While searching last night for a work document saved to an unknown destination on my laptop, I stumbled across a page of dreamily-written notes secretly stored during the witching hours of a black-shining night in Florida.
I closed my eyes and there were memories, memories.
The low murmur of voices around a hotel pool at midnight, musicians and actors alike laughing and talking about the night’s performance as well as a myriad topics utterly unrelated to the here and now (the there and then).
The burnished glow of beer bottles being tipped to mouths, fragments of moonlight catching in the glass (in one of those perfect moments of synchronicity, the beer itself was Blue Moon). Figures coming and going, shifting and settling, leaning forward to talk deeply then pulling back to reveal the gold-red glow of a cigarette.
A blanket being tucked around my bare legs as the night grew darker and our movements slower, the air cooler. Smiles that felt only.
There were cookies on the hotel’s courtyard tables that night in Coral Springs, I remember. And while they certainly weren’t gluten-free and dairy-free Coconut Pecan Macaroons, I’d like to think these creations of mine would have been warmly received had my hotel room come equipped with an oven.
In truth, there’s no real connection between my aforementioned memories and today’s honey-infused macaroons, except that both fill my heart with happiness. After the success of my Coconut and Pecan Friands with Raspberries, I knew that further experimentation with homemade pecan meal and coconut was in order.
Soft, sticky, and chewy, these simple five-ingredient macaroons are wonderfully delicious and easy to make. I gave some to my parents and took others to work, whereupon one of my colleagues exclaimed “These are incredible!” upon taking her first bite, and E.Moonbeams clapped her hands when I offered her a second (macaroon, not bite).
Oh, now my heart is all pangs, because E.Moonbeams is moving on from my workplace soon and I can’t stand the thought of not having her nearby every day.
I think I need a cookie.
Gluten-free and Dairy-free Coconut Pecan Macaroons
Adapted from Healthful Pursuit’s 5 Ingredient Chewy Vanilla Coconut Cookies
Makes 15-17
- 1 cup (110g) pecans
- 1 1/2 cups (125g) desiccated coconut
- 1/2 cup honey (I used Manuka honey)
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and line two baking trays with baking paper.
- In a food processor, pulse pecans to a fine meal (don’t take this too far or you’ll end up with pecan butter. Which is, admittedly, a delicious treat fit for the gods, but not the best for making these macaroons).
- In a large bowl, mix the pecan meal with all other ingredients until combined.
- Drop heaping tablespoons of the mixture onto the lined baking trays (my mixture was very soft, so don’t stress if yours is too).
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden. Devour, potentially winning super life points with family and colleagues if you choose to share.
Question Time: What is a memory that you hold close to your heart, and which fills you with happy calm when you remember it?
Oh what a beautiful memory to have.
I think, at the moment, mine would have to be watching the sunset over the Mediterranean Sea – beautiful of its own accord of course but made even more so after the hot, hectic day we had had leading up to it.
Moments of peace and breathtaking beauty at the end of a tough day are, as you say, made so much more perfect by being so needed! Funny how both of our happy-memories relate to travel
Must try that recipe for my grandson (who has to have gluten-free food) – it looks yummy Hannah. The smile he gave me when I first held him in my arms is a memory I will always cherish.
I can attest that these taste wonderful.
Happy moments? Birth of my two kids. Calm moments? The first night they slept through. Just joking. I was too asleep to know whether I was calm or not!
Ah. But you still wake up at 1.28am every night thinking you have heard them call out in the night? Some memories just never fade away.
You are such a liar. I know for a fact that I slept from 7pm to 7am from the day of my birth until I reached high school. And I’m pretty sure my memory is much more reliable than yours.
Oh Mike, what a lovely, lovely memory!!
That last photo before the recipe – so very beautiful. In fact, this is a very beautiful post
I love hearing your travel memories, even though they make me feel a bit nostalgic (I know not of what, given they aren’t my memories, although perhaps it’s empathy nostalgia because they also make me realise how very nostalgic you must feel).
My ramblings aside, these sound as beautiful as the post they are embedded in! And I hope you found your work document
Thank you Kari, for some reason I couldn’t tell whether that photo was in focus or not, but decided to include it anyway
Oh! Empathy nostalgia! I love that, and it’s quite believable as I sometimes get so caught up in memories that I half-think my emotions must be emanating out from me
Let’s not talk about work.
Sounds like quite the night
I know I said this last time but I MUST try this home made pecan meal thing, awesome idea… love the richness of pecans.
Teehee, I wisely chose to stay away from the beer so didn’t end up doing anything too wacky
Me too! Pecans > walnuts and hazelnuts.
I suppose your memory of Florida makes me think of our trip down south last year, and especially of staying at the hippie tree fort hostel in Georgia. And how although the people made me pretty upset (idealists who felt the need to constantly impose their skewed values, which they believed to be the only correct way to live), sleeping in a hut walled completely by screens was amazing, and peaceful, and lovely. The perfect memory.
That does sound blissful, and perhaps moreso because the “idealists” helped you truly appreciate the bliss of the surroundings when they weren’t there
Oh, I did enjoy my time in the South! Spent many hours wandering around Savannah and Charleston soaking up all the gorgeous architecture and people’s comforting drawls 
…perfect things to eat whilst considering that I’ve awarded you the Liebster!
http://blurbfromtheburbs.blogspot.com/2012/05/lovin-liebster-award.html
I can’t even express how grateful I am to you for your kind, kind words
xo
Love the poetic tone of voice in this post. And oh my gosh these are amazing! Your macaroons are so perfect and golden, I’m salivating. And I don’t think I’ve had them with pecan before but love the idea.
Thank you so much, Winston. My writing style does tend to reflect how my heart is feeling at the moment of writing a post
Hey, why should almonds and peanuts get all the fun? Pecans are people too! I mean, nuts too. Yep.
Delicious!!
We had all the ingredients on hand so we made them without hesitation. Thank you for this *GREAT* recipe
The answer is simple: the first time I made your brownies
http://wayfaringchocolate.com/2011/01/18/raw-brownies-with-chocolate-icing-of-pure-amazingness/
X
Oh my golly, you’ve already made it? That fills me with so much glee! And then you go and give me more happiness with your memory-answer? Oh, Rachel, I wish I could track you down and hug you right now.
I’d clap my hands in delight if I was offered one of those macaroons – in fact I feel very untrendy about preferring these over macarons. But my grandfather loved macaroons and so I actually have happy memories which I associate with macaroons.
Oh no, don’t feel untrendy!! I’ve never really hopped on the macaron bandwagon either. Macaroons all the way!
(Particularly when they’re associated with family and family-love.)
It’s always sad when favourite workplace people leave. Boo! But yay for easy macaroons that are perfectly golden brown and delicious.
I only wish that perfectly golden brown and delicious macaroons could make me laugh and feel as happy as E.Moonbeams and Jeniqua do.
those macaroons looks so chewy! i can never find docs on my machines or otherwise.. the machines usually change up every few years and i usually look in the wrong one.. the paper docs unless i store them somewhere and thrown in the trash by hubbs who does not like clutter.. leading to a whole number of missing bills which are needed for replacements which can now never happen!
They were actually more soft and sticky than chewy, but I think making them smaller would help the chewiness
Don’t even get me started on paper documents… I have piles all over the places and can never find the ones I want where I thought I put them! (Which reminds me, I’ve got the form to renew my licence lying around here somewhere… must find and do that next week… 
)
Dear Hannah,
You created some beautiful images in my mind with your writing. A beautiful place gives me fond memories when I was a child growing up in Malaysia.
http://chopinandmysaucepan.com/cameron-highlands-the-forgotten-paradise-of-malaysia
Thank you so much. I really couldn’t ask for more than what you’ve so kindly said
I’m looking forward to reading your linked post tomorrow, when I have the time to focus and enjoy it!
Fantastic. My husband is a photographer and there are certain pictures that he’s taken that always make me feel happy and calm. My favourite is one of a sunset that we watched from a canoe in the Amazon. The colours are beautiful, but even more beautiful is the memory of the water lapping against the canoe, the taste of the cold local beers that we’d brought with us, the tight feeling across my cheeks that meant I’d gotten a little sunburnt that day and the splashing of local kids swimming nearby. Magic.
Oh, SarahKate, that sounds gorgeous and magical beyond words. How heavenly to have a photo that perfectly encapsulates the moment, and which brings back all the other sensory aspects and joyful feelings too. I’m smiling!
How incredible that these are gluten free and dairy free. Wonderful! And I have lost word documents too. Where did they get ‘saved’? And photos. I know I put them on my computer but where are they? xx
I think they’re all hanging out together in that magical between-worlds portal with odd socks and about four hundred billion bobby pins.
Seriously, where do all the bobby pins go?!
Mmm mmmm… love coconut! I didn’t know the difference betwen a macaron and a macaroon. But I guess this post explains that macaroons are definitely not those post colourful dessert ‘hamburgers’. haha!
Yep, completely different things! Macaroons are coconut-based sticky chewy mounds – these aren’t quite the traditional kind, I must admit
Often they’re just coconut and no nuts, but what can I say? I love my nuts.
Happy = memories = macaroons – I like that
These look so deliciously chewy and can’t belief they are gluten free AND vegan friendly!!!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
It’s not a perfect line of causation, but good enough for me
I think these would be fine with an egg substitution like flaxmeal – probably thinner and chewier?
You always find the best of the gf and df stuff Spay Lady!
Aw, you’re too lovely! Years of practice
great recipe! (as usual) hehe but I might try them with hazelnuts instead! hehe have been munching on too much pecans lately
Sounds like an awesome idea to me! Oooh, we could also throw in some chocolate chips and call them Nutella macaroons
I love love love macaroons. Yum!
I wish I could give you a plateful
Oh dear, these are so cute and yummy-looking
Coconut macaroons are such treats, but I never thought to add pecans- A simple but genius tweak, especially if they were toasted and lightly salted to brighten up the flavors a bit! Now I’m seriously craving these chewy cookies…
Why oh why did I not add a pinch (or seven) of salt?! That’s the next genius tweak, and I can’t believe I didn’t think of it! Thank you clever Hannah
I love it how your writing transports me to a warm fuzzie place
I’m holding a hot mug of tea right now…and that just reminds me of comfort. no particular memory (although red hill by the fire springs to mind), but comfort. and that’s lovely. your macaroons look fab!
It’s going to be a thing. maybe wine instead of tea. or wine then tea. yes.
Heidi xo
ps Downton Abbey season 2 starts on Sunday! Finally
My parents and I watched (for me, rewatched) the Christmas Special this afternoon (I took a half-day from work to have lunch for my grandpa’s birthday, wheeee!) and we’re now all devastated that Season Three doesn’t exist yet. Boo!! I can’t help wishing I could be watching it again for the first time like you’ll get to
And thank you, darling! Your first comment is just what keeps me writing
xo
Sigh.
I loved it – I could just see it and for some reason I had the lyrics to a song that I don’t really know except for “Ohh give me the beat boys and free my soul/I wanna get lost in your rock n’ roll/And drift away…”
Coconut also takes me to a place of warm fuzzies. These look delicious
Oh!!! I love, love that you had that song in your head, because it truly does fit with the feelings/colours/sense in my heart as I wrote this post
And that you said you could “see” this – thank you xoxo
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LOVE. So much!
Aw, squish! More such memories soon, please.
Yes, I loved this post. There’s something rather difficult to explain about fond memories like that, but you seem to have captured it! My dearest memories are probably those from outdoor adventures with family/friends. Hiking, cycling, canoe tripping, ocean kayaking, getting lost on islands, etc!
Also: YEA for macaroons (I must say, despite all the hype over les macarons, I prefer macaroons- probably because they’re about 75% coconut…ha ha).
Thank you Sarah, I really appreciate your comment! I really didn’t know if I was going to be able to convey these thought/feelings well enough for anyone except me to “get” it
Oh gosh, your family is so much more outdoor-adventurous than mine! We’re more the day-long-bushwalk-then-back-to-the-hotel kind of people 
P.S. I can’t fall in love with macarons either.
Yay another great recipe
I never knew there were so many gluten and dairy free amazing recipes hehe ~
These are CRAZY good. I definitely recommend you try these, both for yourself
and your colleague!
These sound (and look) really delicious. I’d like to give them a go.
I made these last night (w/pecans) and they were delish! Although it wasn’t nesrscaey, it totally gave me a reason to buy vanilla salt! I’m obsessed with the salty and sweet combo.
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