Soft and chewy on the inside and lightly crispy on the outside, these White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies are deliciously buttery and loaded with crunchy macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips. A sprinkle of sea salt makes these the best macadamia nut cookies ever!
The Best White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
I’m not a big fan of white chocolate, much to my family’s dismay. But I do make an allowance here and there, and one such example is this White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies recipe!
These cookies are buttery and chewy, with a lightly crisp exterior. I love their textured tops, so fun with white chocolate chips, chopped macadamias, and sea salt flakes. You can absolutely bet that I will NOT turn down this treat that features white chocolate. This white chocolate chip cookie recipe with macadamia nuts is absolute perfection!
Why Add Sea Salt To Cookies?
For me, the sprinkle of flaky sea salt is what really brings these cookies together.
One thing that always gets my attention when it comes to sweet baked goods is an obvious contrast of saltiness. A touch of salt (real sea salt, not harsh table salt!) provides such a nice balance and contrast to sweets and chocolate. And it does not disappoint in these rich, buttery cookies. So good!
What You’ll Need
Here’s what you need to make white chocolate chip cookies with macadamia nuts.
- All-purpose flour – Be sure to measure the flour accurately, so you don’t get too little or too much flour – here’s how to Fluff, Sprinkle, and Scrape!
- Baking soda – Works better than baking powder to create a chewy texture.
- Salt
- Butter – Be sure to use a good quality butter for these cookies, to ensure a rich flavor and perfect texture.
- Sugar – Both light brown sugar and granulated sugar are used in these cookies.
- Egg – You’ll need one egg plus an additional egg yolk. The extra yolk adds extra moist, chewy texture and a richer flavor.
- Vanilla & almond extracts – Be sure to use the pure version of each extract, not imitation extracts. You will be able to taste the difference.
- White chocolate chips – You can also use an equal amount of chopped white chocolate bar.
- Chopped macadamia nuts – I like to use a sea salt dry roasted variety for added flavor.
- Sea salt flakes – To sprinkle over the top of the cookies. These are my favorite sea salt flakes!
How to Make White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
These white chocolate chip cookies are easy to make.
- Make the cookie dough. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Beat the butter and sugars for 30 seconds. Add in the eggs and extract until just combined. Add half of the flour mixture and mix to incorporate. Then add the remaining flour and mix. Use a wooden spoon to fold in the white chocolate chips and chopped macadamia nuts.
- Chill. Press plastic wrap onto the dough in the bowl. Chill for 45 minutes.
- Bake. Tightly pack the cookie dough into the scoop – I use a 3-tablespoon scoop. Place 6 balls of cookie dough on the baking pan and press additional white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts into the dough. Bake for 14 minutes. The edges should be just lightly browned. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with sea salt flakes.
All that’s left to do is let the cookies cool a bit – and then ENJOY!!
Tips for Perfect Cookies
If you’re ready to make perfectly soft & chewy white macadamia nut cookies, follow these tips! This is how I end up with perfect cookies every time.
- Use quality ingredients. This simple cookie recipe is not one where you want to take shortcuts with the ingredients or choose the cheapest option. From the butter and extracts to the white chocolate and macadamia nuts, using quality ingredients matters.
- Measure the ingredients properly. Too much flour can make the cookies stiff, and not enough flour can make them spread too much.
- Do not overmix the batter. In all stages of mixing the batter it should be just until the added ingredients are combined. Overmixing can lead to less chewy cookies.
- Don’t skip the chilling. For the proper texture and thickness of these cookies, you really do need to chill the dough for 45 minutes. Chilling the dough will harden the butter, so when the scooped dough goes into the oven it will take longer for the butter to melt – which means the cookies won’t spread as much.
- Pack the dough in a cookie scoop. Really packing the dough into the cookie scoop creates a denser ball of dough, which also prevents them from spreading too much too quickly.
- Top dough with extra pieces. For cookies with visible pieces of white chocolate and chopped nuts on top, be sure to press some extra pieces into the scooped dough before baking. Refer to the photo above – this is how my scooped dough looked before going into the oven.
Can I Freeze Macadamia Nut Cookies?
Yes, you can freeze both the baked white chocolate macadamia nut cookies and the dough.
To freeze the baked cookies, allow them to cool completely then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter and enjoy!
To freeze the cookie dough, flash freeze balls of cookie dough on a baking sheet. Transfer to a freezer-safe container. Then bake them directly from frozen – you’ll need to add an extra minute or so to the bake time.
How to Store
Cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 or 4 days. (Though good luck keeping these in the house that long!) Store in an airtight container so they don’t dry out.
More Cookie Recipes:
- Pan-Banging Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Pan-Banging Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Melt-in-Your-Mouth Pumpkin Cookies
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White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup good quality butter 1.5 sticks
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- ½ cup chopped macadamia nuts – I like to use a sea salt dry roasted variety
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, on medium speed, mix butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl. Then add egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract and mix until just combined.
- Add half the flour mixture and mix on medium speed just until incorporated. Add remaining flour mixture and mix on medium speed until just incorporated.
- With a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon, fold in white chocolate chips and chopped macadamia nuts.
- Press a piece of plastic wrap onto the dough in the mixing bowl and then place in the refrigerator for 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 325° F. Line a sturdy baking pan with parchment paper. With a 3-tablespoon scoop, tightly pack cookie dough into the scoop. Place 6 scoops of dough onto lined baking pan. Press additional white chocolate chips and chopped macadamia nuts into dough, if desired, for texture and presentation. Bake for about 14 minutes, or until edges are just lightly browned. Remove pan from oven and immediately sprinkle cookies lightly with sea salt flakes. Let cookies cool on baking pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
5 star perfection
These are amazing! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Yay! So glad you liked these cookies! :)
I’m still not completely cookied-out from the holidays. Keep these beauties a-coming!!
Will do. Thanks, Megan! :)
I’m not the hugest white chocolate fan either, but these cookies look perfect and I would totally make them! :)
Thanks, Roxana! ;)
White chocolate macadamia nut cookies are actually one of my favorites but I think I have only made them once myself! And I think I added coconut and a bit of chili flakes. Love the addition of seas salt on salt here, can never go wrong with that.
Chili flakes? Hmmmm, might have to try that! :)
White chocolate macadamia cookies are my absolute favorite cookie. My mouth is watering. I’m such a fan of sweet and salty.