten free.
- So easy. Many almond joy cookie recipes have more ingredients and require you to do things like whip egg whites or sift flour. Not so here. My version can be thrown together quickly!
- 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.
- Taste like the candy bar. 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!
Looking for more gluten-free cookie recipes? I love these Gluten Free Snickerdoodles, these Chocolate Chip Cookies and these timeless Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.
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.
How to Make Almond Joy Cookies (Step by Step)
Start by lining your cookie sheets with parchment paper so the 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.
- Dip the cookies. Melt the chocolate and dip the bottom of each cookie, using any extra to drizzle on top, if desired. Let set on wax paper.
Tips for Success
- The mixture is sticky. If you spray your cookie scoop or spoon with nonstick cooking spray, it will be easier to scoop the mounds onto the baking 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.
Almond Joy Cookies
These sweet and chewy Almond Joy Cookies have only four ingredients and taste like a candy bar. An easy, delicious, and naturally gluten free cookie recipe that is sure to be a favorite!
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 one 14 oz. bag sweetened shredded coconut and one 14 oz. can sweetened 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 of the whole almonds 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 8-10 oz. dark 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
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.
Disclaimers: Please discuss your individual dietary needs (i.e. gluten free) with a physician. Even when not specified, be sure to verify all ingredients are gluten free, if needed, by reading labels on all packaging and/or confirming with the manufacturer this varies by brand and can change at any time. Nutrition information shown is an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.
Did you make this?
Leave a star rating to help others know that they should make this recipe.
Share a photo and tag @cupcakesandkalechips on Instagram!
Oooh I’m making these and just leaving out the almonds because I’m allergic but I love coconut and chocolate soooo muchhhh