Ingredients: 

• Do not use sweetened coconut in this recipe as your cookies will be too dense and sweet. 
• Room temperature egg whites and cream cheese incorporate more easily than the versions that are chilled straight from the fridge.
• Never scraped the inside of a vanilla bean before? It's easier than you think! Cut the bean in half lengthwise and gently flatten it. Use the edge of a butter or other dull knife to scrape the seeds out of the vanilla bean pod. Tightly wrap the remaining half of the vanilla bean in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container for another use.
• Don't have a vanilla bean? Swap in 1.5 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract instead.

Baking tips: 

• Using an inexpensive kitchen scale to measure my dry ingredients has made a world of difference in the consistency of my baked goods. Definitely recommend.
• Let the batter rest. This allows the coconut to absorb the egg whites and sugar syrup, making the batter easier to handle and helping the macaroons hold their shape while baking
• Bake the macaroons on a parchment-lined baking sheet so they don't stick to the pan.
• Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop so that all cookies are the a similar size and shape, which is important for even baking.
• Let the macaroons cool completely before you store them. If you try to remove them before they are fully cooled, they may stick to the pan and not release cleanly. Store loosely covered for up to 3 days. You can also place in an airtight container, but the cookies will lose their crisp exterior after a day or two.

Variations:

• You can also dip the bottoms of the macaroons in melted chocolate or drizzle it on top of the cookies for extra decadence.