White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Recipe updated: April 2nd, 2024

These classic white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, with their crisp edges and soft chewy centers, are undeniably one of my all-time favorite cookies. They are beyond amazing, whether enjoyed with a comforting cup of tea or shared with loved ones during a cozy gathering.

They are definitely at the top of my list of cookie recipes. You will be adding this macadamia nut cookie recipe to your go-to cookie list along with these amazing ranger cookies, chocolate chip s’mores cookies, and these delicious cream cheese sprinkle cookies. Try them all and enjoy!

🍪 Key Ingredients

• 2 and 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 11 ounces of white chocolate chips
• 1 cup of chopped macadamia nuts
• 1 cup of unsalted butter – softened
• 3/4 cup of granulated sugar (white sugar)
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar – fully packed
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract or pure vanilla extract – your preference
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of table salt

👩‍🍳 How to Make White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

These step-by-step instructions are accompanied by detailed photos for enhanced clarity and guidance.

Step 1. Preheat the Oven

Set your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. That way, it will be the right temperature when it’s time to bake the cookies. Always keep an eye on the cookies while they are baking in the oven.

Step 2. Add the Dry Ingredients to a Bowl

In a large mixing bowl, use a measuring cup to measure out 2 and 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Then mix thoroughly. After that, set the flour mixture aside for now.

Step 3. Prepare the Butter

Softening the butter makes it easier to work with when preparing these cookies. Take 2 sticks of unsalted butter out of the refrigerator and place them in a microwave-safe bowl. Two sticks of butter equals one cup. Put it in the microwave for 40 seconds until softened.

Note: If you prefer, you can make room temperature butter by removing the butter from the refrigerator, then let it sit on the countertop for about 15 minutes.

Step 4. Measure the Wet Ingredients

In a different large bowl, or you can use a bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, add the softened butter together with 3/4 of a cup of granulated sugar, and 3/4 of a cup of light brown sugar.

Step 5. Mix the Wet Ingredients

Blend the butter together with the granulated sugar and the light brown sugar with a rubber spatula, hand held electric mixer or stand mixer until the cookie mixture is smooth and creamy. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Note: If you are using an electric hand mixer (or stand mixer), start out on low speed and increase to medium speed until the ingredients are thoroughly blended.

Step 6. Add in the Eggs

After the cookie mixture is smooth and creamy, add in the 2 large eggs, then blend until the eggs are thoroughly mixed in with the cookie mixture.

Step 7. Combine the Vanilla Extract

The next step is to add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract together with the cookie mixture. Mix until completely blended.

Tip: You can use pure vanilla extract if you prefer. We have both imitation vanilla extract and pure vanilla extract in the kitchen, and personally we can not tell the difference in taste. Maybe some folks can, but all we know is the pure vanilla extract is more expensive.

Step 8. Add the Flour Mixture

Slowly add the flour mixture we set aside earlier, together with the cookie mixture.

Step 9. Combine the Dry Ingredients with the Wet Ingredients

As you are slowly adding in the flour mixture together with the cookie mixture, keep mixing the cookie and flour mixture until thoroughly blended into cookie dough. Do not over mix.

Step 10. Add the White Chocolate Chips and Macadamia Nuts

Put 11 ounces of white chocolate chips and 1 cup of chopped macadamia nuts in the bowl together with the cookie dough.

Step 11. Mix the Cookie Dough

Use a spoon or spatula to fold in the white chocolate chips and the macadamia nuts together with the cookie dough until thoroughly blended. Do not use the electric mixer. Set the cookie dough aside for now.

Tip: At this time, you can chill the cookie dough for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours if you prefer. We did not chill our cookie dough due to lack of time, but chilling the dough will make each cookie spread out less on the cookie sheet, hence, making a thicker cookie.

This works great for those who are busy with life and want to make the cookies within the next day or so. It’s okay to leave the cookie dough in the refrigerator overnight, or for a few days. Just make sure to wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and place it in an airtight container so it won’t dry out. When ready to use, let the cookie dough sit on the countertop at room temperature for about 5 minutes or so.

Note: However, with all that said, when to chill cookie dough and when not to chill cookie dough is the real question. It is safe to say that the best way to make cookies is to follow the steps in the cookie recipe you are making. The majority of the time, the recipe you are following will mention a chill time if the cookie dough needs to be chilled. If chilling the cookie dough isn’t mentioned in the instructions, then it’s not an important factor, and the cookies will turn out just fine without chilling.

Step 12. Get the Cookie Sheet Ready

Line a cookie sheet, or sheet pan, with parchment paper. If you don’t have any parchment paper, just spray the cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

Tip: There are many advantages to using parchment paper. A few good reasons are parchment paper helps the cookies not spread out as much on the cookie sheet, and there is no need to use non-stick cooking spray. Also easier clean-up!

Step 13. Put the Cookie Dough on the Cookie Sheet

Use a cookie scoop to make individual cookie dough balls and place them on the cookie sheet on top of the parchment paper about 2 or 3 inches apart.

Note: We used a medium cookie scoop (about three tablespoons) for this white chocolate macadamia nut cookie recipe. But don’t worry, if you don’t have a cookie scoop, no problem, just use a tablespoon. Scoop out just a little bit more than three tablespoons of cookie dough. Then roll the dough with the palms of your hands into a loose ball. Place it on the cookie sheet. If the cookie dough is a bit sticky, it helps to put a light dusting of flour on your hands.

Step 14. Bake the Cookies

With a pair of heat-resistant oven mitts, put the cookies in the preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the cookies between 10-12 minutes until the edges are lightly golden brown. We baked ours for 11 minutes. Do not over bake. Cookies continue to bake while sitting on the cookie sheet after they have been removed from the oven. They also firm up during the cooling process.

After the first batch of cookies are done, remove them from the oven with the oven mitts. Let the baked cookies sit on the cookie sheet for about two minutes. After that, use a cookie spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let them sit there until completely cooled. Repeat the steps for additional batches.

Tip: When making the next batch of cookies, do not put the cookie dough on a hot cookie sheet. Let the cookie sheet completely cool first. The best way to make cookies is to have a couple of prepared baking sheets ready to go when the first batch of cookies are done.

✨ Recipe Variations

• Add 1/2 cup to 1 cup of chocolate chips to the white chocolate macadamia cookies while you are preparing the cookie batter.
• Add a few mini marshmallows to the batter.

🙋 FAQs

✏️ Final Thoughts

These white chocolate macadamia nut cookies are the best chewy cookies ever. Loaded with plenty of sweet white chocolates chips and crunchy macadamia nuts, they are an absolute delight to the cookie lover. They are super easy to make with a bake time of 11 minutes.

Surprise your family with this soft and delicious, delightful treat! You won’t be sorry, and your family will be very happy you did. These macadamia nut cookies boast a perfect balance of textures, with a satisfying crunch from the creamy white chocolate and the buttery richness of the macadamia nuts.

📋 Recipe Card

❤️ More Cookie Recipes You Will Love

• These are the best chocolate chip M&M cookies with lots of semi-sweet mini chocolate chips and M&M candies inside each and every cookie.
• These sea salt chocolate chip cookies are loaded with unsweetened cocoa powder, semi-sweet chocolate chips, then sprinkled with sea salt on top.
• With cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and pumpkin pie spice in the mix, these pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies not only smell terrific, they taste terrific too.