White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

By Maria Lichty

Published on March 08, 2024

Quick Summary

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies- soft and chewy cookies with white chocolate chips and salted macadamia nuts. A classic cookie that everyone loves!

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies are a classic cookie and always a favorite! I do think it’s hard to find a GOOD white chocolate macadamia nut cookie. Most cookies are too greasy and lack flavor.

Well, I have created the BEST white chocolate macadamia nut cookie. The cookies are soft and chewy, slightly crisp around the edges, buttery (but not greasy), sweet, and slightly salty.

And even if you normally don’t like nuts in your chocolate chip cookies , these are different. The macadamia nuts have a rich, buttery flavor and a nice creamy texture. They add a slight salty crunch to the cookies that you will love.

This is the BEST white chocolate macadamia nut cookie recipe. You have to try them!

1. Ingredients
2. Macadamia Nuts
3. How to Make White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
4. Recipe Tips
5. Do I Have to Chill the Dough?
6. How to Store
7. More Classic Cookie Recipes
8. White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

• Flour – use all-purpose flour.
• Baking powder & Baking soda – make sure they are fresh!
• Sea salt – kosher salt will also work!
• Unsalted butter – at cool room temperature.
• Sugars – brown sugar and granulated sugar.
• Eggs – use large eggs for baking.
• Vanilla extract – always use pure vanilla extract.
• White chocolate chips – Guittard is my favorite brand.
• Macadamia nuts – roughly chopped.
• Flaky sea salt – for sprinkling on cookies.

Macadamia Nuts

• You can find macadamia nuts at most grocery stores with the other nuts. You can also purchase them online HERE . I use roasted salted macadamia nuts because I love the roasted, salty flavor.
• Macadamia nuts are a little more expensive than most nuts, but I promise these cookies are worth the splurge.
• I give the nuts a rough chop before adding them to the cookie dough because the nuts are kind of big.
• Store macadamia nuts in the freezer to prevent them from going rancid. In a freezer container or freezer bag, they will keep for up to six months. And you will want to have a stash so you can make these cookies whenever you get a craving!

How to Make White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars together until creamy and smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. This will take 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.

• With the mixer off, add all of the dry ingredients. Turn the mixer on low and mix until just combined. Don’t over mix. Stir in the white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts.

• Form the cookie dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie. Place on prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
• Bake cookies for 8 to 12 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown. Check early to make sure you don’t over bake, every oven is different.

• Remove from oven and sprinkle the cookies with flaky sea salt. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.

Recipe Tips

This cookie recipe is pretty straight forward, but here are a few tips to help you bake up perfect cookies every time!

• Don’t pack your flour ! Fluff, spoon into your measuring cup, and level off.
• Make sure you butter is at cool room temperature , not soft or melted. You don’t want your cookies to be greasy or flat.
• Beat your butter and sugars together until nice and creamy .
• Use pure vanilla extract . I know it is more expensive, but SO worth it.
• Turn off the mixer and add in all of the dry ingredients. Mix on low until JUST combined. Don’t over mix .
• Stir in the white chocolate chips and chopped macadamia nuts. I like Guitttard white chocolate chips, but they are sometimes hard to find. These are a close second.
• Don’t over bake the cookies, they will finish baking as they cool on the baking sheet.
• Don’t forget the flaky sea salt .

Do I Have to Chill the Dough?

• For this recipe, you don’t have to chill the dough, but you certainly can. I have baked the cookies with fresh dough and chilled dough and both turn out great.
• If you want to chill the dough, chill in the refrigerator for up to 72 hours.

How to Store

• The baked cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 4 days on the counter. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to two months.
• If you want to freeze the cookie dough, place the cookie dough balls on a tray and freeze for 30 minutes until hard. Transfer to a freezer container or bag and freeze for up to two months. You don’t have to defrost before baking, just add a few extra minutes to the baking time.

More Classic Cookie Recipes

• Snickerdoodles
• Peanut Butter Cookies
• Oatmeal Cookies
• Thumbprint Cookies
• White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies
• No Bake Cookies
• Easy Sugar Cookies

Find all of my cookie recipes HERE !

Cookies

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Ingredients1x2x3x

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup roughly chopped macadamia nuts
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling on cookies

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars together until creamy and smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. This will take 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
• With the mixer off, add all of the dry ingredients. Turn the mixer on low and mix until just combined. Don’t over mix. Stir in the white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts.
• Form the cookie dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie. Place on prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
• Bake cookies for 8 to 12 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown. Check early to make sure you don’t over bake, every oven is different. Remove from oven and sprinkle the cookies with flaky sea salt. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.

Notes

Nutrition

Have you tried this recipe?

Thumbprint Cookies

By Maria Lichty

Published on December 06, 2022

Quick Summary

Thumbprint Cookies-buttery shortbread cookies rolled in sugar and filled with sweet raspberry jam! These beautiful little cookies are a classic Christmas cookie, but can be enjoyed anytime of the year.

I love creating new cookie recipes , but I also love the classics. One of our favorite cookies to make at Christmas time are Thumbprint Cookies . They are a holiday favorite and a great addition to any cookie platter.

So what are Thumbprint Cookies? If you haven’t had a jam thumbprint, you are in for a real treat! They are buttery, tender shortbread cookies with a sweet jam center. I like to use raspberry jam because it is sweet, tart, and I love the deep red color. But you can fill the thumbprints with your favorite jam!

They cookies are simple, but elegant and super delicious. You can’t go wrong with a classic!

1. Cookie Ingredients
2. How to Make Thumbprint Cookies
3. How to Store Thumbprint Cookies
4. How to Freeze Thumbprint Cookies
5. Thumbprint Cookie FAQ
6. More Christmas Cookie Recipes
7. Jam Thumbprint Cookies Recipe

Cookie Ingredients

Simple ingredients come together to make the most amazing cookies!

• Flour – use all-purpose flour!
• Salt – to bring flavor to the cookies.
• Butter – Use unsalted butter and make sure it isn’t too soft or melted. You want the butter at cool room temperature.
• Sugar – you will need granulated sugar for the cookie dough and for rolling the cookies before baking.
• Brown sugar – I like to use a little brown sugar for flavor and to keep the cookies tender and not dry.
• Egg yolk – an egg yolk creates a rich cookie and holds everything together.
• Vanilla extract – a must! If you like almond extract, you can add ¼ teaspoon to the dough.
• Jam – I prefer raspberry jam, but any flavor will do! Make sure you use a nice, thick jam! Splurge to get a good quality jam since it’s a big part of the cookie! If your jam is SUPER thick, you can put it in a bowl and give it a good stir. If it is still too thick, heat it in the microwave for just a few seconds to loosen it up.

How to Make Thumbprint Cookies

These little gems are easy to make and SO pretty!

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Set aside.
• Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to beat the butter and sugars together. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
• Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Don’t over mix the dough!
• Roll the dough into balls, about 1 ½ teaspoons per cookie. Place the remaining ½ cup sugar in a small bowl. Roll the balls in the sugar until well coated.
• Place on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat, you may need 2 sheets.
• Use the rounded back of a teaspoon or your thumb to gently press an indentation in the center each cookie dough ball. Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer and chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven so it is hot and ready to go!
• Fill a small zipper-lock bag with the jam. Use scissors to snip a small corner off the bag. Carefully fill each indentation with about a ½ teaspoon of jam. Alternatively, you can use a small spoon or teaspoon to fill the centers with jam. Don’t over fill or the jam will ooze out in the oven. Less is best!
• Make sure the cookies are 2-inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake one pan at a time, for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are light golden brown.

How to Store Thumbprint Cookies

Store the cooled thumbprint cookies in an airtight container at room temperature on the counter. You don’t have to refrigerate the cookies. I don’t recommend stacking the cookies because of the jam.

These cookies will stay fresh for up to 5 days.

How to Freeze Thumbprint Cookies

If you want to freeze cookies, I recommend freezing the unbaked cookies before adding jam.

Make the cookie dough and form them into thumbprints. Place the cookies on a tray and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes to an hour. Once frozen, transfer the the unbaked cookies to a freezer container or freezer bag and freeze for up to one month.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven and arrange the cookies on the baking sheets. Fill with jam and bake. It’s ok if the cookies are still a little frozen when going into the oven, you might have to add an additional minute to the baking time.

Make sure you use a thick jam and not a runny jam. I prefer raspberry jam, but strawberry, blackberry, apricot, or mixed berry are all good options. Use your favorite flavor.

Yes! If you don’t care for jam, fill the cookies with melted chocolate, lemon curd, salted caramel sauce, marmalade, or Nutella.

Fill the cookies with jam before baking so it can set up in the oven.

Make sure when you are pressing the back of the teaspoon or your thumb into the center of the cookie dough you don’t press too hard. Gently press! If the edges of the cookie start to crack a little, you can gently press it back together.

Make sure your butter isn’t too soft when making the dough. It should be at cool room temperature and not super soft or greasy. Also, don’t make your cookies too big, thumbprints are smaller cookies. And most importantly, make sure you you chill the dough! After you form the cookies, place the unbaked cookies in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before baking. This will prevent them from spreading.

Yes! I recommend freezing the unbaked cookies before you fill them with jam. See above for my tips!

More Christmas Cookie Recipes

• Easy Sugar Cookies
• Peanut Butter Blossoms
• Andes Mint Cookies
• Snickerdoodles
• Chocolate Kiss Cookies
• Mexican Wedding Cookies

Cookies

Jam Thumbprint Cookies

Equipment

• Baking Sheets (I love these cookie sheets !)
• Stand Mixer (I’m obsessed with my KitchenAid)
• Silpat Baking Mat (these prevent cookies from sticking)

Ingredients1x2x3x

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup thick raspberry jam, or jam of your choice

Instructions

• In a medium bowl , whisk together the flour and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed. Add ½ cup of the granulated sugar and brown sugar and mix until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
• Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined.
• Roll the dough into balls, about 1 ½ teaspoons per cookie. Place the remaining ½ cup sugar in a small bowl. Roll the balls in the sugar until well coated.
• Place on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat , you may need 2 sheets.
• Use the rounded back of a teaspoon or your thumb to gently press an indentation in the center each cookie dough ball. Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer and chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Fill a small zipper-lock bag with the jam. Use scissors to snip a small corner off the bag. Carefully fill each indentation with about a ½ teaspoon of jam. Don’t over fill or the jam will ooze out in the oven. Less is best!
• Make sure the cookies are 2-inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake one pan at a time, for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are light golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Have you tried this recipe?

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup roughly chopped macadamia nuts
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling on cookies

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars together until creamy and smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. This will take 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
• With the mixer off, add all of the dry ingredients. Turn the mixer on low and mix until just combined. Don’t over mix. Stir in the white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts.
• Form the cookie dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie. Place on prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
• Bake cookies for 8 to 12 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown. Check early to make sure you don’t over bake, every oven is different. Remove from oven and sprinkle the cookies with flaky sea salt. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.

Notes

Nutrition