Coconut Macaroon Tarts for Passover – Gluten Free Recipe

Passover is coming, and although you may be avoiding flour and other traditional baking ingredients, that doesn’t mean you have to pass up dessert entirely! In years past, we’ve featured delicious Passover-friendly recipes on this blog, like Flourless Chocolate Cake, Coconut Macaroons, and the ever-popular Passover Chocolate Toffee Matzah. They’re all good , but today’s recipe might just be my favorite Passover dessert yet! and its gluten free These Coconut Macaroon Tarts are a fun twist on traditional coconut macaroons, featuring a crust made from coconut, a creamy chocolate ganache filling, and a topping of whipped cream and ripe berries. They’re the perfect dessert to end an elegant Passover dinner!

The tart shells couldn’t be simpler–they’re an easy mix of egg whites, coconut, and a bit of sugar. After they’re baked, the outsides are crunchy but the inside remains chewy, which is the perfect contrast for the creamy chocolate filling. I topped mine with whipped cream, mint leaves, and berries, but you could also top them with toasted coconut, nuts, or sprinkles. Oh Nuts has a fine selection of Passover-approved coconut and Passover chocolate, so you can make this dessert without any worries!

You can also make these tarts in larger 4- or 6-inch versions, or even form one big 9″ tart instead of doing individual ones. You can’t go wrong with a macaroon crust and truffle-like chocolate filling. You may even find yourself making this recipe over and over throughout the year! Read on to learn how simple they are to whip up…

Coconut Macaroon Tarts for Passover
yield: 12 mini tarts

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup granulated sugar
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
8 oz (1 cup) heavy cream
Fresh berries

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Combine the shredded coconut, the egg whites, and the granulated sugar in a medium bowl.

Stir until everything is well-mixed and the coconut is moist. If you squeeze it into a ball in your hand, it should hold its shape but not be too wet or greasy.

Spray a nonstick mini muffin pan liberally with nonstick cooking spray. Scoop a generous tablespoon of filling into each cavity of the muffin pan, and press it into an even layer along the bottom and sides of the cavities.

Bake the coconut shells for about 18 minutes, until they’re golden brown along the sides. The bottoms will still be white, so don’t wait for them to take on color–if you do, the shells will burn! Look to the color of the outer edges to judge when they’re done.

Let the crusts sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes, then while they’re still warm, gently run a knife around the edges to loosen the sides, and pop them out of the pans. If they start to tear, wait another minute or two, and try again. Don’t let them cool completely, otherwise they will be difficult to remove. If they do tear slightly, press the crusts together again while they’re still warm. Once the shells are out of the pan, let them cool to room temperature.

While you wait, prepare the chocolate ganache filling. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl, and pour the cream into a small saucepan. Heat the cream until it is at a simmer, with bubbles appearing along the sides of the pan.

Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for one minute to soften the chocolate…

…then whisk the chocolate and cream together until shiny. The chocolate should be smooth and a little thick, like chocolate pudding.

Spoon the chocolate into the tart shells, dividing it evenly between each tart. You may have a little chocolate left over–use it as a sauce for ice cream or other desserts, or roll it into truffles. Refrigerate the tarts to firm up the chocolate for about 20 minutes.

Finally, top your tarts with garnishes like whipped cream, mint leaves, fresh berries, and/or toasted coconut. These tarts tastes best at room temperature, but you can store them in the refrigerator for up to a week. As always, a printable recipe and pin-able image are below. Enjoy!

Coconut Macaroon Tarts for Passover
yield: 12 mini tarts

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup granulated sugar
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
8 oz (1 cup) heavy cream
Toppings like whipped cream, fresh berries, mint, or toasted coconut

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Combine the shredded coconut, the egg whites, and the granulated sugar in a medium bowl, and stir until everything is well-mixed and the coconut is moist.
Spray a mini muffin pan liberally with nonstick cooking spray. Scoop a generous tablespoon of filling into each cavity of the muffin pan, and press it into an even layer along the bottom and sides of the cavities.
Bake the coconut shells for 15-18 minutes, until they’re golden brown along the sides. The bottoms will still be white.
Let the crusts sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes, then while they’re still warm, gently run a knife around the edges to loosen the sides, and pop them out of the pans. If they start to tear, wait another minute or two, but don’t let them cool completely, otherwise they will be difficult to remove.
Once the shells are out of the pan, let them cool to room temperature. While you wait, prepare the chocolate ganache filling. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl, and pour the cream into a small saucepan. Heat the cream until it is at a simmer, with bubbles appearing along the sides of the pan. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for one minute to soften the chocolate, then whisk the chocolate and cream together until shiny and smooth.
Spoon the chocolate into the tart shells, then refrigerate the tarts to firm up the chocolate for about 20 minutes. Finally, top them with garnishes like whipped cream, mint leaves, fresh berries, and/or toasted coconut.
For the best taste and texture, serve these tarts at room temperature. They can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. The tart shells will at first be crisp around the edges and chewy in the center, but after several days, they will be completely chewy.

Coconut Macaroon Tarts for Passover

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

30 mins

Serves: 12

Ingredients

1½ cups shredded unsweetened coconut
2 large egg whites
¼ cup granulated sugar
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
8 oz (1 cup) heavy cream
Toppings like whipped cream, fresh berries, mint, or toasted coconut

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Combine the shredded coconut, the egg whites, and the granulated sugar in a medium bowl, and stir until everything is well-mixed and the coconut is moist.
Spray a mini muffin pan liberally with nonstick cooking spray. Scoop a generous tablespoon of filling into each cavity of the muffin pan, and press it into an even layer along the bottom and sides of the cavities.
Bake the coconut shells for 15-18 minutes, until they're golden brown along the sides. The bottoms will still be white.
Let the crusts sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes, then while they're still warm, gently run a knife around the edges to loosen the sides, and pop them out of the pans. If they start to tear, wait another minute or two, but don't let them cool completely, otherwise they will be difficult to remove.
Once the shells are out of the pan, let them cool to room temperature. While you wait, prepare the chocolate ganache filling. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl, and pour the cream into a small saucepan. Heat the cream until it is at a simmer, with bubbles appearing along the sides of the pan. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for one minute to soften the chocolate, then whisk the chocolate and cream together until shiny and smooth.
Spoon the chocolate into the tart shells, then refrigerate the tarts to firm up the chocolate for about 20 minutes. Finally, top them with garnishes like whipped cream, mint leaves, fresh berries, and/or toasted coconut.
For the best taste and texture, serve these tarts at room temperature. They can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. The tart shells will at first be crisp around the edges and chewy in the center, but after several days, they will be completely chewy.