Why you’ll love these White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies
These cookies are a classic for a reason. Buttery macadamia nuts go so well with white chocolate, and I can’t think of a better cookie for a nut-lover. The crunchiness that macadamias add to the dough is heavenly. (You might also like my pecan chocolate chip cookies, by the way). There are things you do for love, and there are things you do for the love of cookies. In my case, I made these white chocolate macadamia nut cookies around the clock for 12 hours. I started with a tip from a reader that my small-batch chocolate chip cookies could not be modified into white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, and it perplexed me. How can adding nuts and replacing dark chocolate with white chocolate chips make so much difference? But it did. This recipe is perfect–soft and chewy and full of macadamia nuts. But, a regular recipe makes 3 dozen cookies, which is way too much for my house. So, I cut the recipe in half, and made it 6 different ways until I settled on this version you see here. These cookies do the pretty ripple thing around the edges when they bake, and as they cool, they crack a bit, too. They look like they came from a bakery (and they taste like it, too!).
Ingredients for White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Butter. This is a small-batch recipe that makes one dozen cookies, so we need 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, softened. Softened butter is simply butter that has been sitting at room temperature for an hour or so, depending on your room temperature. It should be cool to the touch and somewhat firm when you try to press a finger in it. It is not fully warm, room temperature butter. Brown Sugar. Regular light or dark brown sugar works here. Granulated Sugar. A small amount white granulated sugar here also. Vanilla. I always bake with real, pure vanilla extract. Egg. One whole egg, egg yolk and egg white. Flour. Baking Soda. Salt. Yes, we’re adding salt even though the macadamia nuts usually come slightly salted. It’s to balance all of the sweetness with the sugars and white chocolate, so please do not skip it. Macadamia Nuts. It can be hard to find macadamia nuts unless it is near the holidays. They usually come in small cans that are sealed because they can spoil quickly (since they contain a lot of natural oil). White Chocolate Chips. I always recommend real white chocolate chips, not ‘white chips.’ Real white chocolate is made with cocoa butter from the cacao plant, white ‘white chips’ are just sugar with lots of vanilla added.
What to do with the leftover egg white
If you’re here for a very small batch recipe that only makes 6 cookies, check the recipe card for full instructions. If you’re making the super small batch, you will have a leftover egg white! I get asked often why I only use egg yolks in my cookie recipes. One egg is made up of 1 tablespoon of fat (the yolk) and 2 tablespoons of binding protein (the egg white). When it comes to cookies, we just want the richness of the fat. I rely on butter to bind my cookies together and leave out the egg whites. If you’re wondering what to do with the leftover egg whites, I have a whole page full of recipes that use egg whites only. And one for recipes that use egg yolks only. Because we all want perfect small batch desserts, but no wasted eggs!
How to make Macadamia Nut Cookies
How to make large batch Macadamia Nuts Cookies
This recipe makes 1 dozen cookies. To double it, double it exactly. To cut it in half to make only 6 cookies, use the egg yolk only and the instructions below in the recipe card.
Tips for making Macadamia Cookies
SaveSave Super Small Batch: To make just 6 cookies, use these measurements: 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, ¼ cup light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 large egg yolk (white reserved for another use), 7 tablespoons all-purpose flour*, ⅛ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, scant ¼ cup chopped macadamia nuts, and scant ¼ cup white chocolate chips.
