Healthier Pumpkin Spice Coconut Macaroons

Healthier Pumpkin Spice Coconut Macaroons! This week’s good-for-you treat!

So a week from today is Halloween! I can’t believe October went by so quickly! But I’m totally looking forward to Halloween. It’s a “holiday” my husband and I enjoy celebrating! And the enjoyment is totally about the food. Our tradition is to order pizza, hand out/eat treats and watch a movie. (We’re not into scary movies though. I can’t handle those. Ghostbusters is definitely more my style!) What are your Halloween traditions? Does it involve a lot of food and scary movies?

While I’m not sharing a Halloween-themed treat recipe today, these Healthier Pumpkin Spice Coconut Macaroons are pretty close. By close, I mean they’re Fall-ish with lots of pumpkin ingredients – pumpkin purée, pumpkin spice and pumpkin seeds.

But don’t get me wrong….the coconut is still the star of these macaroons!

I’m a huge fan of coconut, so it was only a matter of time before I posted a macaroon recipe to the blog. I’ve always loved homemade macaroons, especially at Christmastime. And they are one of the easiest cookies to make. The recipe I use just involves combining coconut, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla, scooping spoonfuls onto a baking sheet, topping with a cherry and baking for 10-15 minutes. Done!

While these Healthier Pumpkin Spice Coconut Macaroons are pretty much the same concept (i.e. super easy), they are a healthier version. Yay! They break down like this:

• I eliminated the condensed milk, and added honey and almond butter. This is the glue that keeps the macaroons together.
• I used unsweetened coconut, because sweetened is overrated, and at the end of the day, us coconut lovers just want plain old coconut.
• For taste, I threw in some vanilla, pumpkin spice and salt. You might not think the little bit of salt is necessary, but it totally adds to the taste of these macaroons!
• Also for taste, I added 2 tablespoons of pumpkin purée. I know what you’re thinking. Is it really worth opening a can of pumpkin for just 2 tablespoons? It totally is! Besides, you can use the leftovers to make these pumpkin pecan protein donuts 😉 !
• And, of course, I added dark chocolate drizzle to the top, along with a sprinkle of raw pumpkins seeds, because that’s just how I roll.

The dark chocolate is a bit of a decadent touch. But if you know my recipes, you know I tend to add dark chocolate to a lot of my desserts. It adds a rich taste without being overly sweet and it’s usually optional in many of my recipes. So if you like your clean eating treats with a bit of decadence, make these Healthier Pumpkin Spice Coconut Macaroons with the chocolate drizzle. If not, go ahead and enjoy them without the chocolate. They will still taste delicious.

But if you forego the chocolate drizzle, it might be difficult for the pumpkin seeds to stick to the top of the macaroons. And the pumpkins seeds are a must! They add a little crunchiness, which is a nice contrast to the soft and chewy texture of the macaroons! So maybe you shouldn’t skip the chocolate! Just sayin’ 😉 .

You should definitely store these macaroons in the fridge, which helps them keep their crunchy/chewy factor. I actually enjoy eating them right out of the freezer! (But I’m like that with a lot of cookies!)

I’m planning to bring these macaroons along to my Halloween gathering this weekend. But they’re also on my Christmas baking list. They’re quick, easy and crowd pleasing. You just can’t beat that!

If you make these Healthier Pumpkin Spice Coconut Macaroons, share a photo on Instagram by tagging @crumbtopbaking, or let me know your thoughts below!  Happy baking!

Healthier Pumpkin Spice Coconut Macaroons

These Healthier Pumpkin Spice Coconut Macaroons use simple ingredients like coconut, honey, pumpkin purée, almond butter, pumpkin spice, vanilla and salt. Ready in 20 minutes, these macaroons are quick, easy and clean eating!

• Author: Leanne
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 10
• Category: Dessert

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened coconut (medium desiccated)
• 1 tsp pumpkin spice
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 3 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp pumpkin purée
• 1 tbsp natural almond butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp dark chocolate, chunks or chips
• 1/2 tsp virgin, cold-pressed coconut oil
• 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the coconut, pumpkin spice and salt.
3. In a small bowl, add the honey, pumpkin purée, almond butter and vanilla. Stir until well combined.
4. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture, and stir until the coconut mixture is well coated.
5. Use a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the macaroon mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. The macaroons will not spread, so you only need to leave an inch of space around each one. You should get about 10 macaroons.
6. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the macaroons are browned on the edges.
7. Remove the macaroons from the oven. They will still be a bit soft, but they will firm up as they cool. I usually let them cool completely on the pan.
8. Once cooled, add the dark chocolate and coconut oil to a small bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and microwave for another 15 seconds. Stir until smooth. Drizzle the chocolate over the macaroons and sprinkle on the pumpkin seeds. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes, or until the chocolate has set.
9. Store the macaroons in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 4-5 days. Or freeze for later enjoyment!