If you’re a fan of cookies that strike the perfect balance between rich, sweet, and a little nutty, then you’re in for a treat with this White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies Recipe. I absolutely love how these cookies come out buttery, with pockets of creamy white chocolate and delightful crunch from the macadamia nuts. Whether you’re baking them for an afternoon snack or to impress guests, this recipe is a total crowd-pleaser that’s easy enough for even a novice baker to master.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect Texture: These cookies have a soft, chewy center with just the right crisp around the edges.
- Flavor Combination: The sweet white chocolate and buttery macadamia nuts are a match made in cookie heaven.
- Simple to Make: With straightforward steps and common ingredients, this recipe is foolproof.
- Great for Sharing: Perfect for gifting, parties, or just keeping a batch ready for whenever you want comfort food vibes.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Each ingredient in this White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies Recipe plays a key role, creating that classic cookie feel — buttery, sweet, and with a lovely chew. Picking quality macadamia nuts and good white chocolate chips will really elevate your results.
- Unsalted Butter: I always use unsalted so I can control the saltiness perfectly; plus, it ensures a clean buttery flavor.
- Light Brown Sugar: This gives you that subtle caramel depth and moisture to keep cookies soft.
- Egg: Acts as a binder and adds tenderness; room temperature eggs mix better.
- Vanilla Extract (optional): Adds warmth and rounds out the cookie’s sweetness.
- Plain Flour: The base to give your cookies structure without heaviness.
- Cornflour: This is a little trick I discovered that makes the dough extra tender and helps create that perfect chewiness.
- Bicarbonate of Soda: For a gentle rise and soft texture.
- Sea Salt: Just a hint to balance the sweetness and bring out all the flavors.
- White Chocolate Chips: Look for good-quality chips that melt but hold their shape in the oven.
- Macadamia Nuts (chopped): Freshly chopped for crunch and that signature nutty flavor.
Variations
I love how versatile this White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies Recipe is. You can make it your own with a few easy swaps or additions depending on your mood or dietary needs.
- Swap Nuts: I’ve tried pistachios instead of macadamias for a colorful, slightly earthy twist that my family adored.
- Dairy-Free Option: Use coconut oil instead of butter and dairy-free white chocolate to make these cookies vegan-friendly.
- Extra Texture: Adding a sprinkle of shredded coconut gives a subtle chew that pairs wonderfully with the nuts and chocolate.
- Less Sweet: Replace half the white chocolate chips with dark chocolate chunks if you want a richer, less sweet cookie.
How to Make White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Cream Butter and Sugar Until Fluffy
I always start by softening the butter, then beating it together with the light brown sugar until the mixture is creamy and fluffy. This step is crucial because it helps trap air, giving your cookies a great texture. I usually use an electric mixer for about 2-3 minutes here — it makes a visible difference!
Step 2: Add the Egg and Vanilla Extract
Next, crack in the egg and add the vanilla extract if you’re using it. Beat again until everything’s fully combined and smooth. I find that room temperature eggs mix better here, so if you forgot to prep them beforehand, just pop your cold egg in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.
Step 3: Mix in the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, combine the plain flour, cornflour, bicarbonate of soda, and sea salt. Gradually add these dry ingredients to your wet mixture and beat just until a cookie dough forms — you want to avoid overmixing here, or your cookies might turn out dense. The dough should be soft but hold its shape.
Step 4: Fold in White Chocolate Chips and Macadamia Nuts
Now for the fun part! Add your white chocolate chips and chopped macadamia nuts. I usually switch to folding them in with a spatula or wooden spoon instead of beating, just to keep those chunks from breaking or sinking completely.
Step 5: Portion and Bake
Use a 5cm cookie scoop or tablespoon to place dollops onto parchment-lined baking trays — I do a maximum of six per tray so they bake evenly and don’t spread into each other. Pop them in a preheated oven at 180ºC fan (or 200ºC regular) for about 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them: when the edges look set but the centers still feel a touch soft, it’s time to take them out.
Step 6: Cool and Enjoy!
Once out of the oven, let the cookies cool on the trays for about 10 minutes — this helps them firm up without overbaking. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. I find this step crucial because biting into warm cookies fresh from the oven is heavenly but they hold together better after cooling.
Pro Tips for Making White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies Recipe
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Using room-temp butter and eggs helps everything mix smoothly, giving you a silky dough.
- Don’t Overmix the Dough: Stopping your mixer as soon as the flour is incorporated keeps the cookies tender and avoids toughness.
- Even Sized Cookies: Using a scoop keeps your cookies uniform and bakes them evenly every time.
- Cooling is Key: Let the cookies rest on the tray to set before moving them; this avoids crumbling and keeps them soft inside.
How to Serve White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
I often sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on top of the cookies right after baking — it enhances the sweet and nutty flavors brilliantly. For special treats, a light drizzle of melted white chocolate looks beautiful and adds extra indulgence.
Side Dishes
These cookies pair wonderfully with a cold glass of milk or a creamy cup of latte. For a grown-up gathering, I like serving them alongside a small bowl of fresh berries or vanilla ice cream for an easy dessert plate.
Creative Ways to Present
For birthdays or holidays, I arrange the cookies in a colorful tin lined with parchment and tie it with a pretty ribbon. You can also serve a stack tied with twine on a dessert platter alongside fresh flowers for an inviting look. Trust me, these cookies look as good as they taste!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Once completely cooled, I store my leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They keep their softness and flavor best this way for up to five days. If you want to keep them crispier, pop a paper towel in the container to absorb moisture.
Freezing
This White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies Recipe freezes beautifully! I typically freeze the dough in scooped balls on a tray, then transfer them to a zip-lock bag once firm. When I’m ready to bake, I just pop them straight into the oven from frozen, adding a minute or two to the bake time.
Reheating
If you want to enjoy these cookies warm later on, I heat them for about 10-15 seconds in the microwave — just right to melt the white chocolate a bit without drying out the cookie. You can also refresh them in a low oven for 3-4 minutes if you prefer a slight crisp.
FAQs
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Can I substitute macadamia nuts with other nuts in this recipe?
Absolutely! While macadamia nuts give a unique buttery crunch, you can swap them out for pecans, walnuts, or almonds depending on what you have on hand or prefer. Keep them chopped to a similar size for even distribution.
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What’s the purpose of cornflour in this cookie recipe?
Cornflour helps create a softer, tender cookie by giving structure without the density regular flour alone can create. It’s a small addition that makes a noticeable difference in texture.
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Can I make this dough ahead of time?
Yes! You can prepare the dough, scoop it onto trays, and then refrigerate it covered for up to 24 hours before baking. I find this actually improves flavor as the ingredients meld together.
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How do I keep the cookies from spreading too much while baking?
Using chilled dough helps reduce spreading, so if your kitchen is warm or dough feels soft, pop it in the fridge for 20 minutes before scooping. Also, avoid greasing the baking trays, just use parchment paper.
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Can I use white chocolate bars instead of chips?
Definitely! Just chop the bars into small chunks roughly the size of chips. They might melt a bit differently but will give a nice gooey texture when bitten into.
Final Thoughts
This White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies Recipe is one I keep coming back to because it’s reliably delicious and easy to whip up. Whenever I bake them, my family goes crazy for the perfect combo of creamy chocolate and crunchy nuts. I hope you enjoy baking and sharing these as much as I do — trust me, once you try this recipe, it’ll be your go-to when a cookie craving strikes!
Print
White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Total Time: 60 min
- Yield: 16 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Western
Description
These White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies are delectably soft and chewy with a perfect balance of sweet white chocolate and crunchy macadamia nuts. Easy to make and perfect for any occasion, these cookies offer a rich, buttery flavor with a delightful texture that melts in your mouth.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 125 g unsalted butter
- 175 g light brown sugar
- 1 large/medium egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 275 g plain flour
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Add-ins
- 150 g white chocolate chips
- 150 g macadamia nuts, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180ºC Fan or 200ºC regular temperature and line two to three baking trays with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Create Butter and Sugar Mixture: In a large bowl, add the unsalted butter and light brown sugar and beat them together until the mixture is creamy and well combined, ensuring a smooth base for the cookie dough.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Incorporate the egg and optional vanilla extract into the butter and sugar mixture, beating again until fully combined and the batter is smooth.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Add the plain flour, cornflour, bicarbonate of soda, and sea salt into the wet ingredients. Beat the mixture until a soft cookie dough is formed, being careful not to overmix.
- Fold in Chocolate Chips and Nuts: Gently fold in the white chocolate chips and chopped macadamia nuts into the cookie dough, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
- Portion the Dough: Using a 5cm scoop, scoop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking trays, placing a maximum of six cookies per tray to allow room for spreading during baking.
- Bake the Cookies: Place the trays in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden around the edges but still soft in the center.
- Cool the Cookies: Remove the trays from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the trays for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve and Enjoy: Once cooled, serve your delicious white chocolate and macadamia cookies and enjoy their rich, nutty flavor and satisfying texture.
Notes
- These cookies are deliciously chocolatey, nutty, and heavenly with a perfect balance of flavors.
- For best results, use fresh unsalted butter and high-quality white chocolate chips.
- Chopping the macadamia nuts coarsely will add a pleasant crunch to the texture.
- If you prefer a stronger vanilla flavor, don’t skip the vanilla extract.
- Handle the dough gently to keep the cookies soft and chewy after baking.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 281 kcal
- Sugar: 17 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 19 mg
