Limoncello Macaroons with Lemon Icing

Desserts were never my thing until I started exploring vegan cooking. True story. More bread and butter or fried potatoes over any kind of sweet has always been my choice. And then it happened, I mashed up two recipes for macaroons and it all came apart.

Inspired by Chocolate Covered Katie's 4 minute macaroons and 101 cookbooks limoncello macaroons, I smooshed them together to make vegan, limoncello macaroons with lemon icing, and an addiction was born.

I always scoffed (silently of course) when people so solemnly told me how they were addicted to sugar, and how it was such a struggle to break the habit. Secretly, I had a hard time believing that sugar was truly addictive; homemade bread on the other hand was another story. But after making just 8 of these incredible coconut concoctions and eating three without blinking, I knew the truth of this sugar addition they speak of. Luckily, my car was full of gas and I rushed the remaining macaroons off to my place of work and was able to secretly dump the offending sweetlings in the staff breakroom without anyone being the wiser. Very close call!

Limoncello, for those of you who are novices, is a delightful sweet liqueur Italian in origin that involves steeping the zest of lots of lemons in vodka for several weeks, straining it and adding simple syrup. It is served frostily cold in a shot glass and savored after dinner or with dessert. Winter is the perfect time to make this at home when the citrus season is in full bloom, and while I have made plenty of limoncello, my blog doesn't have a specific post on it. So please check out Local Lemon's post on how to do it. The preserved lemons were added because I delight in using them whenever possible. They add such an interesting lemony-salt flavor that they will be the mystery ingredient that will keep guests guessing for hours! 

Limoncello Macaroons with Lemon Icing
(makes 8)

1 cup shredded coconut
2 tablespoons almond flour or rice flour
1/3 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons agave (or other neutral sweetener like brown rice syrup)
1 tablespoon limoncello (make it yourself)
1/2 preserved lemon, minced super fine (DIY Pantry)

Icing
1/2 teaspoon almond milk
4 tablespoons confectionery sugar
1/2 teaspoon limoncello (make it yourself)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine coconut, almond flour, coconut milk, agave, limoncello and preserved lemon and mix very well. Drop tablespoon size of the batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes (or refrigerate to speed the process). While the macaroons are baking, mix the icing and refrigerate to allow it to harden. Once the macaroons have cooled, drizzle icing on top. Refrigerate in tightly sealed container or eat immediately.

Hugs!

Recipes currently inspiring me:

Cheddar Corn Cakes with Green Onion Sour Cream at Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice
Salted Caramel Chocolate Shortbread Bars at Eats Well With Others
Leek, Chard, and Corn Flatbread at Smitten Kitchen