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My White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies are thin and chewy, with crispy, caramelized edges! They’re studded with plenty of macadamia nut chunks and white chocolate chips. They’re incredibly easy to make and are always a crowd pleaser!
- Total Time: 2 hours 33 minutes (20 min prep + 2 hour chill + 13 min bake)
- Servings: 16 cookies
- Cuisine Type: Dessert/Cookies
- Flavor Profile: Caramelized, Nutty, Salty, Sweet
- Dietary Info: Contains nuts, gluten, dairy, eggs; dough and baked cookies are both freezer-friendly
- Storage Notes: Refrigerate raw dough covered for 2-3 days; baked cookies can be stored 3-4 days at room temperature or frozen for 1-2 months
- Why You’ll Love It: Thin & chewy cookies bursting with flavor from the salty macadamia nuts and sweet white chocolate, these cookies are easy to make and can be made-ahead!
Why you’ll love White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies:
- Easy to Make – These cookies are incredibly easy to whip up with basic pantry ingredients, and the melted butter means you don’t even need a mixer!
- Schedule Friendly – Don’t have a ton of time today? The dough takes just 20 minutes to whip up! Then, you can chill the dough for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days in the fridge! Bake the cookies off as you like during those few days. The dough can also be frozen for 2-3 months, and baked from frozen.
- Flavor Town – These cookies have SO much flavor! The crisp edges are caramelized, the white chocolate is sweet, and the nuts add the perfect salty crunch for balance.
Ingredient Overview:
As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Use the table of contents (back at the top, below the first image, to navigate).
- Butter – I always use salted butter for the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if you prefer. Be sure to let it come to room temperature before baking – creaming cold butter is not easy.
- All-purpose flour – Spoon your flour into the measuring cup, then level it with a flat utensil for best results, or use a scale. Scooping the measuring cup directly into your flour will lead to too much flour, and a potentially dry bake.
- Eggs – Use large eggs.
- Sugars – A combination of brown sugar and white sugar ensures the perfect ratio of spread & chewiness!
- Vanilla extract – Use real vanilla extract for best results.
- White Chocolate Chips – Use your favorite brand of white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate baking bars.
Recipe Substitutions & Variations:
- Dairy-free – Use your favorite, trusted, brand of dairy-free butter sticks and white chocolate chips.
- Nuts – I already know someone is going to ask, and yes, you can use a different type of nut or omit them if you just want a chewy white chocolate cookie.
How to Make Macadamia Nut Cookies:
Step 1: Make the Cookie Dough.
Step 2:
Step 3:
Step 4: Chill Cookie Dough.
Step 5: Bake Cookies. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes, then bang the pan against the oven rack and bake for 2-4 more minutes.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before digging in – honestly the hardest part of this (and most!) recipes, heh.
Serving + Storing:
Enjoy warm, or let cookies cool to room temperature. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
Make my Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies next (they have the same thin & chewy base!) or my Cranberry White Chocolate Slice & Bake Cookies.
Expert Baking Tips:
- Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
- Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.
FAQs:
Yes, you can do either!
Yes! Scoop dough balls and freeze in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet, covered with foil. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag or container (so they don’t all freeze in one big blob). Thaw dough balls in the fridge overnight before baking.
More Classic Cookies:
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Oreo Chocolate Chip Cookies
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment & star rating!
Click the little stars in the header of the recipe card below to leave a comment & star rating, letting me know how you liked the recipe. I take all feedback seriously, & leaving a rating helps my small business immensely!
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature, 113 grams
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp brown sugar, packed, 87 grams
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp granulated sugar, 83 grams
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled or weighed out , 186 grams
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped macadamia nuts
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Make the Cookie Dough: Cream softened butter in a large mixing bowl on high speed until creamy. Add the sugars and mix until well combined with the butter, about 1 minute. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until just combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix until a dough forms. Mix in the nuts and white chocolate chips last.1/2 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature, 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp brown sugar, packed, 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp granulated sugar, 3/4 tsp vanilla extract, 1 large egg, at room temperature , 1 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled or weighed out , 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/2 cup roughly chopped macadamia nuts, 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- Chill the Dough: Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Bake the Cookies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a few baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll the cookie dough into small balls, about 40 grams each. You should have 16-18 cookies. Spread cookie dough balls a few inches apart on a prepared baking sheet (I recommend doing one sheet at a time, and keeping the rest of the dough balls covered with a kitchen towel in the fridge). Bake cookies for 9 minutes.
- Serve + Store: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes and then dig in, or transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temp for 4-5 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made these cookies but swapped the flour for gluten-free flour and they turned out amazing! It’s a keeper!
Glad you enjoyed these! 🙂