These are the most delicious White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies with golden brown edges and soft chewy centers. They have a distinct buttery flavor with mild butterscotch notes and a delicious salty-sweet balance. They are packed with creamy white chocolate and toasted macadamia nuts. If you are a fan of the white chocolate macadamia nut cookies from Subway, then you will be even more in love with these because they are so much better! Homemade is always best, and these cookies are nothing short of spectacular even for a dark chocolate lover like me. For more bakery-style cookies like these, check out my most popular Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies, and if you love baking with white chocolate, try my White Chocolate Brownies.
WHAT MAKES THESE THE BEST WHITE CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA COOKIES?
- Perfect butterscotch flavor - these cookies have a delicious buttery brown sugar flavor with underlying notes of natural vanilla that is not overly sweet nor overpowering so that the macadamia nuts shine.
- Crisp edges and soft middles - just like the cookies from a great bakery, these have crisp golden caramelized edges, and they are soft in the middle.
- Super chewy chocolate chip cookies - if you like chewy cookies, these are certainly for you! They keep well too and stay chewy for days.
- Pure white chocolate chunks and chips - I like to use a blend of chopped white chocolate and chips for a variety of textures.
- Easy method - the recipe is simple and I actually find the best results come from when you mix it by hand with a wide spatula.
- Secret ingredient - read below to see my secret ingredient that enhances the caramel flavors and adds extra creamy dairy notes!
COOKIE SCIENCE: HOW TO MAKE THE BEST CHEWY WHITE CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA COOKIES
You can certainly expect some secret tips from me since I am a Food Scientist after all. The secret to the best chocolate chip cookies comes down to chemistry. Firstly it is about ingredient ratios. The amount of butter, sugar, flour and egg is very important.
- Ratio of Butter: Butter should be the main flavor in these bakery-style white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. Getting the right amount of butter to egg ratio is very important to achieve the crisp edges, deeply golden color and even spread for a cookie that's not too thin and not too thick (ie. the perfect bakery-style size and shape).
- Sugar ratio: these white chocolate chip cookies should have a lower ratio of brown sugar to granulated sugar compared to traditional chocolate chip cookies since we want the buttery flavor to stand out and also so that the prized macadamia nuts remain the star ingredient.
- Egg ratio: The liquid in egg serves to help dissolve sugar in the dough but too much will prevent the edges from becoming crisp and also delay browning. That means you will need to bake the cookies longer to develop the color, and they will often become dried out before that point.
- Amount of Flour: It is so important to either weigh your ingredients using a scale, or measure your flour correctly without packing it into your measuring cup. Too much flour will lead to thick cookies, but they will be more doughy and less gooey. Too little flour will make a very soft dough that will spread too much and lead to greasy cookies.
- Baking soda: Not only is baking soda important to help the cookies spread, but it also gives them color. Baking soda is an alkaline ingredient (the opposite of an acid), and the Maillard Browning reaction is encouraged in an alkaline environment. Too much baking soda means the cookies will spread too much and may burn too quickly, while not enough means the cookies will not spread much at all and will be pale in color.
- Balanced sugar: too much sugar in this type of cookie can lead to very thin cookies that caramelize too much and they will also be too sweet when combined with white chocolate which is almost 70% sugar.
- Chill the cookie dough: Cookie dough that is not chilled will spread more, have less browning and have a coarser texture. Time in the fridge allows the flour to hydrate and absorb this moisture while also letting the baking soda to evenly absorb for more browning that will develop richer flavor in the cookie dough. A chilled cookie dough also guards against over-spreading which leads to thicker cookies.
INGREDIENTS FOR WHITE CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA NUT COOKIES
- Butter - there is no substitute for butter in white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. It is the foundation of the butterscotch flavor, and in this recipe you can use salted or unsalted butter. If you choose unsalted then I recommend doubling the added salt to ½ teaspoon. I like to use salted butter because it adds another level of richness.
- Granulated sugar - this recipe uses a combination of simple white granulated sugar and brown sugar. White sugar helps create the crunchy caramelized edges. I wouldn't recommend reducing the sugar because it will compromise the chewy texture.
- Brown sugar - I prefer light brown sugar for this recipe since it has a milder flavor so that the macadamia nuts shine through.
- Egg - you'll need one whole egg for this recipe. It's the perfect amount of moisture to make these cookies chewy and not cakey.
- Pure vanilla extract - good vanilla is absolutely essential to making delicious cookies. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
- Salt - don't leave out the salt! It really elevates the buttery flavors! It also enhances offsets the sweet white chocolate and enhances the nuts.
- All purpose flour - regular unbleached all-purpose flour makes the best chewy cookies.
- Skim milk powder - this is my secret ingredient. It boosts the dairy richness and the added milk protein will contribute to more Maillard browning reactions which equals more flavor! The result is an almost caramel-like taste.
- White chocolate - the quality of your white chocolate make a huge difference in this recipe since it is one of the main ingredients. Seek out pure white chocolate (not compound chocolate) which has only cocoa butter as the fat. There should not be any other vegetable oils added in the ingredient list. This is the one I use here.
- Macadamia nuts - I like to use roasted salted macadamia nuts. If you can only find raw macadamia nuts, then I suggest roasting them in a 350 degree F oven for 8-10 minutes until golden brown and then increase the salt in the recipe by a pinch.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
- STEP 1). Beat together butter and sugar. Combine butter, sugars and skim milk powder and beat with an electric stand mixer, a hand mixer or do this by hand with a spatula. You want to beat until slightly pale and a bit fluffy, but not overly creamed. It will still look like a thick paste or damp sand and this will leave us with chewy cookies. Over-mixing at this point would make more crisp cookies.
- STEP 2). Beat in egg. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well incorporated and smooth.
- STEP 3). Combine dry ingredients. Blend flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl and whisk it to blend evenly. Then, add it to the butter mixture and mix it in until evenly combined.
- STEP 4). Fold in white chocolate and macadamia nuts.
- STEP 5). Refrigerate the cookie dough. This is crucial to developing the chewy texture and rich caramelized flavor and golden color. Chill for at least 30 minutes or 4 hours for best results.
- STEP 6). Bake until golden on the edges and still soft in the middle. Do not over-bake as they will continue cooking on the hot baking tray.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Don't skip the salt. The right amount of salt is so important. I use salted butter because there's something about salted butter that provides an underlying richness that can't be quite copied by adding salt separately. You can use unsalted butter if that is all you have on hand, and in that case increase the total salt in the recipe to ¾ teaspoon. BUT, if you have salted butter then you will not regret it!
- Use regular large size eggs. Large eggs weigh 57g. Using an extra large egg will add up to 2 teaspoons more liquid to the cookie dough which can throw off the moisture balance and make the cookies spread too much.
- Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 2 hours. Refrigerating cookie dough serves several purposes: 1) Flour hydration - time in the fridge allows the flour to fully hydrate from the moisture of the egg and the water in the butter. If the flour is evenly hydrated, the cookies will be thicker and they will bake more evenly; 2) Flavor development -as the baking soda becomes more evenly incorporated with the flour hydration, the cookies will brown more evenly which will help them develop flavor more quickly; 3) Chills the butter - butter in the cookie dough will also firm up in the fridge so that the cookies wont be so greasy after they've baked. Chilled fat will also spread less readily during the initial stages of baking so the cookies won't spread uncontrollably; and 4) Increases shelf life - chilled cookie dough makes cookies that stay chewy longer and slows staling.
- Use couverture chocolate. Couverture chocolate is chocolate that is designed for enrobing, coating and dipping. It is the chocolate used by professional chocolatiers because it has a high cocoa butter content to make it more fluid. This extra cocoa butter gives chocolate excellent meltability so it will melt into the cookie dough during baking which helps it to spread as opposed to chocolate chips which have less cocoa butter and remain unchanged, holding their "drop" shape during baking. These couverture white chocolate callets are incredible, or you can also chop chocolate from a high quality chocolate block.
- Use a kitchen scale. For best results, weigh your ingredients according to the measurements in the recipe card below using a kitchen scale.
RECIPE FAQ
Chilling this cookie dough is so important for the best results. Of course you can bake them right away, but they will not be as golden, as thick or as chewy and flavorful as they could be if you chill the dough. Ideally you would chill the dough for a minimum of 30 minutes, and overnight (8 hours) will lend the richest flavor and chewiest texture. Chilled cookie dough also makes cookies with a longer shelf life so they will stay chewy for longer and be slower to stale.
If you don't have time to chill the dough, you can bake these cookies right away and they will be slightly less chewy.
If your cookies spread a lot, then it could be that the dough wasn't chilled long enough, there was too much baking soda, or you did not add the right amount of flour. Too little flour will mean the cookies will not have enough structure to hold their shape and the dough will be too wet. The best way to measure the flour is using a scale to ensure you use the right amount. Too much will make the cookies thick and less chewy, but too little will mean they will be crispy and thin.
If you can't find skim milk powder, you can omit it from the recipe and the cookies will still turn out, but they will be missing some extra richness. They will still be delicious.
If you prefer thicker cookies, you can add 2 tablespoon of additional flour (that would be 18g).
For the best results, use dark chocolate with over 60% cocoa solids, and use a high quality block of chocolate that you chop into chunks.
When you chop chocolate from a block you make a variety of different shapes and shards that will get in all the crevices of the cookie dough. So, use your favorite dark chocolate - the kind that you snack on. Using block chocolate instead of chips will also give you better texture in the cookies. Block chocolate has a higher cocoa butter content so it will melt more evenly and readily to create pools of chocolate that will melt into the crevices. It also helps the dough spread. You can also use dark chocolate feves, callets or discs which are often made from couverture chocolate (high cocoa butter chocolate).
STORAGE AND FREEZING
These cookies are best stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. They stay nice and soft and chewy!
You can freeze the cookie dough two ways:
1) Wrap all of the dough (or any leftover dough) in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw the dough and bake as directed.
2) Scoop and portion the dough into balls, then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze individually. Once frozen, place them in a freezer bag and keep frozen for up to 3 months.
Yes, just place the cooled cookies in a resealable freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. They just need 5-10 minutes to thaw.
With nothing more than a tall glass of cold milk!
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Baking with white chocolate
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Video
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (70g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon (8g) skim milk powder
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 ⅓ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (125g) pure white chocolate chips, plus extra for topping
- ⅔ cup (80g) chopped roasted salted macadamia nuts plus extra for topping
- mini white chocolate chips (optional for topping)
Instructions
- Make the cookie dough. Combine soft butter with both sugars, skim milk powder and vanilla in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes until slightly pale and fluffy. Beat or "cream" with a spatula until smooth and a bit fluffy but more like a thick paste. It will look like wet sand. Add the egg and mix until well incorporated.
- Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly. Add these dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture and fold it in until evenly combined. Add white chocolate and macadamia nuts and fold them through.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes while you preheat the oven.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Bake the cookies. Use a 1.35-oz cookie scoop to portion dough and roll into smooth balls. Place the dough balls onto prepared baking sheets spacing them at least 3 inches apart with room to spread. Flatten the dough balls with the bottom of your hand, press a few extra macadamia nuts and regular or mini chocolate chips on top and bake for 11-13 minutes until golden around the edges and still soft in the middle. The centers will puff up and still feel slightly soft in the middle. They will deflate slightly as they cool.
- Transfer baking tray to a wire rack to cool for 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tatiana
Can I replace skim milk powder with full fat goat milk powder?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Tatiana! I have not tested that, but I think it would work.
carol
so good, the texture was exactly what I was looking for! Only had KA malted milk powder so I used that instead. My mac nuts weren't salted so I sprinkled some flaky salt on top at the end and it was perf:D
christina.marsigliese
Thank you Carol! I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Samim
It’s better then subway cookies
My son loved it
christina.marsigliese
Thank you Samim! Glad your son loved the cookies 🙂
Jen
Hello! Do we need room temperature egg here? Or cold egg ? Thanks!
christina.marsigliese
Hi Jen! Yes, the egg should be room temperature.
Katrina
(It didn’t so posting again! Apologies if the first try shows up 😉
I’d like to mess around with light muscovado but wanted to “scientifically” understand how that would change either texture, taste, or any part of this or any cookie recipe really? Which sugar, if any, of the gram or brown sugar do I lessen and lessen to what for this recipe and what to use of the muscadado? If you say to def not use muscavado for THIS cookie recipe, can you recommend which one of your cookie recipes (of the chocolate chip or vanilla choc and or your peanut butter cookie recipes I could mess with this? Grateful!! Katrina
Ps- for anyone else that posts but allows your email to be filled in by your saved sources, skip that and type in everything: name and email, by hand instead. That seems to be the remedy and you’ll be able to tell when the email box, even with your email on it, remains colored by whatever color you’ve set as your highlight color in your devices. If you see it without the background highlight color, press send and it should send properly. I’ve found that the only way to know is by reloading the page and clicking at the top where it lists the number of comments- and you should see your post at the top if you’ve checked right after. Hope that helps anyone. Might not always work but worth a try.
Katrina
I forgot to add: Can we add the light honey if we wanted to? Ramifications if so?
I also read one of your recipes for cookies that beautifully explained how cookies really shouldn’t use baking powder and only baking soda and its purposes (which I was grateful to know)- However, this recipe is using equal parts of powder and soda and I’d love to know for my future baking why that’s okay “scientifically” with this recipe please? Thank you! ( I Hope my first msg went through too)
christina.marsigliese
Hi Katrina, the rule for only baking soda in cookies refers to chocolate chip cookies which are meant to be deeply golden with butterscotch-like flavor. For these white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, I wanted the nuts to shine and a balanced browning effect. I hope this helps.
Pam
Hi, can you use corn starch instead of dry milk powder?
Thanks
christina.marsigliese
Hi Pam, corn starch would not be a suitable replacement for milk powder. I would recommend just omitting it if you can't find it.
Jackie
Hi there can we use non fat milk powder in place of the skim milk powder? We don't have skim milk powder here. Thank you.
christina.marsigliese
Hi Jackie, yes they are the same 🙂
Carl
Yum. These are good. Thank you for the recipe.
PCT
I’m confused about adding honey or corn syrup to the batter. It’s in the notes but not the recipe. Ami missing something? Thanks!
christina.marsigliese
Hi there, there's no honey in this recipe. Sorry for the confusion.