Checkerboard Cookies
40 min
Classic vanilla and cocoa shortbread cookies with that satisfying checkerboard pattern. One batch makes about 25 cookies — great for Christmas or honestly any time of year.
cookiesbakingchristmas
Chewy coconut macaroons topped with little chocolate eggs — dead simple to make and always a hit at Easter.
Instructions
- 1
Whisk the egg whites by hand with a whisk in a saucepan until they foam up nicely. Stir in the sugar, vanilla sugar, and desiccated coconut.
- 2
Put the saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly along the bottom with a wooden spoon. You're looking for the mixture to thicken up like a thick rice porridge — that takes about 10 minutes.
- 3
Using two spoons, drop mounds of the coconut mixture onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Press a small indent into the centre of each one — that's where the Easter eggs will go once they're baked.
- 4
Bake in the middle of the oven at 180 °C for about 15–20 minutes, until golden. Cool on a wire rack, then fill the little nests with small chocolate eggs once they're completely cool.
Per average serving
190
Calories
kcal
4.3
Protein
g
20.8
Carbs
g
10.7
Fat
g
2.4g
Fiber
18.3g
Sugar
51mg
Sodium
Family Portions
2portions
Adults
2
Children
No children added
Ingredients
Per average serving
190
Calories
kcal
4.3
Protein
g
20.8
Carbs
g
10.7
Fat
g
2.4g
Fiber
18.3g
Sugar
51mg
Sodium
Tips from the kitchen
- Don't rush step 2. The mixture really does need close to 10 minutes of constant stirring to thicken to that rice porridge texture, and that's what gives you a chewy centre instead of a dry one.
- Keep the wooden spoon moving along the bottom of the saucepan the whole time, otherwise the egg and sugar catch and you get a scorched taste through the whole batch.
- Press the indent in while the mounds are still warm and soft on the tray. Once they bake and firm up, you can't shape them anymore.
- Wait until they're stone cold before adding the chocolate eggs. Drop them in warm and the chocolate goes soft and melts into the nest.
- Two spoons make this easier than it sounds. Scoop with one, push the mound off with the other, and you'll get even sizes that bake at the same rate.
Ways to vary it
- A little grated lemon or orange zest stirred in with the coconut gives the macaroons a fresh edge against all that sweetness.
- If you'd rather not use the chocolate eggs, a small drizzle of melted dark chocolate over the cooled macaroons works just as well for Easter.
- Swap the vanilla sugar for a pinch of ground cardamom if you want something a bit more festive.
Storage & leftovers
These keep in an airtight tin at room temperature for about 4 to 5 days and stay chewy. You can freeze the baked macaroons without the eggs for up to a month, then thaw at room temperature and add the chocolate once they're cold. No reheating needed, they're meant to be eaten cool.
What to serve with it
Good with a cup of coffee or strong tea on the Easter table. A few alongside a bowl of berries makes a light afternoon spread.
UC
By Untrained ChefPublished 27 April 2026 · Updated 11 July 2026
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