Toasty Coconut Macaroons

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large cookie sheet (or 2 small ones) with parchment. Get the egg whites into your mixing bowl and set them aside to come to room temperature.
2. Spread the coconut in a thin layer onto an ungreased small baking sheet. You can put the coconut onto a sheet of parchment paper on the cookie sheet you plan to use for the cookies later. (I toast mine in our toaster oven.) Toast for about 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the coconut is golden and fragrant. Watch carefully; it does burn easily. Set the coconut aside to cool.
3. While the coconut cools, whip the egg whites with a stand or hand mixer (or with a whisk if you possess amazing arm strength) for a few minutes until they’re thickened and becoming opaque white. Sprinkle in the salt and roughly 1 tablespoon of the sugar and keep beating. Keep beating and adding sugar until the sugar has been beaten in and the whites have formed stiff peaks.
4. [Stiff peak tip: You’ve reached the proper texture when you can hold up a beater and only the very tip of the peaks tip over. You can also hold the bowl over your head and the egg whites will stay put. The problem with this test is that if you haven’t quite gotten to stiff peaks, you end up with an egg white facial. Your kids will be entertained, though.]
5. [Note: if you're using sweetened coconut instead of unsweetened, add only 1/4 cup sugar.]
6. Gently fold the coconut and the chocolate chips if you’re using them, into the stiff whites.
7. Mound the batter by heaping teaspoonfuls onto the parchment-covered cookie sheet. The cookies don’t really spread, so you can place them fairly close together. Don’t flatten the batter; the cookies will have a nice, chewy interior if you keep the mounds high.
8. Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes until the cookies are lightly browned on top. Cool on a cooling rack. Store at room temperature in a tightly covered container.