Occasionally I get a stick up my butt to bake something very particular. I wish I knew why this happens, but I don’t.

So I got a nice stick up my butt that wanted to make a cookie using Almond Joy candy bars as my inspiration. Why? I don’t know. I have never bought an almond joy in my life. It’s not like I LOVE them, not like I LOVE licorice. Oh dear sweet heaven, licorice. I love you. But not the gross black ones, the original Red Vines. I might have a secret stash of them in my car, maybe.

I digress, with drool on my chin and a craving for licorice.

Anyway, I got this stick, or we can call it a craving, for an almond joy candy bar. I started to think of the aspects of it: coconut, almond, chocolate. Why dont I just use those same ingredients and make a cookie? And so we have it, an Almond Joy Macaroon. These are scrumptious!!!!! Dairy free and wheat free to boot. I don’t ordinarily eat many of my sweets. I bake them and get them out of the house so I’m not tempted. But these, I hoarded these. Much like I hoard licorice.

I came across the recipe on Baker’s Royale. I just tweaked a couple things to appeal to my almond joy craving. But the basic recipe came from Naomi, and it’s DANG good!!!

Almond Joy Macaroons
4 egg whites
2/3 cup sugar
3 cups shredded sweetened coconut
2 tsp almond extract
24 almonds (1 for each cookie)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine egg whites, sugar, coconut and almond extract in one bowl (heat proof) and set it over of simmering water (in a double boiler). Stir with a wooden spoon, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl to prevent any burning. Continue stirring until the mixture is hot and the egg whites have thickened, this takes about 7 minutes.
*Mixture is ready when a scoop (or spoon) can hold its shape without a puddle of syrup forming around it.

These were not ready yet, notice the ‘pool’ around the bottom? I baked them anyway, but this is not what you want.

Scoop 2 tablespoons of the mixture 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet then top with almond. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until edges of cooking are golden brown. Cool cookies completely before removing from paper.

Heat the chocolate and oil in a microwave safe bowl for about 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Spoon the melted chocolate over the cooled cookies. Refrigerate for about an hour so the chocolate hardens. Can be stored at room temperature up to 5 days, if they last that long!