Have I made it obvious that I love peanut butter and chocolate yet? I love it in cakes, I love it in cupcakes, I love it from the jar and off a spoon, and now I love it in macaroon form.

Sometimes I miss walking in to a bakery and picking out the most absurd, delicious, and oversized baked good they have. Wildflour is good for that but far away and expensive, so I try now and again to bring the bakery into my kitchen.

These cookies are as easy as they are impressive. There are only 5 ingredients and yet have a rich and sophisticated flavor. And who wouldn’t love being handed a macaroon the size of there fists?

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Macaroons

Ingredients(Makes 9 large macaroons or 20 regular-sized):

• 3 cups shredded, unsweetened coconut
• 1/2 cup natural salted peanut butter
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 3oz bittersweet chocolate chunks OR 6 Tablespoons chocolate chips
• 1/4-1/3 cup water

Preheat your oven to 275 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together the coconut, peanut butter, maple syrup, and chocolate chunks. Slowly add in water just enough so that the dough holds itself together.

For large macaroons, press the dough into an ice cream scoop and drop it onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for 80-90 minutes until you can lift the macaroons up without cracking or denting the surface.

For small macaroons, do the same method with a melon baller and bake for 50-60 minutes until set.

Mmm, I would suggest eating one when it comes out of the oven and the chocolate is melted and messy. Using a good brand of chocolate in these makes all the difference since the ingredients are so simple.

These are about as rich and decadent as a cup of coconut milk can make anything to be. When these first came out of the oven, I weren’t sure if they were technically a cake or a blondie. It turns out the difference(very unscientifically) lies in the ratio of fat and sugar to flour. Since these are full of fat and sugar(and taste delicious in case that’s not a clue), I feel pretty comfortable calling them blondies. Also, a cake needs frosting I feel and these just melt in your mouth all their own.

Coconut Blondies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 cup safflower/canola oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour(I used Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour)
• 1/2 coconut shreds
• 1/3 cup white chocolate chips(optional)
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8×8 pan.

Mix together the coconut milk, oil, eggs, sugar, and extract until the eggs are just beaten in.

Sift in the flour and baking soda and mix until it has just come together. The batter should be pretty loose.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the center of the cake has cooked through.

I would definitely make this again in a heartbeat, except I might have to double the recipe next time and add toasted hazelnuts. The coconut flavor is just strong enough to notice but the vanilla keeps it from taking over.

Did I mention I really love them? I think I’ll have another.

I love candy. A lot. So when I spotted a recipe for chocolate-covered coconut bars(AKA Mounds Bars) in the last Rachael Ray magazine, it was only a matter of time before they’d end up on my counter.

I made these the day before Halloween, which made them perfect for gobbling up the next day. Honestly, these aren’t too sweet, which is exactly what I like about them. I don’t love a candy that’s pure sugar because it’s so unsatisfying and I’m bouncing up a wall for the next hour; instead, these get their flavor from rich dark chocolate and nutty coconut.

Homemade Mounds Bars

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(makes about 16 bars):

• 2 cups(160g) unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/3 cup liquid sweetener(agave, maple syrup, corn syrup, etc.)
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil(could substitute butter, shortening, or coconut butter)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 7.5oz bittersweet chocolate, melted(a little under 1 cup if using baking chips)

Method:

1. Mix together the unsweetened coconut, liquid sweetener, and salt. Toss until it’s entirely and evenly coated.
2. Add in the powdered sugar and mix again.
3. Melt the coconut oil or butter if it’s not already in a soft state and add that in and mix.
4. Using the area between your 4 fingers and palm, mold the coconut mixture into a cylinder about 2 inches long and 1 inch thick.
5. Put these onto a lined baking tray and freeze for 10 minutes or so until they harden.
6. While the middles are freezing, melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave to a soft and smooth consistency.
7. One at a time, roll the coconut fillings in the chocolate until they’re completely covered and put them on a wire rack to dry. Repeat for all of the coconut centers.
8. Store in a container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

These really were just like the real thing once they’ve dried, only better; they tasted freshly made and not at all stale. The real question is whether anything wouldn’t taste good covered in chocolate…