These white chocolate macadamia nut cookies are a classic. They have buttery, crisp edges with chewy centers loaded with creamy white chocolate and salty macadamia nuts. They’re one of my favorites!
These white chocolate macadamia nut cookies are probably my husband’s favorite cookies, and I can see why. This is a flavor combination that’s classic for a reason. Salty, nutty macadamias go so well with rich and creamy white chocolate. And the texture – crispy on the outside, soft and gooey on the inside – is to die for!
The macadamia nuts are the star of these cookies. They have a rich, buttery flavor that carries through the entire cookie. Macadamia nuts are less bitter than many nuts, such as pecans and walnuts, so the cookies are extra smooth. They just add a perfect nuttiness!
These are some of my favorite cookies to make … and to eat! Here’s what makes them so special.
- Brown butter. One of the secrets to this recipe for white chocolate macadamia nut cookies is to brown the butter when making them. That makes the butter extra rich, and adds a second nutty flavor to the party. Using brown butter instantly makes these cookies taste like they came from a fancy bakery!
- Salted nuts. Most cookies with nuts use unsalted nuts, but this recipe uses slightly salted macadamia nuts. The hint of salt pairs so perfectly with the butter, sugar, and white chocolate, making for a perfectly balanced cookie.
- No rest time required. A lot of cookies require you to chill the dough before baking them. But this recipe doesn’t, which means you can have the cookies you’re craving very quickly!
Ingredients
Here are all the ingredients you need to make white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the article to see the exact amounts for each ingredient.
- Butter – I used salted butter for this recipe, but if you prefer unsalted butter that works too. It doesn’t need to be room temperature either, since you will be melting and browning the butter!
- Dry Ingredients: All-purpose flour, kosher salt, and baking soda
- Sugars: Light brown sugar and granulated sugar
- Eggs – Use large eggs for this recipe.
- Vanilla extract – Be sure to use 100% pure vanilla extract.
- White chocolate chips
- Macadamia nuts – These need to be chopped coarsely. And I like to use salted nuts to really amp up the sweet and salty vibe!
Here’s how to make these easy, buttery, creamy cookies. They only take half an hour to make!
Brown the butter. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. One melted, keep cooking the butter while swirling to avoid burning. Cook until the butter is an amber color, then remove from the heat.
Mix the dry ingredients. Add the flour, salt, and baking soda to a mixing bowl, and stir to combine.
Mix the sugar with the wet ingredients. Add the white and brown sugar to a bowl with the cooled brown butter, and stir to combine. Add the eggs and vanilla, and mix until everything is well combined.
Combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir until fully combined.
Add the chocolate and nuts. Pour the macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips into the cookie dough, and stir to combine.
Bake: Scoop out the dough using a medium cookie scoop and place it on a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet. Bake for 9 – 10 minutes until the cookies are golden at the edges.
Tips and Tricks
Here are some of my favorite tips for making these tender, melt-in-your-mouth cookies.
- Use room temperature eggs. Try to take your eggs out of the fridge about an hour before making the cookie dough. Eggs that are at room temperature will mix better with the other ingredients, creating a smoother, creamier, and lighter cookie dough.
- Space the cookies apart. These cookies will expand quite a bit while they’re baking, so make sure to place them at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. If you place them closer than that, the edges might run together, and you won’t end up with crisp cookie edges.
- Let cool completely. It’s always tempting to eat cookies as soon as they come out of the oven, but make sure to let them cool all the way before eating. As the cookies cool, they’ll firm up and become the perfect, luxurious texture.
How to Store Leftovers
You can store these white chocolate macadamia nut cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also store them in the fridge for a week! Extra cookie dough can also be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
You can definitely freeze these cookies. To avoid freezer burn, store them in two airtight bags, or wrap them in plastic wrap and then place them in an airtight bag. Freeze for up to 3 months, and thaw at room temperature, in the fridge, or in the toaster oven. You can also freeze leftover cookie dough in an airtight container for 3 months.
If you love these white chocolate macadamia nut cookies as much as I do, then check out some of my other favorite white chocolate cookies.
- The Best White Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Birthday Cake Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Soft Peanut Butter White Chip Cookies
- White Chocolate Coconut Cream Cheese Cookies
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 30 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Dessert
Description
These white chocolate macadamia nut cookies are crispy and buttery on the outside, and soft on the inside. They’re they perfect combination of salty and sweet, and one of my favorite cookies!
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, melted and browned
- 2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup macadamia nuts coarsely chopped
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter. Once melted, continue cooking until the butter is an amber color, stirring constantly (or swirling the saucepan) to avoid burning. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the butter to cool for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl stir together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
- Add in the light brown and granulated sugar into the melted and cooled butter, stirring to combine. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth.
- Pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture and stir until combined and no streaks of flour remain.
- Stir in the white chips and nuts until evenly incorporated.
- Using a medium (2 tablespoon) cookie scoop, portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheet 2- inches apart.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Store airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for a week.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 189
- Sugar: 12.5 g
- Sodium: 133.7 mg
- Fat: 11.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 20.2 g
- Protein: 2.2 g
- Cholesterol: 30.2 mg
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I made a few different white chocolate macadamia nut cookie recipes for my Uncle and these were by far his favorite. I had a bit without the nuts and they were very good. Definitely my go to recipe.
These are phenomenal!!! The browned butter is the key!! Thanks for sharing