These are the BEST white chocolate macadamia nut cookies! They have a rich flavor butterscotch flavor from the browned butter, salted macadamia nuts, chewy soft caramels, creamy white chocolate chips and a butterscotch drizzle!
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Why these are the best White Chocolate Macadamia nut cookies
They’re rich, flavorful, and have multiple layers of sweetness and saltiness with the perfect textures in all the right places. Each cookie is with their signature mix-ins, giving you white chocolate and macadamia nut in every single bite.
These cookies are thick and chewy on the outside with a soft and gooey center.
For more cookie recipes try my brown butter chocolate chunk cookies , Nutella stuffed peanut butter cookies or Peanut Butter Nutella sandwich cookies
Ingredient Notes
- Light brown sugar: You can substitute dark brown sugar if you don’t have any light brown.
- Unsalted butter: I like using European butter as that gives these cookies the best, richest flavor compared to regular butter because of the higher fat content.
- Egg: Make sure to use room temperature large eggs
- Soft Caramels: Use any soft caramel you like. My favourite are these.
- White Chocolate: Use good quality white chocolate chips or even a chopped chocolate bar. I prefer using ghiradelli.
- Macadamia Nuts: I like to use roasted unsalted macadamia nuts for these cookies however you can also use salted nuts.
Step By Step Instructions
Here is how to make and bake these white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. You can use a stand mixer or a hand held electric mixer.
Before you start: Preheat the oven to 350F/177C. Prepare two cookie sheets with non-stick parchment paper or silicone mat.
Step 1. Brown the Butter Heat the cubed butter in a stainless steel pan over medium heat. The butter will melt and bubble vigorously which is normal. After about 7-8 minutes, the top will be completely covered in foam. Stir the butter continuously at this point so you can see when the butter has browned. After another 2 minutes, the bottom of the butter should be speckled with amber-brown bits. Take the pan off the heat and pour the butter into a large bowl.
Step 2. Whisk the dry Ingredients In a bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Step 3. Beat the wet ingredients. In a bowl of your stand mixer or using a hand mixer, beat browned butter and sugars until pale for 2-3 mins. Add the egg and egg yolks one at a time beating well with each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.
Step 4. Mix the wet into dry. To the butter mixture stir in the flour mixture, white chocolate chunks, nuts and caramel bits until just combined.
Step 5. Refrigerate the dough. Cover the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
Step 6. Scoop out the cookie dough. Using a large cookie scoop, roll out as many cookie balls out of the dough as possible. Arrange the balls evenly amongst baking trays and bake for 10-11 mins until golden.
Let the cookies cool on the pan for about 5 mins. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire racks.
Optionally drizzle the cookies with the melted butterscotch chips.
Tips & Tricks
- Use room temperature ingredients: Using room temperature ingredients creates a smooth, fully blended batter that will result in a uniform texture and even baking.
- Keep the dough chilled: When cutting and rolling the dough, it can get warm and start to stick to your hands. You may need to chill the dough in between steps to keep this from happening!
- Underbake the cookies: You should remove them from the oven when the edges are just set and slightly brown with the centers still undercooked.
- Baking times may vary: All ovens are different, and your cookies may bake quicker or take longer than the indicated baking time. I recommend checking on them occasionally!
Storage & freezing
Store these white chocolate macadamia nut cookies in an airtight container up to a week at room temperature.
FREEZING
Freeze the baked cookies in an airtight container up to 30 days. Thaw for 1 hour or heat in the microwave.
Wrap the raw cookie dough balls in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container. Freeze up to 30 days.
The frozen cookie dough balls can be baked straight from the freezer. Just add a few extra minutes of bake time.
FAQ’s
This could be due to a few things, so I recommending reading my baking tips above to help troubleshoot. It could either be that too much flour was used, the eggs were too cold before mixing, or the dough was over mixed.
Absolutely. I would watch the cookies as they bake though as they will bake faster if the scoop is smaller than ¼ cup.
I have not tested this recipe with gluten-free flour but I would love to hear how they turn out if you do!
Yes! you can easily substitute macadamia nuts with cashews or hazelnuts.
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments below, I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
RECIPE 📖
White Chocolate, Caramel and Macadamia Nut Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg plus 2 egg yolks at room temperature
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- ½ cup chopped macadamia nuts
- 14-15 soft caramels chopped into pieces
- ¼ cup butterscotch chips melted
Instructions
- In a heavy bottom sauce pan heat your butter carefully until it is browned stirring continuously. Once browned take it off the heat and place in the refrigerator until solidified but still slightly soft..
- In a bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- In a bowl of your stand mixer or using a hand mixer, beat browned butter and sugars until pale for 2-3 mins. Add the egg and egg yolks one at a time beating well with each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.
- To the butter mixture stir in the flour mixture, white chocolate chunks, nuts and caramel bits until just combined.
- Cover the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour .When ready to bake, Pre-heat the oven to 175C (350 F). Line four large baking trays with non-stick parchment paper. Set aside.
- Using a large cookie scoop, roll out as many cookie balls out of the dough as possible. Arrange the balls evenly amongst baking trays and bake for 10-11 mins until golden.
- Let the cookies cool on the pan for about 5 mins. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire racks.
- Drizzle the cookies with the melted butterscotch chips. Enjoy!
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