Sweet Potato Macaroons: Chewy Autumn Cookie Recipe

Back in 2011 I posted these sweet potato macaroons as the very first recipe on my YouTube channel. A decade later they remain one of my favorite vegan desserts: simple to prepare, a bit healthier than many sweets, and delightfully chewy, nutty, and sweet all at once.

Sweet Potato Walnut Macaroons Recipe

These are coconut macaroons elevated with shredded sweet potato and chopped walnuts. The sweet potato adds moisture and a pleasant texture contrast to the shredded coconut, while the walnuts bring crunch and a deeper, toastier flavor. The result is a macaroon that’s more complex and interesting than the standard gooey coconut cookie.

I first found this recipe in The Artful Vegan cookbook the year I became vegan. The sweet potato intrigued me, and I loved how the recipe transformed a familiar cookie into something new. I’ve kept the original measurements and method mostly intact: shredded sweet potato and coconut, chopped walnuts, sugar, vanilla, a touch of molasses, a binding starch, and boiling water to bring it together. It’s a one-bowl recipe and one of the easiest vegan desserts you can make.

These little macaroons also carry memories from my early vegan days in New York, when I was starting Sweet Potato Soul and working as a personal chef. I’d make them as treats for clients and gifts for friends, and I even sent batches to media outlets hoping someone would feature my cooking — which, happily, happened. They’re a tasty reminder of how far the journey has come.

Before the recipe below, here are a few of my other favorite vegan cookie recipes: life-changing tahini cookies, the best chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and tahini fig cookies.

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5 from 2 votes

Sweet Potato Walnut Macaroons

By: Jenné Claiborne

This recipe from The Artful Vegan makes 12 small cookies. You can double it if you need more. Store them in the fridge or in a cool place on the counter for best freshness.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 12 cookies

Ingredients

2 tbsp peeled and shredded raw sweet potato
½ cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
½ cup walnuts, finely chopped
¼ cup raw cane sugar
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp rice flour, or arrowroot flour or cornstarch
⅛ tsp potato starch, or any egg replacement powder
⅛ tsp molasses
1½ tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp melted coconut oil
¼ cup boiling water

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or aluminum foil, shiny side down).
In a bowl combine the shredded sweet potato, shredded coconut, chopped walnuts, sugar, salt, rice flour (or arrowroot/cornstarch), and potato starch (or egg replacer). Stir with a fork, breaking up any lumps of sweet potato so the mixture is even.
Make a small well in the center of the dry mixture and add the molasses, vanilla, and melted coconut oil. Slowly pour in the boiling water to dissolve the molasses and soften the oil, then mix with a fork until everything is evenly combined.
Use a small cookie scoop or two tablespoons to drop mounds of batter onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. Allow to cool on the sheet before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to five days.

Notes

Recipe Notes & Tips

If you don’t have potato starch or egg replacer, arrowroot or cornstarch will work fine.
For a nut-free version, replace the walnuts with extra shredded coconut.
This recipe doubles easily if you want more cookies.

Nutrition