Sweet Macaroon Angels

These little angels make a heavenly holiday treat. The secret is mixing two kinds of coconut for the best flavor and consistency: the flaked, sweetened kind and the shredded, unsweetened variety.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 14 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

2 large egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
36 Necco wafers

Instructions

With clean, dry hands, thoroughly combine the two types of coconut in a large bowl.
In a medium-size bowl, combine the sugar, flour, and salt. Add the egg whites, honey, and vanilla extract and rapidly whisk the batter until smooth and frothy, about 30 seconds.
Pour the mixture over the coconut and toss with a fork, then use a wooden spoon to continue mixing until the coconut is evenly coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 300° and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil lightly coated with cooking spray. Place 12 evenly spaced mounds of dough on the baking sheet, each about ¼cup, loosely packed. With your hands, gently shape each mound into a tall cone with a blunt top. If the dough sticks to your fingers, dampen them with water, shake off the excess, then continue.
Bake the macaroons on the center oven rack until they're light golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool them for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool for several hours.
Make a slot for the candy wings and head by using a sharp serrated knife to saw a groove partway down the cone (a parent's job). Once you've started the cut, lightly pinch together the sides of the cookie to keep it from crumbling as you slice.
Insert two Necco wafers into the sides of the groove for the wings, and wedge a third in the top for the angel's head. Gently press the macaroon back together to secure the wafers. Makes 12.