Coconut Macaroons With A Cherry Top - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups flaked coconut
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
18 maraschino cherries, cut in half, well drained
2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice

Preparation

Preheat oven to 300\u00b0. Line baking trays with parchment paper.
Place coconut in a large zip lock bag. Toss in 2 T. maraschino cherry juice and shake until coconut is pink. Set aside.
Cut 18 maraschino cherries in half. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.
Using a mixer, beat egg whites and salt at high speed until soft peaks form.
Sprinkle sugar in, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition until sugar is completely dissolved (allow 2 minutes after each addition of sugar). Whites should be in stiff glossy peaks when you're done.
Beat in vanilla. With a rubber spatula, fold in coconut and flour.
Drop coconut by rounded teaspoon about an inch apart onto the prepared baking sheets. They won't spread very much at all. Place a half cherry on top of each cookie.
Bake at 300\u00b0 for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Slide parchment paper and cookies directly onto a rack to cool.
Store in tightly covered container for up to 3 days.
Makes 36 cookies.