MAGNIFICENT MACAROONS. Tropical Almond Macaroons are a tropical makeover to a classic cookie. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)

From The Asian Reporter, V23, #24 (December 16, 2013), page 10.

By Alison Ladman

The Associated Press

Face it ... The dark days of winter may bring the holidays, but they also bring a longing for warmer, sunnier weather. So we decided to give a tropical makeover to a classic cookie — the macaroon. The combination of dark rum, dried pineapple, and either coconut or maraschino cherries should help get you into a more equatorial mood.

Tropical Almond Macaroons

Start to finish: 40 minutes

Makes 60 cookies

Maraschino cherries (patted dry and halved) or flake coconut, to garnish

Heat the oven to 325º Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with kitchen parchment.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, break up the almond paste into pieces. Add the sugar and beat until smooth. Add the egg whites and beat again until smooth. Stir in the rum and pineapple.

Drop the dough by the teaspoonful onto the prepared baking sheets. Garnish each cookie with a well-dried cherry half or a piece of coconut. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly golden brown and dry to the touch. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Nutrition information per cookie: 50 calories (20 calories from fat, 40 percent of total calories); 2 g fat (0 g saturated, 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 7 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 1 g protein; 5 mg sodium.