piña colada macaroons

I almost didn’t come home.

Between the sun and the water and the scooter – it was island paradise.

But since staying was not an option, I had to find a way to bring the awesome home to Brooklyn. The answer: piña colada macaroons.

A little toasted coconut gets blended with a touch of sugar, a handful of pineapple chunks and a dash of island rum.

These may be just be the cure for the it-is-almost-spring-so-why-am-I-still-wearing-a-coat blues.

Piña Colada Macaroons
Makes about 3 dozen cookies

8 ounces (225 grams or 2 1/2 cups) shredded sweetened coconut
2 tablespoons (22 grams) powdered sugar
1/2 cup (90 grams) canned pineapple chunks, drained
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon (5 ml) dark rum
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 325 and line a baking sheet with parchment. Rinse the pineapple chunks, pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel, and let them hang out on several layers of paper towel to make sure any excess moisture is absorbed.

Measure out 2/3 cup (60 grams) of the coconut and spread evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast at 325 for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring several times, until the coconut is lightly brown and fragrant. Set aside to cool.

In a food processor blend the toasted and untoasted coconut together for about a minute. Add the powdered sugar and blend for several seconds until mixed. Add the pineapple, egg whites, rum, almond extract and salt and pulse until the pineapple is combined and no large chunks remain.

Scoop batter onto the prepared sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly brown and the tops are just toasty. Let the cookies cool for several minutes on the sheet, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.