Guys, it's Friday and pouring down rain and I can't think of a better excuse to make/eat cookies so here is a real easy recipe for you. These macaroons come by way of cookie-god Alice Medrich and are easy peasy to put together. You might even have all of the ingredients on hand.

They are crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside and just sweet enough for an afternoon treat. Bake them as they are or add some flavorings, I am partial to a bit of lime zest and rum. You could also throw in some chopped dehydrated fruit for color and flavor. Raspberries are especially nice.

Have a great weekend!

Easy Coconut Macaroons

barely adapted from Alice Medrich, cookie god

Makes about 22 cookies

4 large egg whites

3 1/2 cups (270g) unsweetened dried flaked coconut

3/4 cup (150g) sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon lime zest (optional)

1 tablespoon rum (optional)

Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

Combine all of the ingredients in a large heatproof mixing bowl. Set the bowl in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. Stir the mixture constantly until it is very hot to the touch and the egg whites have thickened slightly and turned from translucent to opaque, 5 to 7 minutes. Set the batter aside for 30 minutes to let the coconut absorb more of the goop.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.

Spoon the batter into 2 tablespoon sized mounds, they won't spread much. Bake for about 5 minutes, just until the coconut tips begin to color, rotating the pans from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through the baking time to ensure even baking.

Lower the temperature to 325ºF and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cookies golden with deep brown edges. If the coconut tips are browning too fast, lower the heat slightly. Set the pans or just the liners on racks to cool. Let cool completely before gently peeling the parchment away from each cookie.

The cookies are best on the day they are baked, they will soften slightly over time.

pistachio lime and matcha snowballs | apt 2b baking co

It's cookie season, guys! I have a lot of cookie classics that I turn to every year, but I also love branching out and finding new ones to add to the mix. These little snowballs may have made their way into the permanent rotation :) and they are gluten free which is a major bonus considering the number of friends and family I have eating gluten free these days. Also, they improve with age, and are great after a couple of days in an airtight container at room temp, which is not always the case with cookies.

The recipe comes from Alanna Taylor Tobin's amazing book, Alternative Baker. They are a riff on the classic Polvorones/Mexican Wedding Cookies/Russian Tea Cake formula, with a very, very tasty update. Instead of pecans, Alanna's recipe uses a trio of gluten free flours paired with rich pistachios, bright lime zest, and slightly bitter and minerally matcha. So addictive!

They come together quickly and easily, and who can resist a dusting of powdered sugar around the holidays? Also, I made these on a whim and didn't have the lime zest called for in the original recipe, but I just subbed in lemon and they were great.

What are your holiday cookie faves? Check out this post for more of mine.

Pistachio Lime and Matcha Snowballs

from Alternative Baker by Alanna Taylor Tobin

1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

zest from 3 large limes (or lemons!)

1 cup (125g) blanched almond flour

1/2 cup (55g) oat flour

1/4 cup (30g) tapioca flour/starch

1T culinary grade matcha plus more for sprinkling

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 cup (125g) raw pistachios, chopped semi-fine

8 Tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, diced

3/4 cup (90g) powdered sugar

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ºF. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add the sugar and lime zest to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low until the sugar is moistened and the zest is evenly distributed. Add the almond, oat, and tapioca flours, matcha powder, salt and chopped pistachios and mix on low until well combined.

Add the butter and mix on medium-low speed until the butter is completely incorporated and the dough comes together in large clumps.

Sift the powdered sugar into a shallow bowl. Form the dough into 1-inch balls and roll them in powdered sugar knocking off any excess as you go. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet at least 1-inch apart. Bake the cookies until puffed cracked and slightly golden, 15-20 minutes.

Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheets then roll each one in the powdered sugar. Dust with the matcha powder just before serving. They will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.