Cookies - Coconut Macaroons

I am not usually one to use artificial sweeteners but I know that there are plenty of people out there who are watching their carbs and/or their sugar intake. My sister sent me these recipes which came from the Splenda website. She says they are really good and easy to make. Please let me know if you make any of them. I would be more likely to make them with regular sugar (*my bad*).

Chocolate Chip Macaroons

Submitted by: Maker of SPLENDA® Sweetener Products

Servings: 24 servings

Ingredients:

3 large egg whites
¼ cup SPLENDA® Brown Sugar Blend
¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
¼ teaspoon salt
1 (14 ounce) package sweetened flaked coconut
½ cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Whisk together egg whites, SPLENDA® Brown Sugar Blend, almond extract and salt until frothy. Add coconut and mini chocolate chips, mixing until the chocolate chips are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

3. Scoop batter using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon, placing batter 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.

4. Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Rotate sheet half way through the baking process for more even browning.

5. Transfer warm chocolate coquitos to a cooling rack and let sit until completely cooled. Store coquitos in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.

Sugar-Free Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients:

* 2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
* 4 egg whites from large eggs (should be about ½ cup)
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 cup sugar substitute (I like liquid forms of Splenda, with zero carbs)
* about 2 Tablespoons water

Preparation:

1) Heat oven to 375 F. Line baking sheet with either parchment paper on a silicone mat.

2) Measure egg whites. If they aren't quite ½ cup, add a little water to reach that level. Then add the vanilla, liquid sweetener if using, and water so that sweetener and water together equal 2 Tablespoons.

3) If using powdered sweetener, mix in with unsweetened coconut.

4) Mix dry and wet ingredients together. The mixture should just hold together. Let set a minute or two and you'll be able to mold them better.

5) Roll into balls a little bigger than an inch in diameter. Slightly flatten and put on baking sheet (whatever shape you put them in is how they will stay, so this is your chance). Put at least half an inch apart.

6) Turn down the oven to 325 F, and bake for about 15 minutes, but start checking them a couple of minutes before. You want them golden brown on the bottom, and just barely starting to brown on top (though if you like them a little crispier, bake a couple of minutes longer).

Makes about 14 cookies, but yield will vary based on size of the cookies.

Nutritional Information: Each cookie has 1 gram effective carbohydrate plus 2 grams fiber, 2 grams protein, and 76 calories.