Delish White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

These are the kind of cookie that make neighbors “happen to stop by” around 8 p.m. with mysterious Tupperware to “return.” Buttery-soft middles, crispy edges, melty white chocolate, and those crunchy, buttery macadamia nuts that make you feel like you booked a flight to Hawaii without actually leaving your kitchen. If your sweet tooth gives you side-eye for being basic, this is your glow-up.

The first time I baked these, my husband wandered in like a cartoon following a scent trail. He tried one, said “wow,” tried a second, and then “hid” three more in the garage fridge. Bold move. Now it’s a whole family thing: I toast the nuts, our kiddo counts scoops, and the dog just supervises in case a cookie “accidentally” rolls off the sheet. These have become our movie-night cookie, our “sorry the day was weird” cookie, and the “oh shoot, bake sale” hero.

How to Make It

Preheat to 350°F and toss your macadamias on a sheet pan—five-ish minutes to toast them is all it takes. Don’t walk away. They go from “meh” to “wow” fast, then “whoops” even faster.

Cream softened butter with brown sugar and regular sugar till it’s light and fluffy—the color should shift a shade paler and the bowl will look whipped. Add eggs and vanilla; beat till glossy and you’re tempted to taste, which I obviously never do, because I’m an adult with self-control. Sure.

Whisk your dry team (flour, baking soda, salt, a smidge of cornstarch if you want extra tenderness) and fold that into the butter mixture. Don’t overmix—just when the flour disappears, you stop. Stir in chopped toasted macadamias and white chocolate like you mean it.

For mounded bakery-style cookies, scoop big (2 tablespoons), then chill the scoops 30 minutes. If you’re in a hurry, bake right away. They’ll still be fantastic, just a bit thinner. Pull when edges are set and centers still look a touch shiny. They’ll finish on the sheet, I promise.

✔Ingredient Notes

– Unsalted butter: Room temp means a thumb leaves a dent, not a crater. Too melty = flat cookies. Cream well for that fluffy lift.
– Brown sugar: Adds chew and caramelly depth. Light or dark both work; dark makes them a shade richer.
– Granulated sugar: Helps them spread just enough and crisp the edges. Skip it and you’ll miss that snap.
– Eggs: Two, at room temp if you can swing it. Cold eggs seize butter and make the dough cranky.
– Vanilla extract: The good stuff if you have it; it really sings against white chocolate.
– All-purpose flour: Measure with the spoon-and-level method. Too much flour = dry domes, not cookies.
– Baking soda: Your spread-maker. If your soda is older than your houseplant, replace it.
– Cornstarch (optional): Tiny bit = softer, thicker centers. Not required, but lovely.
– White chocolate: Chips are easy; chopped bars melt silkier puddles. Either way, go for a brand you’d snack on.
– Macadamia nuts: Toast them. Please. It wakes up the flavor and locks in the crunch.
– Flaky salt (optional): A tiny sprinkle post-bake takes them from sweet to sophisticated.

✔Recipe Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment.
2. Toast macadamias 5–7 minutes until fragrant; cool, then roughly chop.
3. Cream 1 cup unsalted butter with 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).
4. Beat in 2 large eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla until glossy.
5. Whisk 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch (optional); mix into wet just until combined.
6. Fold in 1 1/2 cups white chocolate and 1 cup chopped macadamias; scoop 2-tablespoon balls, chill 30 minutes for thicker cookies, then bake 10–12 minutes until edges set; cool on sheet 5 minutes.

What to Serve It With

– A cold glass of milk or a hot latte—depends on your mood and the weather.
– Vanilla ice cream—smash a warm cookie on top and watch it melt.
– Fresh berries for a little tart pop.
– A salty snack board (pretzels, nuts) for that sweet-salty dance.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Toast the nuts. Skipping this is like watching a concert with earplugs in.
– Don’t overbake. Pull when the centers look slightly underdone; they set as they cool.
– If dough spreads too much, your butter was too warm—chill the scoops.
– Keep cookie size consistent so they bake evenly. I use a #30 scoop.
– Let them rest on the sheet pan—wire rack too early = saggy centers.

✔Storage Tips

Stash cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temp 3–4 days. They’re dreamy cold from the fridge—chewier, sweeter somehow. Freeze dough balls up to 3 months; bake from frozen at 350°F, adding 1–2 minutes. And yes, I’ve eaten one for breakfast next to scrambled eggs. No regrets.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Swap nuts: Pecans or cashews work, but macadamias are the queen.
– Add-ins: A handful of shredded coconut or dried cranberries = holiday energy.
– Chocolate flip: Half white, half semisweet chips for extra contrast.
– Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 GF flour blend with xanthan; chill the dough for best shape.
– Dairy-free: Plant butter and dairy-free white chips exist and actually taste good now.
– Sugar tweaks: Replace up to 1/4 cup sugar with honey or maple, but add 2–3 tablespoons flour to balance moisture and chill the dough.

Frequently Asked Questions

Delish White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Chewy, buttery cookies packed with creamy white chocolate chips and crunchy macadamia nuts. A bakery-style favorite made in one bowl with simple pantry staples.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Total Time: 27 minutes minutes

Servings: 24

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 2.25 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢ 1 cup unsalted butter, softened room temperature
• ▢ 0.75 cup light brown sugar, packed
• ▢ 0.5 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 large eggs room temperature
• ▢ 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 0.25 teaspoon almond extract optional, boosts nutty flavor
• ▢ 1.5 cup white chocolate chips
• ▢ 1 cup macadamia nuts, roughly chopped lightly toasted if desired

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
• In a large bowl beat softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Beat in eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla and almond extract until smooth.
• Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low just until combined; do not overmix.
• Fold in white chocolate chips and chopped macadamia nuts until evenly distributed.
• Scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of dough per cookie onto prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
• Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are set and lightly golden and centers look slightly soft.
• Cool on the sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Optional: Sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt over warm cookies for contrast.

Notes

For extra flavor, toast macadamia nuts at 325°F for 6 to 8 minutes and cool before chopping. If you prefer thicker cookies, chill dough for 30 minutes before baking. Store airtight at room temperature up to 4 days or freeze baked cookies up to 2 months.