Frosty the Snowman

Happy New Year!!! My last Christmas post, I'm finally caught up. I saved this post for last because even though Christmas is over, as long as it's still snowing (or... still winter if it doesn't snow where you live), you can still make these snowmen macaroons without question.

These would make a fun winter afternoon DIY project, an indoor snowman building contest or something of the sort, an alternative to making gingerbread houses. You could set out plates of the baked coconut macaroon heads and bodies, different candies for decorating, and melted chocolate for kids to construct their own edible snowmen.

Coconut Macaroon Snowmen
adapted from Chocolate and Zucchini

9 oz unsweetened dried coconut flakes (250g)
3/4 cup + 1 tbsp sugar (160g)
a pinch of salt
3 medium egg whites

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix the coconut flakes with the sugar and salt. Add the 3 egg whites and mix till all the coconut is moistened. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. On one baking sheet, make teaspoon sized coconut balls (the heads). Bake this sheet for 10 minutes or until the coconut begins to barely brown at the edges.

On the other baking sheet, make tablespoon sized coconut balls (the bodies). Bake this sheet for 12 minutes or until the coconut begins to barely brown at the edges. Let them set on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes, then let them finish cooling on a wire rack.

Making Snowmen

coconut macaroon heads and bodies
chocolate chips
orange Starburst candy
fruit roll-up candy or fruit leather

Melt your chocolate chips. Spread a bit of chocolate on the bottom of one of the small coconut balls and then place the macaroon on one of the large coconut balls. Hold it in place until the chocolate sets so the head will stay straight. Repeat with the rest.

Cut up your fruit roll-ups into long, thin strips 1/8 inch wide to make scarves for your snowmen. Wrap the scarves around the necks of your snowmen, hiding the chocolate you used to glue the heads and bodies together.

With kitchen shears or clean scissors, cut little bits off the edges of the orange Starburst candies to make carrot noses. Press these orange candy bits into the middle of where the faces should be on your snowmen; they should be able to stay stuck on their own. Now, if your chocolate has hardened, remelt it and with a toothpick, dot on eyes and buttons.