I do not bake a lot, not because I do not like it, never think of it.

Last night it was not the case.

My son had a school project requiring bringing a dish from the country on which he did his school paper. Chile, Latin America, was what he selected.

Chilean Cocadas

Amongst all the pertaining information and papers that needed to be done, a recipe found its way to me, actually to the kitchen table.

The recipe needed to be prepared to bring to class on the presentation day. I was happy to oblige.

Looking at the recipe a sad and happy feeling overcame me. The recipe was Chilean Cocadas or Coconut Macaroons. My dad’s favorite dessert.

My dad not only love them, but he also made sure he always had some stashed in the house, and on Sunday morning some always found their way home from the Market.

You can imagine how I felt. Memories rushed back and time and space brought me back to my early years living in Paris.

Chilean cocadas

Cocadas or Coconut Macaroons

The European recipes require eggs the one from Chile does not.

Sweetened condensed milk is very dense and being the first time opening a can it surprised me.

Baking tips:

  • The assembly of the cookies took no longer than 15 minutes, with a 5-minute wait required so all the ingredients could incorporate themselves.
  • Lining a baking sheet with parchment paper to avoid sticking to the pan.
  • Using pure almond extract brings out the wonderful flavor of the coconut.
  • Use high-quality vanilla extract.
  • Check to make sure you are using fresh shredded coconut. They are the best as they are crisp and full of flavor.
  • Let them cool off on a wire rack. By placing them on a rack they will dry faster, and more evenly as the air will circulate underneath.
  • Serve them at room temperature
  • Dusting powder sugar generously.

Those cute little macaroons not only looked delicious but also were easy to enjoy. Two was my limit as they are very sweet. A perfect party dessert recipe.

Truly a sweet tooth delight.  To make it even sweeter, add some white chocolate pieces.

I am not able to give the proper credit to the originator of this recipe as my son took it from the internet. When I searched for it, almost all of them were credited to different persons and I was not able to trace this one back.

May the original author forgive me.

Enjoy!

Are you looking for more yummy recipes?

You may want to try:

Coconut Milk Rice – A Childhood Favorite

Coconut Curry Shrimps and Couscous

Chilean Sea Bass with Tomato Relish

Sea Bass with Tomato Sauce and Fettuccine

Equipment and ingredients used to prepare this recipe

Chilean Cocadas

5 from 11 votes
Chilean Cocadas
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Author: Giangi Townsend
Those cute little macaroons not only looked delicious but also were easy to enjoy. Two was my limit as they are very sweet. A perfect party dessert recipe.
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Ingredients 

  • 3.5 cup sweetened coconut, shredded
  • ¾ cup sweetened condensed milk,
  • 2.5 tablespoons corn starch
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract,
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup confectioners sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • In a medium mixing bowl stir together the coconut, cornstarch, condensed milk, almond extract, and vanilla extract.
  • Let the mixture sit for 3 to 5 minutes
  • Using 2 tablespoons, drop the mixture by heaping a rounded spoonful onto parchment lined cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.
  • Watching the cocadas closely, bake them for 15 to 20 minutes until they are lightly golden brown.
  • Remove the cocadas from the oven and cool them on a wire rack.
  • Using a fine meshed sieve or sifter, dust the cocadas with confectioner’s sugar.
  • Store the cookies loosely covered until ready to use.

Nutrition

Calories: 96kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 48mg | Potassium: 81mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 26IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 0.2mg

Giangi’s Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.

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Originally published on March 8, 2015, updated on January 24, 2022.

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