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Baking · American

White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies

Buttery, golden-edged cookies loaded with roasted macadamias and chunks of white chocolate.

Hands-on
15 min
Hands-off
42 min
Oven preheat
10 min
Total
57 min
Makes
16 cookies
Serves
16

Recipes often list 35 minutes, which counts a single 16-minute tray. This recipe bakes two trays one at a time, so the honest total is about an hour: 15 min prep (the oven heats meanwhile), 2 x 14-16 min baking, and about 10 min cooling on the sheet. Add 30 min if you chill the dough. Total = 15 min active + 42 min hands-off (two trays baked in turn, then cooling).

Oven 180 °C · 160 °C fan (350 °F)

Pan 2 baking sheets lined with baking paper (8 cookies per sheet) (US: 2 baking sheets lined with parchment (8 cookies per sheet))

  • easy
  • vegetarian
  • cookies
  • bake-sale
  • holiday-baking

Verified against at least two trusted test kitchens or food-safety guides · Last checked · What this means

Illustration of White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies
Amount
Units
Oven

Ingredients

You need: 2 baking sheets · baking paper (parchment) · large bowl · electric hand mixer or stand mixer with flat beater · spatula · 2-tablespoon (30 ml) cookie scoop or measuring spoon · oven mitts

Contains: wheat · egg · milk · tree nuts

Method

  1. Heat the oven, line the sheets

    Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, 350°F) with a rack in the centre. Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper.

  2. Cream butter and sugars

    In a large bowl, beat 113 g (8 tbsp) soft butter, 107 g (1/2 cup packed) brown sugar and 66 g (1/3 cup) granulated sugar on medium speed for about 1 minute.

    Otto tried this firstOtto uses butter straight from the fridge and the mixer just bounces it around. It needs to be soft.

  3. Beat in the eggs and vanilla

    Scrape down the bowl. Add the 1 egg, 1 egg yolk and 2 tsp vanilla and beat on medium for about 30 seconds, until combined.

  4. Add the salt and raising agents

    Add 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp baking soda and beat until they've dissolved into the mixture.

  5. Add the flour, then the goodies

    Beat in 180 g (1 1/2 cups) flour on low speed for about 30 seconds, stopping while a few streaks still show. Scrape the bowl, add the 100 g (2/3 cup) chopped macadamias and 85 g (1/2 cup) chopped white chocolate, and stir by hand just until mixed.

  6. Scoop

    Scoop 2-tablespoon (30 ml) balls of dough and set them about 10 cm (4 in) apart, 8 per sheet. Using chips instead of a chopped bar, or is your kitchen warm? Chill the scooped dough for 30 minutes first so the cookies keep their shape.

    Otto tried this firstOtto squeezes 16 onto one tray and gets one giant cookie. Eight per sheet, 10 cm apart.

  7. Bake one tray at a time

    Bake one sheet at a time for 14 to 16 minutes, then bake the second sheet the same way.

    Ready when: The edges are golden brown and the tops look matte, not shiny or wet. The centres will still be soft; they firm up as they cool.

  8. Cool on the sheet

    Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Swaps

  • Instead of white chocolate chopped from a bar: white chocolate chips or morsels Chill the scooped dough for 30 minutes before baking so the cookies spread less.
  • Instead of vanilla extract: vanilla bean paste, same amount

Make ahead, store & reheat

Storage
Once completely cool, keep them airtight at room temperature for several days.

If something goes wrong

  • Cookies spread too thin Why: Chips instead of a chopped bar, a warm kitchen, or dough balls too close together.
    Chill the scooped dough for 30 minutes and keep them 10 cm (4 in) apart.
  • Pale edges and shiny tops Why: Underbaked.
    Bake until the edges are golden brown and the tops turn matte, 14-16 minutes.

Good to know

  • A chopped white chocolate bar beats chips: better flavour and less spread.
  • Buy macadamias already roasted; the recipe calls for roasted nuts.
  • You'll have one egg white left over. Cover it and keep it in the fridge for another recipe.

Safety

  • Don't eat the raw dough: raw flour and raw egg can carry harmful bacteria. Bake it first.
  • Macadamias are tree nuts. Keep these away from anyone with a nut allergy, and tell people what's in them.
  • White chocolate contains milk and often soy (lecithin). Check the label.
  • Mixer beaters and hot baking sheets: keep fingers out of the bowl while the mixer runs, and use oven mitts. Kids can scoop; an adult handles the oven.