Macaroons!

Macaroons were on our list of Christmas cookies to make this year, but we didn't get to them. So my mom and I decided to try them while I was home.

After a day of baking, we took a plate of goodies over to a family friend.

"Macaroons!" she exclaimed with delight we she saw what we brought. "I love macaroons but I never make them because they're so hard to make."

I've never made macaroons before, so maybe they usually are hard, but this recipe from Epicurious was pretty darn easy. Here it is:

AMBROSIA MACAROONS

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature (we used dairy-free margarine)

3/4 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel

3 large eggs

28 ounces sweetened flaked coconut (about 6 cups firmly packed)

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted (with about 4 tablespoons of margarine added while melting)

Preheat to 325°F. Line 3 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or baking mats.

Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar and salt; beat until blended. Beat in orange peel, then eggs, one at a time. Mix in coconut.

Drop batter onto sheets by tablespoonfuls, spacing 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake macaroons, 1 sheet at a time, until golden on bottom and browned in spots, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely on sheets.

Using fork, drizzle chocolate over macaroons. Chill on sheets until chocolate is firm, about 30 minutes.