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Hi Bold Bakers!
If you love my Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies, then I have great news. You’re going to adore my White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies recipe!!
For this homemade white chocolate macadamia nut cookie recipe, I use the same dough that I use for my chocolate chip cookies, but instead of bittersweet chocolate chips, I replace them with white chocolate and macadamia nuts.
If you’re wondering why I had the sudden inspiration to switch up one of my favorite cookie recipes, we can thank my friend Rachel Fagan, who is a member of our social media team. Rachel sent me macadamia nuts from Hawaii! (Not only did it inspire me to make these cookies, but it may have just inspired me to start an Employee of the Month!)
Macadamia nuts are a rich, soft nut — they’re almost creamy in texture — and they pair perfectly with white chocolate’s smooth creaminess. These cookies are the perfect combination of sweet, caramelly, chewy, and crispy — you have to try them!
What Are White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies?
White chocolate macadamia nut cookies are a perfect alternative to traditional chocolate chip cookies. These buttery cookies taste a bit lighter, a little bit creamier, and the texture of the melty white chocolate chips pairs perfectly with the macadamia nuts.
What You Need To Make White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
How To Make White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
White chocolate macadamia nut cookies are easy, delicious, and a crazy-big crowd pleaser! (And don’t forget to get the full recipe with measurements, on the page down below.)
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer), cream the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until it is light and fluffy in texture.
- Add the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, and blend thoroughly with each one.
- Add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl and mix on low until thoroughly combined.
- Now, stir in the white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts.
- Chill the dough! Cover and chill the cookie dough for at least one hour, or up to 5 days.
- When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop 1/4 cup-sized balls and place them 3-inches apart on the baking sheets. You don’t want to place them too closely, as they will spread in the oven.
- Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until the edges are set, and the cookies look golden brown. They should still be soft in the middle.
- Once they are done baking, pull them from the oven and bang the hot pan on the counter a few times to create crinkles on top of the cookies. Let them cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
- Freshly baked cookies are the best! Thankfully, this dough freezes perfectly, so you can bake them at any time. Once your dough has finished chilling, scoop out the cookie dough balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen, transfer them to an airtight container. When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven and place the frozen balls of dough onto a parchment-lined sheet and bake — you don’t even have to defrost them!
- The cookie dough can be stored frozen for up to 2 months.
- I make my cookies large, so you get every texture in every cookie — crispy on the edges, doughy and soft in the middle. If you like smaller cookies, make the scoops half the size. The texture will be different, but they will still taste delicious!
- Don’t like macadamia nuts or can’t find them in the store? Feel free to swap them out for chopped hazelnuts or pecans.
- Don’t be shy with that salt! A nice hit of salt alongside the sweet really takes these cookies to the next level!
Make More Cookies!
- Best-Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 3-Ingredient Shortbread Cookies
- Crazy Cookie Dough (One Dough Recipe With Endless Flavor Variations)
And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!
Full (and printable) recipe below!
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups (12 ½oz/354g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup (8oz/225g) butter, softened
- 1 ¼ cups (7 ½oz/212g) brown sugar
- ¾ cup (6oz/170g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups (9oz/255g) white chocolate chips
- 1 ½ cups (7 ½oz/213g) macadamia nuts, chopped
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer) cream the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until light and fluffy in texture.
- Add the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time, and blending thoroughly with each addition.
- Add the flour mixture and mix on low until fully combined.
- Stir in the white chocolate chips and the macadamia nuts.
- Cover and chill the dough for at least one hour, or up to 5 days.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop dough into ¼ cup sized balls (2oz/57g) and place them 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Don’t crowd the pan as these cookies will spread in the oven.
- Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until the edges are set and the cookies are golden brown, but still a bit soft in the middle. I like to bake them one tray at a time for best results.
- When done, pull the pan out of the oven and bang the hot pan on the counter a few times to create crinkles on top of the cookie. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes, and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, scoop and freeze the raw dough for up to 2 months. Defrost on the counter at room temperature for 30 minutes and bake off as above.
OMG I made these this week and they are hands down the very best cookies I have ever tasted. We have Mrs Higgins cookies in NZ which do the same cookie and I swear your ones are just as good….if not better. Thank you sooooo much. I will post a photo when I can figure out how to upload.
I am making my third batch! These are delicious.
Can cookie cups be made with this?
I tried these and hands down the best chewy cookies I’ve had so far. Thank you Gemma, your recipes never failed. Last time When I tried your no knead pizza that turned out awesome too. But these cookies were out of this world. Thank you thank you so much. As my mom says you have magic in your hands.
For some reason mine didn’t flatten much and remained bit thick. I made the round balls and then chilled them. Do you think that ould be the reason
how to mix baking soda so my cookies will not taste bitter?
Great recipe! I used roasted salted macademia (that’s all I had) and reduced sugar (1cup of brown sugar and a bit less than 3/4 white) and it came out perfect! Did another batch with almond instead and was delicious as well!
I’m going to use this as a base dough for other combinations as well. Yum.
This was a hit with my family. I didn’t have macadamia nuts, so used pistachios. Yum!
Can I roast macadamia nuts before using them?
Salt Questions – Is it better to have either salted butter with unsalted nuts, unsalted butter with salted nuts, both salted or neither salted?