Mother's Coconut Kisses

Coconut kisses are an old-school holiday cookie that predate the bakery-store macaroon by decades. Whipped egg whites and sugar form the structure, shredded coconut gets folded in for texture, and a glacé cherry half on top is the unmistakable retro touch that says “Mother’s recipe".

Beating the egg whites to stiff but not dry is a crucial distinction. Stiff peaks hold their shape when you lift the beater; dry peaks have gone past that point and lost their elasticity, which gives you a grainy, broken meringue base.

Adding sugar one tablespoon at a time, waiting until each addition fully dissolves before adding the next, is the secret to the kiss texture. Dumped-in sugar crystallizes and gives you gritty, weeping cookies.

Baking on brown paper (or parchment) instead of a greased sheet is the original method. The paper-trick finish is clever. Slip the paper onto a wet counter after baking and the cookies release cleanly after 2 to 3 minutes.

Pro Tips

• Use room-temperature egg whites. They whip up higher and faster than cold whites.
• Even a tiny speck of yolk in the whites will keep them from whipping. Separate over a small bowl first, then transfer to the mixing bowl.
• Both vanilla and almond extract go into the batter. The almond extract is what makes them taste distinctly like coconut macaroons rather than plain meringues.
• Store between layers of waxed paper in a tin. Humidity makes coconut kisses go sticky fast.

Variations

• Dip the bottoms in melted dark chocolate for a classic coconut-chocolate pairing.
• Swap cherry halves for a blanched almond or a pecan half for a nuttier finish.
• Add 1 teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest for a brighter, less sweet cookie.