Macadamia Nut Cookies
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There is something very special about Macadamia Nut Cookies, especially when they include delicious white chocolate nibs in them! Melt-in-your-mouth, buttery cookies with chopped macadamia nuts and white chocolate. So yummy!
(Post updated on 8/31/23.)
My husband gets grumpy when I constantly make things with chocolate in them. He eats them, but he much prefers his desserts without chocolate. I’ve found that he enjoys these cookies, which makes both of us happy.
More Cookies without Chocolate
Ingredients for Macadamia Nut Cookies
(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- salt
- butter
- vegetable shortening
- granulated sugar
- large eggs (2 of them)
- vanilla extract
- almond extract
- macadamia nuts
- high quality white chocolate
A Few Notes about Nuts, Chocolate, and Butter
When making these cookies, I like to use higher end ingredients, especially for the nuts and chocolate. Macadamia nuts are expensive, so if you’re going to spend money on them, you might as well spend money on the rest, so the end product brings the best results!
Dry Roasted Macadamia Nuts can also be harder to find, especially in rural areas like mine. They seem easier to locate during the holiday months. When you find them, be careful about storing them. Because of their higher fat content, they can turn rancid quickly. Once you’ve opened them, be sure to refrigerate them or use within 2-3 months for best results. If you buy them in bulk (those larger bags that I seem to find during the holidays), consider repacking them in pint freezer bags and freezing the unused portion.
Regarding White Chocolate, I like to buy Ghirardelli White Chocolate Baking Chips. You could also buy a high quality white chocolate in bar form and chop it, but again, that’s harder to find in rural areas. The main thing is that when you make these cookies, you go, all-in!
On Using Butter or Shortening or Both
Now, you may have noticed that this recipe calls for the use of both butter and shortening. You could use all butter, if you want, but this will result in a cookie that spreads more and if cooked long enough, a crispy cookie.
If you’re going for a flavorful, but tender chewy cookie, then your best bet is to combine the two fats, getting the flavor from the butter, and the more stable, chewy cookie from the shortening.
Instructions for Making these Cookies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table. Chop the macadamia nuts using a knife or nut chopper.
Prepare the Dough
In a small bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and shortening, brown sugar, and sugar until smooth. Add eggs along with the vanilla extract (real vanilla) and almond extract. Mix until incorporated with the sugars, using a spatula to clean the sides of the bowl.
Gradually add the flour to the creamed mixture until it all comes together.
Stir in the chopped macadamia nuts and the white chocolate.
Drop by large spoonfuls (or a cookie scoop) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until the edges of the cookies start to turn a golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
This recipe will make approximately 2-3 dozen cookies, depending on how big you make them. I like to make big cookies, as I like the way they turn out, plus I enjoy seeing how big our grandchildren’s eyes get when they see the huge, yummy cookies. That goes for the guys in our family, too. And the girls. We all like big cookies.
See more Cookie Recipes Here. Browse Snack Ideas Here.
Macadamia Nut Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 3/4 cups brown sugar
- 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
- Begin this recipe by chopping the macadamia nuts, using a knife or food chopper. If you've opted to use a white chocolate baking bar, go ahead and chop the bar into small pieces at this time as well.
Prepare the Cookie Dough
- In a small bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and shortening, brown sugar, and sugar until smooth.
- Add eggs along with the vanilla extract (real vanilla) and almond extract. Mix until incorporated with the sugars, using a spatula to clean the sides of the bowl.
- Gradually add the flour to the creamed mixture until it all comes together. Stir in the chopped macadamia nuts and the white chocolate.
- Drop by large spoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until the edges of the cookies start to turn a golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
- This recipe will make approximately 2-3 dozen cookies, depending on how big you make them.