Chocolate Macaroon “Nests”

I have been making these “Macaroons” for as long as I can remember, but I have to admit that turning them into “nests” never crossed my mind until I saw a picture somewhere.

I can recall my mother making them when we were kids and even before the cookies were set we were fighting over who would get to eat the little bits that fall off the spoon when you are dropping them onto the cookie sheet!  Now the ones we made also had coconut and I would have switched out a cup of oatmeal for coconut but neither one of my kids like coconut… strange beings!  They must have gotten that anomaly from their father!

I will take you step by step through my Macaroon recipe below, it is very easy.  The biggest thing to remember when making macaroons is to let the milk, sugar, butter combination reach a full rolling boil and to let it boil for a full five minutes!

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Here are the ingredients I use to make mine, with the jelly beans of course to make the eggs for our nests!

The first thing to do is to blend together the oatmeal, cocoa, coconut if you are using it and just a dash of salt in a mixing bowl and set aside.

In a big pot (please excuse the pot… it is my old faithful candy making pot.  It’s ugly but serves me well), add the butter, sugar and milk.  I usually whisk it together quickly so the sugar isn’t just sitting on the bottom to start.

Over medium heat, bring to a full rolling boil.  Once it has reached the boiling point, only stir it a few times and make sure to let it boil for a full five minutes.  Below is the picture of what mine looks like when it’s at the full boil.

When the five minutes are up, remove from heat and stir in the oatmeal/cocoa mixture.  Once it is mixed you need to get it on the cookie sheets quickly because it will start to set in the pot if you aren’t fast enough.  I stopped long enough to take a picture of it in the pot before I started to drop them onto the cookie sheet.

Once they macaroons are all dropped onto the sheet, make a small indent into the top of each one and place 2 or 3 jelly beans in the indent. (Do you see all the little bits I was talking about?  That’s what we used to fight over)

If they have set too fast for the jelly beans to stick, you can always use a tiny bit of chocolate icing to adhere them.

Now you just have to pop them in the fridge until they are set.  It shouldn’t take more than an hour.  Once they are set, remove from fridge and either store on a wrapped plate in the fridge or in an air tight container or baggie.  Or just hide them and eat them all!  They are my absolutely favourite cookies!

I hope you enjoy this Easter recipe for Chocolate Macaroon nests, or even just the macaroons themselves!

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Chocolate Macaroon “Nests”

Preparation Time: 30 minutes  Chill/Set Time: 1 hour  Cookies/Servings: 24

Ingredients

• 3 Cups of Oatmeal (or 2 Cups of Oatmeal and 1 Cup of Shredded Coconut)
• 6 Tbsp. Cocoa
• 2 Cups White Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Milk
• 1/2 Cup Butter or Margarine
• Dash of Salt
• 72 Coloured Jelly Beans or Chocolate Eggs
• 1/4 Cup prepared Chocolate Icing

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, blend together the oatmeal (coconut if using), cocoa and dash of salt.  Set aside.
2. In a big pot add the butter, sugar and milk.  Whisk together.
3. Bring butter, sugar and milk to a full rolling boil over medium.
4. Let Boil for a full five minutes, stirring only a few times.
5. When the five minutes are up, remove from heat and add the oatmeal/cocoa mixture to the pot and stir together quickly.
6. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto prepared cookie sheet. Note: These cookies will set fast and have to be dropped onto sheet quickly or they will set in your pot!
7. Once they are all on the sheet, make a small indent into the top of each one and place 2 or 3 jelly beans in the indent.
8. If the cookies have set too fast for the jelly beans to stick, you can always use a tiny bit of chocolate icing to adhere them.
9. Place in fridge for one hour or until they are set.
10. Remove from cookie sheet and enjoy!