White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies are thick and chewy with slightly crispy edges and soft centers. Loaded with chopped buttery macadamia nuts, white chocolate chips, and a hint of almond, it’s no wonder they always disappear fast. 

These Macadamia Nut Cookies are always a cookie exchange favorite during the holidays, as well as Toffee Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies, Peanut Butter Cup Cookies, and Peanut Butter Blowout Cookies.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

I am a sucker for a good basic cookie recipe because let’s be honest sometimes trying to keep up with the crazy involved desserts can be exhausting. I’ll bring out the fun desserts for special occasions, but when it’s a casual Saturday night in and I want to quickly make a treat I’ll always go for something simple like these white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. 

Not only are they incredibly easy to make, but they are also super soft and chewy with the perfect sweet to salty ratio with loads of macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips. 

These cookies never last long in my kitchen, and I’m sure they would disappear form yours just as fast. So next time you’re craving something sweet, make sure you have everything you need to make a batch of white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, you won’t regret it!

How To Make White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

When you are making this recipe, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.

You can whip up a batch of white chocolate macadamia nut cookies in no time with these simple to follow instructions!

1. Whisk butter, sugars, eggs, vanilla, and almond extract in one bowl. In another bowl, mix flour, cornstarch, and salt.
2. Combine the dry and wet ingredients with a mixer, then fold in macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips. Cover and chill the dough.
3. Once chilled, line baking sheets and scoop dough into balls. Bake until edges are lightly browned and centers are soft.
4. Let cool on the pan, sprinkle with sea salt if desired, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

The Best Macadamia Nute To Use For Making Cookies

you can use any macadamia nuts you can find, but I personally love to use the salted dry-roasted nuts. That extra salty flavor really takes the cookies to another level and adds a touch of the sweet and salty combo that people go crazy over.

Can I Make White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies Nut-Free?

Yes, you can! If you want to make these delicious cookie treats without any nuts you can simply leave them out and just have a white chocolate chip cookie, or you can replace them with another nut-free mix-in. 

With a cookie base that’s very simple like this one, it’s easy to get creative and have fun with what you add to the dough. Here are a few of my favorite, but if you find something different to try, be sure to let me know in the comments below! 

Optional add-ins

• Dried cranberries
• dark/milk chocolate chips
• caramel bits
• Peanuts, walnuts, or crushed almonds (if you aren’t looking for a nut-free option, but want to switch things up) 

Tips For Making The Best White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

• For smaller cookies, scoop out about 1.5 tablespoons (1 cookie scoop), roll and bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and center is soft. The recipe should yield 48 small cookies. 
• The sea salt is optional, but very much recommended.
• Cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to one week at room temperature, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. For tips on how to freeze cookies, check out this post that shows you how to perfectly freeze any cookies. 
• To make sure you don’t mix in too much flour, gently spoon the flour into the measuring cup instead of packing it all into the Spoon and level that flour or, better yet, weigh your flour. 
• Bake one batch at a time to get the best possible results. Most ovens have hot spots which means if you place 2 sheets in at a time one batch might end up in a hot spot and cook differently than the other batch.

Make A Batch For Your Christmas Cookie Gift Box

While these white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies are perfect to enjoy all year round, they are also a great cookie to add to your Christmas cookie baking day. 

I always make a couple of batches during the holidays so we can enjoy some, and then we box the rest up in festive packages to send to neighbors and friends. 

If you’re looking for an inexpensive way to show someone you care this holiday season, cookie gift boxes always do the trick. Just grab a holiday cookie box, you can find them at most big box stores, or online from amazon.

Just throw an assortment, or just a single cookie type into the box and finish it off with a personalized tag and you have the sweetest gift ready to go.

Add These Cookie Recipes To Your Baking List Now!

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies – Adapted from the famous NYT recipe, these rich, chewy cookies are the gold standard of chocolate chip perfection.

Peanut Butter Blowout Cookies – Packed with peanut butter, chocolate chips, Reese’s minis, and honey roasted peanuts—these cookies go all in.

Hot Fudge Chocolate Lava Cookies – Soft chocolate cookies with a molten fudge center. Like lava cake, but cookie-style.

Toffee Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies – Buttery shortbread meets chocolate and toffee in a melt-in-your-mouth favorite. 

Soft-Baked Christmas Sprinkle Cookies – Soft, festive, and full of holiday cheer—perfect for parties, exchanges, or Santa’s plate.

Tools Used To Make These White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Cookie Scoop

Scooping perfectly symmetrical cookies has never been easier when you use a cookie scoop like this one. It really makes the whole process go so much faster. I never make a batch of cookies without my favorite scooper!

Aluminum Half Sheet Pan

This is my favorite sheet pan to use. I have about 4 I use in my kitchen pretty much every time I bake anything that needs a baking sheet. They are perfect oversized pans!

Parchment Paper Sheets

The pre-cut parchment sheets are a lifesaver, and they fit perfectly in the above-mentioned sheet pan. You never have to mess with measuring and cutting out parchment paper from the roll again with these. 

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Yield: 24 large cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies are thick and chewy with slightly crispy edges and soft centers. Loaded with chopped buttery macadamia nuts, white chocolate chips and a hint of almond.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, very soft (but not melted or hot)
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 ½ cups coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
• sea salt flakes (optional)

Instructions

1. Using a large bowl whisk softened butter, sugars, eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract together until well combined.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, cornstarch, and salt.
3. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and using an electric mixer mix until everything comes together until completely combined. Fold in the macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips.
4. Cover and chill dough in the refrigerator at least one hour (or up to 3 days). If chilling 2 hours or longer, allow the dough to sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes or until the dough is manageable.
5. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set aside.
6. Scoop out 1.7 ounces (or about 3 tablespoons, or 2 cookie scoops) of cookie dough for *large cookies. Roll into a ball and place 2-3 inches apart on the pan (I get 6 on my half-sheet pans).
7. Bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and the cookie centers look soft.
8. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the pan for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes if desired then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Notes

• * For smaller cookies, scoop out about 1.5 tablespoons (1 cookie scoop), roll and bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and center is soft. Recipe should yield 48 small cookies
• The sea salt is optional, but very much recommended.
• Cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to one week at room temperature, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Recommended Products

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• Glass Mixing Bowls – 10-Piece Nesting Set
• Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Farberware Silicone Whisk
• KitchenAid Hand Mixer
• KitchenAid 7-Quart Pro Stand Mixer
• Cookie Scoop
• Digital Kitchen Scale
• Aluminum Half Sheet Pan
• Sea Salt Flakes
• Cooling Racks
• Nylon Nonstick Slotted Spatula

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 24
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 243
Total Fat: 17g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 9g
Cholesterol: 37mg
Sodium: 128mg
Carbohydrates: 21g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 10g
Protein: 3g