Cookies & Bars
White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies
Soft, chewy white chocolate macadamia cookies with buttery nuts and creamy white chocolate in every bite. Bakery-style perfection at home.
Bakery-Style Cookies That Made Me a White Chocolate Believer
I used to be a white chocolate skeptic — until I paired it with buttery macadamia nuts and a brown sugar dough with caramel depth. The creamy sweetness plays off the salty richness of the nuts, the melty pools of white chocolate contrast with the crunchy nut pieces, and the vanilla in the dough harmonizes with the vanilla in the white chocolate. These are thick, generous, bakery-style cookies with golden crispy edges and soft chewy centers.
Baker’s Tips
- Use real white chocolate with cocoa butter listed as the first ingredient. Avoid anything labeled “white baking chips” — they use palm oil and taste waxy.
- Buy roasted, unsalted macadamia nuts and chop them by hand into a mix of halves and smaller crumbles for textural variety in every bite.
- Pull the cookies when the centers still look puffy and slightly underdone. They will deflate and continue cooking on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes.
- Freeze scooped dough balls for cookies on demand — bake directly from frozen, adding 2 minutes to the bake time.
Variations
- Browned Butter Version: Brown the butter until nutty and golden, chill until solid, then cream with the sugars for an entirely different level of depth.
- White Chocolate Cranberry Macadamia: Swap half the white chocolate for dried cranberries — the tart contrast is beautiful, especially during the holidays.
- Salted White Chocolate Macadamia: Press a few flakes of Maldon sea salt onto each cookie before baking. This is my personal favorite variation.
If you love my classic chocolate chip cookies, these are the perfect next step — same technique, completely different flavor profile.
Ingredients
Cookie dough
Mix-ins
Instructions
- 1
Cream the butter and sugars
In a large bowl, beat the room temperature butter with both sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. The mixture should be noticeably lighter in color and airy in texture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through.
- 2
Add the eggs and vanilla
Add the whole egg and beat on medium speed until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract, and beat until the mixture is smooth and uniform. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once more.
- 3
Mix the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed after each just until the flour disappears. Do not overmix — stop as soon as you see no more dry streaks.
- 4
Fold in the white chocolate and macadamias
Use a rubber spatula to fold in the white chocolate chips and chopped macadamia nuts until evenly distributed throughout the dough. Give it about 10 gentle folds — you want them spread throughout, not concentrated in one area.
- 5
Scoop and bake
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a medium cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons) to portion the dough, placing balls 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The edges should be lightly golden but the centers should still look slightly underdone and puffy.
- 6
Cool and enjoy
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes — they will continue to set during this time. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies should be golden around the edges, soft and slightly chewy in the center, with pools of melted white chocolate visible throughout.
Nutrition Information
Per serving (serves 24). Values are approximate.
| Calories | 225 calories |
| Total Fat | 12g |
| Saturated Fat | 6g |
| Carbohydrates | 27g |
| Sugar | 16g |
| Protein | 3g |
| Sodium | 110mg |
| Fiber | 1g |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use other nuts instead of macadamia?
You can, though the flavor will be different. Cashews are the closest substitute with their buttery, mild flavor and similar texture. Pecans or almonds also work well. The unique richness and crunch of macadamias is hard to replicate, but any of these alternatives will still make a delicious cookie.
Why are my cookies spreading flat?
Flat cookies usually mean the butter was too soft or partially melted when you started. It should be room temperature — soft enough to dent with your finger but still holding its shape. Also make sure your baking soda is not expired and that you are using enough flour. Chilling the dough for 30 minutes before baking can also help.
How should I chop macadamia nuts?
Place the nuts on a cutting board and use a sharp chef's knife to chop them into rough halves and quarters. You want a mix of sizes — some larger pieces for crunch and some smaller bits that distribute throughout the dough. Do not chop them too fine or they will disappear into the cookie.
Reader Reviews
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