The Primary School my youngest son attends has recently released a cookbook. It’s a beautiful compilation of family favourites from our school community, packed full of stunning food photographs taken by a talented local photographer. One of the recipes in this book (contributed by our Principal, no less…) jolted my memory of a biscuit/cookie that I used to make quite frequently many years ago, when we lived in New Zealand.
I’ve adapted her recipe here, almost beyond recognition, to try to re-create the fragrant, mostly healthful macaroon from my past. It comes extremely close to being just how I remember it.
Lime, Coconut and Macadamia Macaroons | Gather and Graze
- 85g (1 Cup) Desiccated Coconut
- 115g (½ Cup) Caster Sugar (I used Raw Caster Sugar)
- 40g (6 Tablespoons) Ground Almonds
- 60g (½ Cup) Macadamia Nuts (finely chopped)
- Zest of 1-2 Limes (depending on the size of your limes…)
- 2 Medium Free-Range Eggs
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/350°F and set aside 2 baking trays lined with baking/parchment paper.
Place all ingredients except for the eggs into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs lightly then add to the other ingredients and stir until all ingredients are moistened and well combined. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and allow the mixture to chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, before baking.
Drop tablespoonfuls of the mixture onto the trays and bake in the pre-heated oven for about 12-13 minutes, until golden on top. Allow the macaroons to cool on the trays for a few minutes, before transferring to a cooling rack.
Gather & Graze 
Such a delicious idea! Love it!
Yummy! Love the combination of flavours!
Thanks very much Liz… and apologies for my tardy reply… life is a little crazy right now! :o/
what a mouthful of summer! All these flavours are so vibrant and moreish so I can only imagine how wonderful these bickie would be. Lovely styling x
what a great idea – looks beautiful, never thought to try lime and coconut together, neither grow here 🙂 but it sounds lovely. I am thinking of making some christmas biscuits and these would be a lovely add in instead of traditional macaroons
Cheers Poli… I need to start thinking about making some christmas biscuits too! Where has the year gone?
a good question I don’t know where the year went either, the last 2 months have been quite mad…lovely to hear from you!
It’s the lime that makes me want to jump up and make these right this minute, which alas, I cannot do. But soon! This recipe looks so good, I shared it as the Recipe of the Day on my Facebook page. Thank you!
Very kind of you Kathryn, thanks so much for sharing this recipe. Cheers, Margot
It looks gorgeous
Thank you so very much Jayanthi! 🙂
Will have to try this, love macaroons mmmmmm mm
Cheers… I hope you give them a try. 🙂
Coconut cookies are one of my favorite! Yours look so pretty and round-ish! 🙂 and it’s such a nice idea to add lime zest, I’m sure it works perfect with coconut! Yum! 🙂
Thanks Mila! Yes, the lime zest and coconut really do work so well together.
Wow this looks delicious I really adore lime and coconut – macadamia is such a divine thing, this is surely a great combination!
Great Recipe – such an inspiration!
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Thanks so very much for your kind comment Katie. Cheers, Margot
Margot, this is such a nice recipe to recommend. Born in South-East Asia, I can’t agree more with the marvelous combination of lime and coconut. And macadamia just add on to the great flavor. Love it!
Hi Danny, thanks so much for your lovely comment. I think coconut and lime is one of the most beautiful pairings within the world of food – and perfect within sweet or savoury too! 🙂
Margot, they are my favorite Macaroons. Love the flavors of the lime and the macadamia nuts, hum…Usually I add only pure almond extract in my Macaroons and honestly it has been along time since I made this. The idea of the cookbook is fantastic and family recipes are always extraordinary. Have a wonderful weekend xx
I would love to see your macaroon recipe Linda, it’s most likely far more traditional than mine. 🙂 Hope you have a fabulous weekend too! M.xx
Can’t remember the last time I had macaroons. And I’ve got the cutest ice cream scoop that would be perfect for making these. Might try them next week – by halving the recipe, I hasten to add! 40 macaroons for just me would be pushing it. 🙂
The ice cream scoop would make very light work of making these Johnny – I have a similar little cookie scoop that holds about 2-3 teaspoons of mixture, which I use all the time for making biscuits like these. An easy recipe to halve… do hope you enjoy them if you give them a try. Have a great weekend!
I was thinking this morning that I wished I had my gran’s ‘coconut pyramids’ recipe! She made them for every occasion! These sound so similar, and slightly more modern! Delicious! X
Thank you so much for your lovely comment Lauren. Grandma’s recipes are the best and definitely should be recorded for the beautiful memories that they evoke and the simple, no fuss dishes that society seems to be losing quite rapidly. Bring back the Nana recipes! 🙂
Wow, Margot! I love macaroons, and to know there is macadamia in it with hint of lime, it is heaven! 🙂
Thanks Fae! These are flavours very much from my teenage/young adult years when we lived up in the more tropical northern climes of Australia. They really do pair well together.
Coconut macaroons are my favorite cookie. I have never made them before. And I have never had them with lime zest. I’m making these for sure Margot. Looks like you, Sandra and I are on to coconuts this week. 🙂
Oh, I’m excited to learn that you love coconut macaroons Seana. You could certainly adapt the recipe to use other types of citrus zest and nuts… this one somehow tends to evoke the tropics with me though, packed full of coconut and with the fragrant lime… imagining the gentle waves lapping onto the sand in front of my Fijian beach bungalow. 😉
I wouldn’t change a thing with your recipe or your imagery. 🙂
It’s been years since I’ve had a macaroon. Love the lime and coconut in these and of course macadamia nuts are absolutely the perfect addition. They really are wonderful Margot.
Thank you Suzanne. It’s been years for me too… I somehow seem to have focussed on macarons and left the macaroons to fall by the wayside. Nice to bring them back into our lives once again. 😉
It is becoming not easy at all coming here and looking at your recipes… too many temptation! I wish one day my little one will have a similar experience at school… the cookbook is an amazing idea!
You’re way too kind dear Margherita. The cookbook is a really lovely keepsake and something I’ll use a lot – worth keeping in mind to suggest when your little one gets to school age. 🙂 Hope you’re keeping well and getting enough sleep!
Oh, a lovely twist on the macaroon. A real fave in our household too. Our school did one a few years ago and I loved it as well, so neat to see what everyone else in your community cooks and bakes.
Isn’t it fabulous to get that compilation of everyone’s favourite recipes, all tried and tested and more than likely family friendly fare. Have a great weekend cheergerm! 🙂
Very intriguing combination, love the summery twist on macaroons.
Nicole
Thank you Nicole, so pleased that you like them. 🙂
What a great idea to release a school-cookbook, I have a few friends who are school teachers, I’ll tell them about it. The macaroons look delicious, and so exotic to my European palate! Even though all of the ingredients are available here, they are special and expensive, and things I would only make for the most special occasions. I bet they are quite delicious!
Thanks Darya! The cookbook is a fabulous idea for bringing together the school community… plus I’m always keen to know what other people are cooking up in their kitchens. 😉
These ingredients aren’t exactly the cheapest here either, so yes… a special treat for every now and again.
Yum! These are quite similar to my signature almond-coconut macaroons, except that you add macademia and the yolks, and use lime zest rather than lemon. I wonder if I can find untreated limes…
Oh, how lovely to know that Stefan… I’ll have to come over to have a look at your recipe. Hope you can find some untreated limes to try this version too. 🙂
Deelish! Coconut and lime together are fab, love this twist on an old school coconut macaroon
Thanks Sandra… I love these flavours together, coconut and lime are made for each other.