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.