The Best White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
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The Best White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies have the perfect balance of chewiness and crunchiness, with chunks of creamy white chocolate and macadamia nuts in every bite. A salty-sweet cookie treat!

Why These Are The Best White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

  • Perfect texture. This white chocolate macadamia nut cookie recipe produces cookies that are soft and chewy, thanks to the brown sugar and their thick texture.
  • Salty and sweet. One reason I love white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies is that they are the perfect blend of sweet (thanks to the white chocolate) and salty (thanks to the nuts).
  • Easy. These cookies are just as easy to make as chocolate chip or other classic cookies. Perfect for the holidays or anytime.

Looking for more epic cookie recipes? Try my Lofthouse Cookies, Spritz Cookies, Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies, and Butterscotch Haystacks too.

From top: Salt, granulated sugar, vanilla, egg, butter, flour, almond extract, baking soda, white chocolate chips, brown sugar.

The Ingredients You’ll Need

To make these cookies, you’ll need some baking basics, as well as salted macadamia nuts, white chocolate chips, and almond extract. Scroll down to the recipe card below for measurements.

  • Flour
  • Baking Soda: Make sure to use baking soda, not baking powder, or the cookies won’t have a good texture.
  • Salt
  • Butter: Unsalted butter, at room temperature.
  • Sugar: Packed light brown sugar, and a bit of granulated sugar as well. The brown sugar helps create the chewy texture.
  • Egg: A large, whole egg helps bind the mixture together.
  • Vanilla Extract and Almond Extract: These two flavorings will make the cookies taste like bakery masterpieces!
  • White Chocolate Chips
  • Macadamia Nuts: Coarsely chopped, salted macadamia nuts.
Close-up shot of thick, white chocolate macadamia nut cookies.

How Do You Cut Macadamia Nuts for Cookies?

While some recipes call for processing the nuts in a food processor, I like the slightly more chunky and messy result you get from chopping them by hand. Just watch your fingers, because the small round macadamia nuts can slip here and there. Go slowly and carefully, and use a sharp knife to avoid having to use a lot of pressure.

White chocolate cookies on a serving plate, with white chocolate chips and chopped nuts in small dishes nearby.

How to Make White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

To get the perfect cookie thickness and texture, this recipe is a little different than other cookie recipes. Here’s an overview. Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions.

  • Make the dough. Whisk together the dry ingredients. In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat in the flour mixture until combined. Stir in the white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts.
  • Shape the cookies. Make two heaping tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball. Tear the ball in half, place the torn side down on the cookie sheet and place the second half on top. Place all cookies 2 inches apart.
  • Bake. Bake for 12 minutes, until the edges are very slightly browned.
  • Cool. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.
Baked white chocolate cookies on a baking sheet.

Helpful Tips

Check out these helpful tips for baking the ultimate white chocolate macadamia nut cookies – flawless and scrumptious every time!

  • Measuring Tip: To get an accurate flour measurement, make sure to lightly fluff or stir your flour before spooning it into your measuring cup. Use a knife to scrape any excess flour off the top. 
  • White Chocolate: The better the ingredients, the better the bake – so feel free to use chopped white chocolate from a baker’s bar or even a candy bar, if you have some special white chocolate on hand.
  • Macadamia Nuts: Salted macadamia nuts are great in these cookies, for that sweet and salty flair. However, plain macadamia nuts would be fine as well.
Side view of a cookie broken in half, to show the texture.

Easy Variations

As perfect as they are on their own, these white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies are also great with toppings like these:

  • Sea Salt: Adding a sprinkle of sea salt to these cookies is a great way to add a special touch.
  • Dark Chocolate: You can also drizzle melted dark chocolate over the cookies for an elegant finish that cuts the sweetness.
  • A la Mode: If you love desserts a la mode, try serving these cookies warmed up with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce! A super decadent dessert idea that’s also incredibly easy.
A close-up shot of a cookie with white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts.

Proper Storage

White chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies can be stored at room temperature in a sealed container for up to 5 days. Store them with a piece of white bread to keep them soft and chewy. Replace the slice of bread every few days as it goes stale.

Can I Freeze These?

Sure can! Baked white chocolate macadamia nut cookies freeze well, and so does the dough if you would rather freeze that. 

  • To freeze the dough: Just roll it into balls and freeze them on a clean tray until frozen solid. Place in a freezer bag, and store in your freezer for up to 3 months.
  • To freeze the baked cookies: Arrange them in single layers in an airtight container, with wax paper or parchment between each layer of cookies. Freeze for up to three months.

More Classic Cookie Recipes

White chocolate macadamia nut cookies on a plate.
4.4 from 34 votes
Print Pin Recipe
Yield: 16 large cookies

The Best White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

The Best White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies have the perfect balance of chewiness and crunchiness. Salty and sweet, these white chocolate chip cookies are such a treat!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Additional Time10 minutes
Total Time32 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract
  • ½ cup white chocolate chips
  • ½ cup coarsely chopped salted macadamia nuts

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  • In a stand mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
  • Add flour mixture, mixing until completely combined. Stir in white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts until evenly distributed (you can do this by hand or with the stand mixer).
  • Roll two heaping tablespoons of dough into a ball. Tear the ball in half and place the torn side down on the cookie sheet. Take the second half and place it on top of the first half (check out the step by step photos in the post to see what your cookie dough should look like) — leaving about two inches for spreading.
  • Bake for 12 minutes, or until the edges are very slightly browned. The cookies will not look cooked in the center, but they will finish cooking while cooling on cookie sheet!
  • Remove from oven and let cookies rest on baking sheet for 10 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days.

Notes

Storage:
  • Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Store with a slice of white bread to keep cookies soft and chewy. Replace slice of bread every few days when it goes stale.
  • To freeze the dough, just roll it into balls and freeze them on a clean tray until frozen solid. Place in a freezer bag, and store in your freezer for up to 3 months.
  • To freeze the baked cookies, arrange them in single layers in an airtight container, with wax paper or parchment between each layer of cookies. Freeze for up to three months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cookie, Calories: 204kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 29mg, Sodium: 83mg, Potassium: 60mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 14g, Vitamin A: 204IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 26mg, Iron: 1mg

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Welcome!

Jessica
I'm a trial & error, self taught, sugar addict who thankfully learned how to survive in the kitchen! I am also a wife, mama of 3.