0 Lemon Coconut Macaroons

As foggy as it is in my neighborhood, we're lucky that there is one fruit that we can grow successfully - the meyer lemon. Lucky because I am a lemon lover. I may have mentioned before that I would almost always choose a lemon dessert over a chocolate one. (I know, it's practically blasphemous.) I'm trying my hand at growing eureka lemons too, but my little twig of a tree only has one unripe but very large grapefuit sized lemon so far.

My meyer lemon tree is a totally different story. The delicate branches are so heavy with fruit right now that they are bent and the still attached lemons are practically sitting on the ground. With such an abundance of meyers, I've been giving them away as well as trying to put them in everything I make. From seafood and chicken to cakes and cookies, I work my way through the pile only to pick more fruit on the weekends. So you'll probably be seeing a lot of meyer lemons featured here over the next few weeks.

These lemon coconut macaroons are so quick and easy to make. The addition of lemon zest really cuts down on the sweetness and adds a wonderful flavor and fragrance to a basic coconut macaroon. I used meyers of course, but regular lemons (or limes) would be great too.

Lemon Coconut Macaroons
(adapted from Gourmet magazine April 2007)

2 large egg whites
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
pinch of salt
1 3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 tsp potato starch or all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 325F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone sheet.

Stir egg whites, sugar, lemon zest, salt to combine.

Toss coconut with potato starch and then add the coconut to egg mixture and mix well.

Scoop out 15 mounded tablespoons onto baking sheet, spacing them about 1.5 inches apart.

Bake at 325F for 16-18 minutes until the tops are light golden brown in spots.

Allow to cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes.