White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

When most people think of their favorite cookie, they tend to go for a classic, like chocolate chip cookies.

For me though, it’s these white chocolate macadamia nut cookies!

They’re so easy to make and they taste like they came from a bakery!!

When it comes to cookies, what is your preference… thin and crispy or thick and chewy?  For me, it’s definitely thick and chewy…. like practically dough.  

Not much makes me happier than a freshly baked, warm from the oven cookie that is so soft, thick and chewy that it just about melts in your mouth!!  

So let’s go over how to make them, so you can have a warm and gooey cookie on your plate in no time.

How to make white chocolate macadamia nut cookies?

This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.

1. Combine dry ingredients. I like to use a whisk or fork, and doing this helps the ingredients blend into the wet ingredients better.
2. Cream butter and sugars. The name of this is a bit of a misnomer, as there’s no actual cream in this recipe. Creaming the butter and sugars together is just a term that means that the butter and sugars are fully incorporated.
3. Add other wet ingredients. In this recipe that’s the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Then just mix until combined.
4. Add flour mixture. I find it’s best to do this in batches, about a cup at a time, mixing in between each addition.
5. Stir in chocolate and nuts. At first, it may seem like there’s too much of these, compared to the amount of dough, but trust me and keep mixing (I find this is best done with a rubber spatula).
6. Chill. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. This helps prevent any spreading and yields a thick and chewy cookie.
7. Scoop dough. I’ve linked to the cookie scoop that I use below, but you’re looking for balls of dough around an inch or so in diameter.
8. Press. Press a couple of extra chocolate chips and macadamia nuts into the top of each dough ball (don’t press down enough to flatten them though).
9. Bake. You’re just looking for the edges to be very lightly browned, and the centers will still look puffy and soft.
10. Cool. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. The cookies will sort of deflate a little, which is totally normal.

Variations of this recipe

• Mixer – if you don’t have a stand mixer, or would rather not clean it afterwards, you can use a hand-mixer.  I do recommend using a mixer of some kind to make sure the ingredients are properly mixed.  However, you can use a sturdy whisk and your good ol’ arm muscles to mix the ingredients if that’s all you have available.
• More chilled – if you would like an even chewier cookie, feel free to chill the dough for longer than the 2 hours mentioned in the recipe.
• Chocolate – for a fun presentation and flavor, try drizzling the cookies in melted white or even milk chocolate. You could also dip half the cookie in the chocolate as well, and add some fun sprinkles.
• Salt – to finish these cookies off with a bit of decadence, when the cookies are fresh out of the oven, try sprinkling them with a bit of flaky sea salt. Maldon is my favorite brand. The salt brings out all the flavors of the cookie!

Making macadamia nut cookies ahead of time

These cookies are so easy, but you can even make them easier by mixing up the dough ahead of time!

The dough needs to be chilled for at least 1 hour, but can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

That way when the baking mood strikes, all you have to do it pull out the pre-made dough and bake!

Freezing

The dough can also be frozen into individual balls.

Bake from frozen, as directed, adding an additional minute or two to the cook time.

Storage

Leftover cookies will keep at room temperature (in an airtight container) for about a week.

This recipe was originally published in June 2015, and has been updated in February 2024 with new photos and additional information.

Recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction