Cocadas Recipe (Coconut Macaroons With Dulce de Leche and Chocolate)

By
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes is a freelance writer and recipe developer with a passion for South American food. She wrote a cookbook focusing on the cuisine of Brazil.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/13/22
Tested by
Diana Andrews
Diana Andrews
Tested by Diana Andrews
Diana has served as head recipe developer and editor for the Emmy-nominated PBS series Moveable Feast, food editor and test kitchen manager at Fine Cooking Magazine, and recipe developer and product tester at Food Network. 
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Cocadas - Coconut Macaroons With Dulce de Leche and Chocolate

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 18 mins
Total: 38 mins
Servings: 8 to 10 servings
Yield: 20 cookies

Cocadas are sweet coconut cookies originating in Mexico and enjoyed throughout Latin America. The chewy treat is a Spanish version of the familiar coconut macaroon. While there are many variations of cocadas, shredded coconut is always the star ingredient.

The cookies in this recipe are molded into domes, but shapes can vary from square to rectangular, or flattened into a traditional cookie, depending on the region. They can range from bite-size to quite large, but are always served at room temperature to best enjoy the crispy exterior and the soft, chewy center. You can use sweetened or unsweetened dried coconut or even a combination of the two, depending on your preference.

These chocolate-dipped cocada cookies have dulce de leche in the mix, giving them an extra
rich butterscotch-caramel flavor. If you like, you can make the cookies without dulce de leche. Simply add more sweetened condensed milk until the coconut mixture sticks together well enough to mold into your desired shape.

Cocadas are easy and fun to make, and children of all ages will enjoy shaping them, dipping them into chocolate, and especially eating them. The cookies can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week and frozen for up to one month.

“There’s nothing much better than a mixture of coconut, dulce de leche, and chocolate. These bite-size dreamy cookies remind me of tiny golden edible haystacks sitting in chocolate nests. I savored them slowly, enjoying each chewy, delicious nibble. I used dark chocolate for the dip and a combination of sweetened and unsweetened dried coconut for the macaroon cookie. Although the cookies don’t need the dulce de leche, it adds a rich and creamy element that’s pretty irresistible.” —Diana Andrews

Cocadas–Coconut Macaroons with Dulce de Leche & Chocolate/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

  • 2 large egg whites

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 4 cups dried shredded coconut, sweetened, unsweetened, or a combination

  • 1/3 cup store-bought or homemade dulce de leche

  • 1 cup coarsely chopped chocolate, or chocolate chips

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening, such as Crisco

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Cocadas - Coconut Macaroons With Dulce de Leche and Chocolate ingredients

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, cornstarch, egg whites, and vanilla. Stir in the coconut until well combined.

    condensed milk, cornstarch, vanilla, and egg whites with coconut in a bowl

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  3. If the dulce de leche is cold, microwave it for a few seconds until it is softened and can be stirred easily.

    dulce de leche in a bowl

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  4. Mix the dulce de leche into the coconut mixture. The mixture will be sticky, but you should be able to mold it into rounds. Cover the mixture and chill for about 30 minutes.

    dulce de leche added to the coconut mixture in the bowl

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  5. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 F. With a tablespoon or a small ice cream scoop, make golf ball size mounds, about 1-ounce each. With damp hands, squeeze each mound together lightly until it sticks together, then shape into a ball. Place them on a single baking sheet lined with parchment, wax paper, or a silicone baking mat.

    Cocadas - Coconut Macaroons With Dulce de Leche and Chocolate on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  6. Bake the cocadas until they are just starting to turn golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the tray half way through cooking time. Let cool completely.

    Cocadas - Coconut Macaroons With Dulce de Leche and Chocolate on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  7. Place the chocolate and vegetable shortening in a heat proof bowl, and place the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water. Stir until chocolate is melted. Alternatively, microwave in short 10 to 15 second bursts, stirring between each burst, until the chocolate is smooth and melted.

    melted chocolate in a bowl

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  8. Dip each cocada into the chocolate to coat the bottom of the cookie, then return it to the baking sheet. Chill until chocolate is set. Store cocodas in an airtight container for up to one week, or freeze them for up to one month.

    Cocadas - Coconut Macaroons With Dulce de Leche and Chocolate

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

    Tips

    • The cookie dough is easier to work with a silicone spatula than with a wooden spoon.
    • Because no leavening is used in the cookie mixture, you can place the cocadas close together on one baking sheet. They will remain the same size once baked.
    • Both milk and dark chocolate work for this recipe. Use whichever you prefer.
    • Refrigerating the cookies after they are dipped in chocolate will help the chocolate release cleanly from the parchment.

    Freezing and Storage

    To freeze, place the cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet until frozen. Transfer the cookies to an air-tight container and freeze for up to 1 month.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
289 Calories
15g Fat
36g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 to 10
Amount per serving
Calories 289
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 19%
Saturated Fat 11g 56%
Cholesterol 9mg 3%
Sodium 170mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 36g 13%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Total Sugars 26g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 2mg 9%
Calcium 75mg 6%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 296mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)