These soft and tender white chocolate macadamia cookies with crunchy macadamia nuts and smooth, creamy white chocolate chunks are a delicious cookie, perfect for afternoon tea or giving as a gift.
This recipe is similar to my popular lemon white chocolate cookies, and is a shortbread-style egg free chocolate chip cookie. They are rich, buttery and have a beautiful melt in the mouth texture due to the addition of icing sugar / confectioners sugar. Inspired by the Byron Bay Cookie Company’s classic flavours that are available in many Australian cafes, these white chocolate and macadamia nut cookies are similar version of their Dotty cookies made with Smarties.
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Ingredient notes and substitutions
Please scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post for ingredient quantities.
- Butter – I prefer to use unsalted butter and then add a pinch of salt, but you can use salted butter and omit the extra salt if you prefer.
- Sugars – I use two types of sugar in this cookie recipe: icing sugar / confectioners sugar for a melt in the mouth texture, as well as soft light brown sugar for a soft texture and to add a slight caramel flavour.
- Plain flour – or all purpose flour.
- Macadamia nuts – use unsalted macadamia nuts, or if you like salty-sweet cookies, then use salted macadamia nuts but use unsalted butter and omit the pinch of salt, otherwise they will be too salty! I must admit on one testing I use salted macadamia nuts by mistake and feared they would be inedible, but actually they were really tasty! Raw macadamia nuts or roasted macadamia nuts both work in this cookie recipe.
- White chocolate – you can use either white chocolate chips or roughly chop bar white chocolate into chocolate chunks.
- Salt – a pinch of salt helps bring out the flavours of the cookie.
- Vanilla – vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
How to make this white chocolate macadamia cookie recipe
Please scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post for the full recipe.
Make the cookie dough
- In a large bowl cream with butter with the brown sugar, white sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Use hand mixers or in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment.
- Add the flour and mix until just combined. This will take a little work but it will come together.
Add the white chocolate and macadamia nuts
- Add the white chocolate chunks and chopped macadamia nuts.
- Stir in until just combined. Avoid over-mixing as this can create a tough cookie.
Chill and cut the dough
- Place the cookie dough down the centre of a piece of clingfilm then roll up into a sausage shape. Place on a baking sheet or large flat plate and then place in the fridge to chill.
- When the dough is chilled, carefully unwrap and then using a sharp serrated knife, cut in to slices.
Bake
- Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with baking paper / parchment paper.
- Place in a preheated oven and bake until very lightly golden. You don’t want them to get too much colour.
FAQ
Is it better to use raw or roasted macadamia nuts?
You can use raw, roasted or even roasted and salted macadamia nuts to make these cookies.
Should you toast macadamia nuts for cookies?
If you are using raw macadamia nuts then roasting them first brings out their flavour and adds extra flavour to the cookies. Cook at 180˚C / 350˚F for around 10 minutes until golden brown. Cool before using.
My recipe tips
- Avoid over mixing the cookie dough as this will make the cookies tough. Once all the flour is mixed into the butter-sugar mixture, stop mixing, and only lightly stir the white chocolate and macadamia nuts in until just combined.
- If your oven cooks slightly unevenly, turn the trays around and swap shelves half way through cooking to help the cookies cook evenly.
- Don’t over bake the cookies, they only want to be a very light golden at the edges. If you over bake them they can start to taste a little bitter.
Make ahead/storage
Make ahead: you can make the dough and store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freeze: the baked cookies freeze well. Wrap them well in cling film and place in a freezer proof bag or container and freeze for up to 6 weeks.
Variations
- Other nuts – almonds, hazelnuts or add pecans to make pecan choc chip cookies.
- Add some lemon zest to the cookies – beat the zest of a lemon in with the sugars and butter.
Why not try…
You may also like these other easy cookie recipes:
White Chocolate and Macadamia Cookies
Author: Robyn
With white chocolate chunks and macadamia nut pieces, these easy cookies have a melt in the mouth texture and are a popular addition to any cookie jar!
Equipment
- 2 baking sheets / baking trays
Ingredients
- 220g (1 c) butter softened
- 40g (⅓ c) icing sugar confectioners sugar
- 40g (½ c packed) soft brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence or vanilla bean paste
- 375g (2½ c) plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch salt
- 75g (2½ oz) white chocolate roughly chopped
- 50g (2 oz) macadamia nuts roughly chopped
Instructions
- Use hand mixers or in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter with the icing sugar / confectioners sugar, soft brown sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy.
- Add the plain flour, baking powder and salt and mix to combine. This will take a bit of time but it will come together!
- Add the white chocolate chunks and chopped macadamia nuts and stir to combine.
- Roll the dough into a 5cm / 2 inch diameter sausage shape and wrap in clingfilm / cling wrap. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 170℃ fan / 190℃ / 340˚F convection / 370˚F.
- Line two baking sheets with baking paper.
- Unwrap the cookie dough sausage and , using a sharp knife, cut into 1.5cm / 0.5 inch thick slices.
- Place the slices on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a little room inbetween them.
- Place into the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until very lightly golden around the edges.
- Leave to cool on the trays for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool compeltely.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Video
Notes
Butter – I prefer to use unsalted butter and then add a pinch of salt, but you can use salted butter and omit the extra salt if you prefer.
Sugars – I use two types of sugar in this cookie recipe: icing sugar / confectioners sugar for a melt in the mouth texture, as well as soft light brown sugar for a soft texture and to add a slight caramel flavour.
Plain flour – or all purpose flour.
Macadamia nuts – use unsalted macadamia nuts, or if you like salty-sweet cookies, then use salted macadamia nuts but use unsalted butter and omit the pinch of salt, otherwise they will be too salty! I must admit on one testing I use salted macadamia nuts by mistake and feared they would be inedible, but actually they were really tasty! Raw macadamia nuts or roasted macadamia nuts both work in this cookie recipe.
White chocolate – you can use either white chocolate chips or roughly chop bar white chocolate into chocolate chunks.
Salt – a pinch of salt helps bring out the flavours of the cookie.
Vanilla – vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
Avoid over mixing the cookie dough as this will make the cookies tough. Once all the flour is mixed into the butter-sugar mixture, stop mixing, and only lightly stir the white chocolate and macadamia nuts in until just combined.
If your oven cooks slightly unevenly, turn the trays around and swap shelves half way through cooking to help the cookies cook evenly.
Don’t over bake the cookies, they only want to be a very light golden at the edges. If you over bake them they can start to taste a little bitter.
Nutrition
Calories: 224kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 3gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 107mgPotassium: 51mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 307IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 1mg
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