White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Recently I've noticed that despite how popular white chocolate macadamia nut cookies are in bakeries and stores, there's not a wide variety of recipes available for this type of cookie. Not even Martha Stewart's Cookies cookbook has a recipe. While I like white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, chocolate chip cookies will always be my favorite, and apparently I'm not the only one considering the small collection of w.c.m.n recipes (typing that out gets annoying, perhaps another reason for the limited selection?). But my boyfriend's favorite cookies are w.c.m.n. so I decided to scour the internet and cookbooks for a decent recipe to make for him and found a definite keeper from Field Guide to Cookies. This recipe is straightforward, no freezing or chilling or rolling of any sort, you don't even have to let the butter come to room temperature. My only issue is with a certain hard to find ingredient (you know who you are, macadamia nut).

Recipe Rundown
Taste: Whoever decided to combine white chocolate with macadamia nuts is a very smart person. The flavors are dreamy together. It reminds me of the sweet saltiness of regular chocolate and peanut butter combined.
Texture: This recipe contains what I consider to be a cookie texture trifecta: crisp at the edges, soft on the inside, with a chewy inner bite. Then add one more textural element from the crunchiness of the nuts and its a jackpot.
Ease: Like I mentioned earlier, this recipe is very easy and straightforward to follow, the hardest part for me was finding the macadamia nuts.
Appearance: Is there a cookie out there that doesn't look cute and delicious?
Expense: Macadamia nuts aren't cheap, or easy to find. I ended up purchasing mine at Whole Foods in the bulk produce section for about $7, with some left over.
Pros: Its always a plus when a simple recipe can produce such a timelessly delicious treat.
Cons: I stored the cookies in an airtight container but unfortunately they didn't stay soft and chewy for as long as I would have liked.
Would I make this again? For sure.




White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Adapted from Field Guide to Cookies
Yield: 2 dozen

• 2 cups all purpose flour
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted & cooled
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts

1. Adjust an oven rack to lower-middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.

2. In a large bowl, beat the melted butter and sugars together with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until combined.

3. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture until combined. Mix in the white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts until incorporated.

4. Working with 2 tablespoons of dough at a time, roll the dough into even balls and lay them on the baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart.

5. Bake the cookies until the edges are set and beginning to brown but the centers are still soft and puffy, about 16 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.