Scottish Macaroons
Scottish Macaroons are a retro sweetshop favourite, made with the most unlikely ingredient… potato! Soft and sweet inside, coated in chocolate and coconut – a classic Scottish treat that’s super easy to make at home.
Whenever I ask people what recipe they would like to see the most on Baking with Granny, Scottish Macaroons is the one that is requested, more than any other recipe. Always with one stipulation… “the kind made with potato!”
Yes, you read that right…potato! Mashed potatoes, to be exact. In my experience, I’ve found that not overthinking it is the best option. It works, and it’s as simple as that.
Also, before we continue, for the avoidance of doubt, these are Scottish Macaroons (double O). These are not the French or Italian macarons that have exploded in popularity in recent years. Think more Lee’s Macaroon bars – fondant filling, chocolate dipped and covered in coconut. And less Mademoiselle Macaron – little almond meringues, in a myriad of flavours, sandwiched with luxurious fillings.
Ok, with the formalities out of the way, let’s talk about what a Macaroon actually is…
Proper Scottish Macaroons are a potato fondant, dipped in chocolate and coated in coconut. The potato part is quite random, but as potatoes are mostly water (about 80%, according to my fact-checking Google search), they actually make a pretty perfect fondant base, alongside a ton of icing sugar. And don’t worry, you won’t actually taste the potato in the finished product!
In terms of potatoes, though, you want to use a good floury potato, such as a Maris Piper, and not a waxy one. The starch of the potato lends itself nicely to the overall texture of your Macaroon, with floury ones being preferable for giving that distinctive “bite”.
I find boiling your potato with the skin on to be the best option. As I say, potatoes are mostly water anyway, and the last thing you want is an overly soggy potato; skin on means you’re lowering the risk of that. You also want to make sure you mash your potato well, more so than you’ve ever mashed a potato in your life. If you have a potato ricer, this is the perfect recipe to dig that out for. Stray lumps of potato in the middle of a sweet Macaroon are no one’s friend.
I’ve seen some suggestions that this is a good recipe to use up leftover mashed potatoes. Now, I am all for using up leftovers and avoiding food waste, but there are two points I’d like to make regarding that…
Firstly, who has leftover mashed potatoes?! Such a thing doesn’t exist in my house; there’s always room for more mashed potatoes on a plate.
Secondly, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t add a little butter, milk, salt, pepper…to their mashed potatoes. With that in mind, I would say that leftover mashed potatoes are better suited to a batch of Tattie Scones than it is to Scottish Macaroons. A freshly mashed, un-seased potato is most definitely favourable here.
One last point on our potatoes here… I have listed ingredient quantities in the recipe, but every potato is different. It’s crucial that you keep that in mind when it comes to Macaroons. One potato may have more water content than the next, and as such, more sugar will be needed to get the perfect fondant texture, and vice versa.
Ingredients for Scottish Macaroons:
Potato
As above, potatoes are what make this recipe what it is! A nice floury potato, such as a Maris Piper, King Edward or Russet, is perfect. Just remember to boil with the skin on and mash until completely smooth.
Icing Sugar
Or “powdered sugar” for our international bakers. You must, must, must use icing sugar over any other sugars in this recipe. The fine texture of icing sugar is what mixes with the potato to make the perfect fondant. Just be sure to have a little extra to hand too, in case you have a particularly moist potato and need a little bit extra icing sugar to help form the fondant.
Dark Chocolate
You can opt for milk chocolate if you prefer; however, I find dark chocolate is a better choice, partly because the bitterness balances the sweetness of the fondant, but also because it has a lower fat content and sets better, keeping the coconut in place too.
Desiccated Coconut
Coconut is what gives Macaroons that distinctive finish. You can use desiccated coconut as is, but I prefer to toast half the coconut, giving it that warmer colour, as well as enhancing the flavours and textures too.
Tips for making Scottish Macaroons:
• Use the right potato: A floury variety like Maris Piper or King Edward works best in Scottish Macaroons. Avoid waxy potatoes, as they can make the mixture too sticky. And bear in mind that potatoes can vary in terms of water content, so you will need to adjust your sugar to each potato.
• Mash until smooth: Make sure your potato is lump-free before adding the icing sugar. Even tiny lumps will show up in the finished macaroons. I like to use a potato ricer to overcome this potential issue.
• Add the icing sugar gradually: The amount needed can vary slightly depending on the potato’s moisture content. Add it a little at a time until you have a stiff, dough-like consistency.
• Balls or bars: In this Scottish Macaroons recipe, I recommend shaping the mixture into balls, but you can, of course, make them into bars. You can either roll the mixture into a slab and cut it into bars or shape it into bars by hand.
• Chill before dipping in chocolate: Once you’ve shaped your Macaroons, pop them in the fridge to firm up. This makes dipping them in chocolate much easier, as they will be a little firmer, and the chocolate will begin to set a little quicker.
• Use good-quality chocolate: Dark chocolate is traditional, but you can also try milk or even white chocolate, if you prefer.
• Toast your coconut: For the best flavour, lightly toast half the desiccated coconut before rolling. Not only does this add a little extra flavour, but it also adds a bit of crunch.
• Work quickly when coating: The chocolate sets fast, so roll the macaroons in coconut straight after dipping for the best, even coverage.
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Scottish Macaroons
EQUIPMENT
- Frying Pan
INGREDIENTS
- 150 g Floury Potatoes (maris piper, king edward, russet…)
- 1 kg Icing Sugar (Powdered Sugar) ( approx.)
- 300 g Dark Chocolate
- 150 g Desiccated Coconut (Shredded Coconut)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Boil your potatoes (skin on) until tender. Remove the skin and mash the potato until it is smooth, with no lumps. Allow to cool completely.
- Once your mashed potato has cooled completely, add the icing sugar a spoonful at a time, mixing each spoonful before adding the next. The potato mixture will become watery before it thickens again – this is ok! Continue to add and mix the icing sugar until your have a thick, dough-like consistency. You may need more/less icing sugar, depending on your potato.
- Line a couple of baking sheets with some greaseproof paper. Set aside.
- Take a large teaspoon of the mixture and roll it in your hands to create a small ball. Place onto your lined baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the mix. Let the balls sit for a few hours in the fridge to firm up.
- Place half the of the desiccated coconut in a frying pan over a low heat. Stir continously until lightly golden – be careful not to burn it. Remove from the heat and mix with the remaining un-toasted coconut.
- Melt the chocolate over a bain marie or in short bursts in the microwave. Dip each ball into the melted chocolate, ensuring it is well coated, then allow the excess to drip off. Roll the coconut mixture until fully covered. Place back onto the baking sheet to set.
- Leave the macaroons to set for at least 2 hours, or overnght if possible, befpre serving.
Video
IMPORTANT NOTE:
All my recipes are developed using a digital scale and the metric system (grams and millilitres). Cup measurements are available as a conversion but these, unfortunately, won’t always be as accurate. For best results, I always recommend baking with a digital scale.
RECIPE NOTES:
- Storage: Keep your macaroons in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll stay fresh for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezing: Scottish Macaroons freeze well. First, place them in a single layer on a tray to freeze, then transfer to a container or freezer bag. Store for up to 3 months and defrost in the fridge before serving.
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Substitutions:
- Chocolate: Dark chocolate is traditional, but milk or white chocolate can be used instead.
- Coconut: If you’re not a fan of coconut, try finely chopped nuts (like hazelnuts or almonds) or even chocolate sprinkles for rolling.
- Potato: Stick with floury varieties for the best results. And do not use sweet potatoes!
Scottish Macaroons are made with a base of mashed potato and icing sugar, which is then shaped into balls or bars, dipped in chocolate, and rolled in desiccated coconut.
No, despite the potato being the main ingredient, once mixed with icing sugar, it turns into a sweet fondant that tastes nothing like potato. The potato simply lends a starchiness to the mixture, giving the Macaroons a creamy-crumbly centre.
A floury potato such as Maris Piper, King Edward or Russet is a must. Avoid waxy potato varieties, which can make the mixture too sticky.
Free-from & Vegan:
Gluten-free: There are no gluten-containing ingredients used in this Macaroons recipe, but as always, be sure to double-check your individual ingredients allergens list.
Nut-free: There are no nuts used in this Macaroons recipe, but as always, be sure to double-check your individual ingredients allergens list.
Dairy-free: As long as you use a dairy-free dark chocoalte, this is a dairy-free Macaroons recipe.
Egg-free: There are no eggs used in this Macaroons recipe, but as always, be sure to double-check your individual ingredients allergens list.
Vegan: As long as you use a dariy-free dark chocoalte, this is already a vegan Macaroons recipe.
N.B. Any advice or suggestions to make recipes “free-from” or vegan are purely that – suggestions. Please be careful to double-check all ingredients individually, taking extra caution when serving to those with allergies & intolerances.
For more info on common food allergies, please see food.gov.uk | For more info on coeliac disease, please see coeliac.org.uk | For more info on a vegan diet, please see vegansociety.com
Been making them for years but like mine in small bars
Why is my mixture not hardening?
Love these and been making them for years !! Can you freeze them ?
Making them tomorrow ( Dec 14th ) with my grandaughters to take to other family on Christmas Day, will they keep ok in an airtight tin or should freeze them ?
Many thanks
Hi there, looking forward to trying these. Does anyone know how long they will keep after being made?
Oh thanks for these Scottish recipe I have missed them so much