Sometimes you feel like a nut … sometimes you don’t!  Doesn’t that little jingle bring up images of sweet coconut drenched in chocolate?  I’ve been on a bit of a candy-inspired baking binge lately, and these little guys are no exception!  These coconut macaroons taste just like an Almond Joy.  Seriously.  Just like it!  Except perhaps, with a slightly more gourmet twist.  Plus, if you don’t feel like a nut, you can leave the almonds out and suddenly it a Mounds bar macaroon!

The beautiful thing about these macaroons is how simple they are.  Toast up some coconut and almonds.  Mix in some sweetened condensed milk.  Fold in some whipped egg whites.  Bake.  Drizzle with ridiculous amounts of melted chocolate.  That could be the entire recipe!  I did you the favor of providing slightly more specific instructions below, but you probably won’t need them.

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One of the best things about making a homemade treat for someone else, aside from their surprise/appreciation/love/affection, is the opportunity to try out a recipe you might not otherwise make.  I’m a bona fide chocoholic and the idea of a dessert that doesn’t involve copious amounts of chocolate rarely shows up on my radar.  So when I was faced with making a birthday dessert for my uncle whose favorite treat is key lime pie and cheesecake, I was pushed out of my comfort zone.  No chocolate?  Whatever would I do!

Knowing practically nothing about key lime pie (like I said, unless it’s made from or covered in chocolate I’m generally not interested), I set about doing some research.  Apparently, authentic key lime pie isn’t actually baked.  The acid in the lime juice “cooks” the eggs while it rests in the fridge for hours on end (think ceviche).  Not knowing if my uncle was a key lime purist, I wanted to do a key lime cheesecake that incorporated the most authentic flavors possible.  I found a recipe from Zoe Bakes that uses sweetened condensed milk, which is the hallmark of traditional key lime pie.

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