In all the years that I’ve been writing The Heritage Cook (since 2010!) I have never shared a macadamia nut cookie. Shocking! It is time to change that and I have a classic for you, Macadamia Nut White Chocolate Chip Cookies!
The first time I remember having a Macadamia Nut White Chocolate Chip cookie was from Mrs. Field’s original location in Palo Alto on University Ave. She used to vent the ovens out onto the street so you could smell the cookies baking for blocks. It was brilliant marketing!
Those cookies were about 4-inches across and packed with huge chunks of white chocolate and coarsely chopped nuts. The cookies were rich and my friends and I would grab one along with a couple of other flavors on our lunch hour and share them during the afternoon to make our work days go faster.
The natural vanilla overtones in white chocolate are amplified in this simple sugar cookie, boosting the flavor and adding lusciousness to every bite.
Macadamia nuts add a soft crunch that is irresistible. They are a special treat, but since there is only 1 cup of chopped nuts in the recipe, you can serve these for only a little more than the cost of regular nuts.
This recipe only makes about 3-dozen small cookies and based on how fast The Artist is inhaling them, I think you will probably want to double the recipe if you have more than two of you in the house!
If you want to deepen the caramel/butterscotch notes, you can brown the butter first and let cool. An extra step I didn’t take today, but if it is a cool day when you make these, consider doing this – you won’t be disappointed!
These Macadamia Nut White Chocolate Cookies are definitely best the day they are baked, but you can hold the dough for a couple of days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. If you decide to freeze the dough, either roll it into a log for your own homemade slice-and-bakes or scoop into balls and freeze on a tray before storing in an airtight container.
Ready to dip into a glass of milk or cup of coffee – which would you use?
Just imagine, being able to whip out freshly baked cookies any time you want – that is the beauty of freezing cookie dough! And one of my favorite tricks for the crazy holiday season or during busy work weeks.
When you want old-fashioned cookie goodness, these Macadamia Nut White Chocolate Chip Cookies should be on the top of your list!
Happy Chocolate Monday my friends!
How to make Macadamia Nut White Chocolate Cookies:
- Preheat the oven and line baking sheets with Silpats or parchment paper
- Whisk together the dry ingredients; beat together the butter and sugars then add in the egg and vanilla before adding the dry ingredients
- Mix in the white chocolate and macadamia nuts
- Bake 10 to 13 minutes until golden brown; enjoy!
What is the best way to freeze cookie dough?
There are two primary ways to freeze cookie dough – either by forming logs or rolling it into balls. Both work but I like logs better. I wrap the logs first in parchment paper, write the baking directions on the paper along with the type of dough it is, and then cover them in plastic wrap. They last several months and let me make freshly baked cookies whenever I want.
PRO Tip:
One trick to working with frozen cookie dough is to leave it out on the counter for about 10 to 15 minutes before starting to slice the logs. If you try to slice fully frozen logs, you run a risk of the dough breaking. Leaving it out to slightly thaw gives you a lot more wiggle room and the ability to stick the dough back together if it happens to break on you.
Key Ingredients for this Recipe
- All-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend
- Baking soda and salt
- Butter
- Brown and white sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla
- White chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate
- Macadamia nuts
Kitchen Tools I Use to Make This Recipe (affiliate links)
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper sheets
- Silpat mats
- Stand mixer
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Spring-loaded scoop
- Wire cooling racks
Gluten-Free Tips:
Using a gluten-free flour blend in place of regular flour is all you need to change – just use the weights I have given you. A kitchen scale is one piece of equipment I strongly recommend you have when you go gluten-free. It is SO much easier when measuring recipes and your results will be consistently good. And you don’t have to be gluten-free to benefit from weighing ingredients – it is absolutely the way to go for any baking!!
Macadamia Nut White Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten-Free)
The classic treat, Macadamia Nut White Chocolate Chip cookies are on The Heritage Cook today! Sweet and crunchy, be careful, it is hard to have only one!
Ingredients
- 1-1/4 cups (150 g) all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher or fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick, 8 tbsp) butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (107 g) firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- 1 cup mini white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate
- 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts (salted or unsalted are fine)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat mat.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the butter with the brown and white sugars. Beat on medium speed until smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the egg and vanilla. Beat until lightened in color. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Add the chocolate chips and nuts, mixing to evenly distribute them in the dough.
- Use a spring-loaded scoop to portion the dough into tablespoon-size balls. Place them about 1-1/2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake, swapping and spinning the trays halfway through, for 10 to 13 minutes, until golden brown.
- Let cool 2 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool thoroughly. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to a week. Freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
36Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 142Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 91mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 1gSugar: 7gProtein: 3g
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This post was first shared in Sept 2017. The article was updated in 2020.
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