Kate and I are in sunny Orlando right now, so I thought a little taste of the tropics would be appropriate today! White chocolate macadamia nut cookies are one of my favorites and I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect recipe for a long time now. I recently saw a photo on our friend Tessa’s blog that caught my eye; they looked so amazing. I was about to make them, but the moment I saw the recipe I realized that I already knew it. In fact I had it memorized- it was the dough from my favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies (duh, why didn’t I start there a long time ago?!) So I started out planning to just toss in some white chips and macadamia nuts but decided to take it a different direction when I saw the limes on my counter. And now? I might have a new favorite cookie.
Let’s bake.
One of the things I love about these cookies is that you don’t have to worry about softening butter, just nuke it! But make sure you don’t rush things and stir it in hot- if you do, your dough will be really soft and you’ll wonder what’s wrong, and then you’ll think it needs more flour, so you’ll add some, and then you’ll complain my recipe sucks, and I’ll tell you it doesn’t and it’s actually your fault and then we’ll have to bake each other cookies to make up. You get the picture, right? Cool the butter down.
Combine some brown and white sugars
and then pour in your melted butter and stir it up. Nice and gooey…make sure to at least stick your finger in there once. Twice if no one is looking.
Add one whole egg and one egg yolk plus a giant splash of vanilla.
And after those are mixed in, stir in the dry ingredients.
Now come the secret ingredients- first, macadamia nuts. I toast them to bring out the flavor and enhance the texture. Just pop them in the oven you’ve already preheated and let them cook until they’re golden brown. You can see toasted nuts below on the left, and untoasted on the right:
Generally I just toss coconut in my cookies, but I decided since I was already toasting, may as well toast the coconut. You can do it either way; I think un-toasted adds a little more chew, and toasted adds texture.
And then finally, some fresh lime zest. I happen to looooove lime zest so I put quite a bit in. Feel free to play around with that, but at least add a nice big tablespoon or you won’t taste much of it. I used at least 1 1/2 tablespoons.
Toss all that fun stuff in the dough along with some white chocolate chips.
Scoop the dough balls onto parchment lined cookie sheets and pop them in the oven.
Make sure you keep an eye on these cookies so you don’t overbake them. The edges should be set, and the centers puffed up, but the middles should look a little undercooked still. Let them cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet and then transfer them to a cooling rack.
Funny- I just noticed I used a zested lime in my photo. You’d think I would have noticed that. I was probably too busy trying not to eat the cookies I was supposed to be photographing.
Anyway… you get creamy chocolate, buttery macadamia nuts, sweet and tangy citrus, and a little crunchy coconut chew- all in one bite. They’re divine.
Enjoy a little piece of heaven.
Recipe by ourbestbites.com
2 cups flour, spooned lightly into measuring cups and leveled with knife
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled until luke warm
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped white chocolate or white chocolate chips
1 cup coconut (toasted or untoasted)
1 cup toasted macadamia nuts
1 1/2-2 tablespoons grated lime zest (1-2 limes)
If you haven’t melted your butter yet, do that so it has time to cool off.
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
Either by hand or with electric mixer, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Mix in egg, yolk, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients;mix until combined.
Add white chocolate chips, coconut, macadamia nuts, and lime zest. Mix to distribute.
Scoop cookie dough into balls and place on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are set around outer edges, yet centers are still soft and puffy, and appear slightly under-baked, about 9-10 minutes (all ovens are different, keep an eye on them!) Cool cookies on cookie sheets for a few minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.
Questions & Reviews
How many cookies does one batch make? I made these a few years ago for my sister’s baby shower and they were YUM! Now we are doing a Luau family reunion and I am trying to figure out how many batches I need to make. 🙂
Umm, good question, I honestly don’t remember, haha. Sorry! I’m thinking at least 3 dozen or so.
Baked a 3/4 batch of these a couple of days ago and gave them to my bf to take on a work trip. Nice cookies!
This is how they looked: http://flic.kr/p/fdpViQ
Thanks for posting the recipe!
325 degrees did not work for me. I had to increase the temp to 375. Anyone else have this problem. My oven seems to be just fine with every other recipe I make.
My husband is a white chocolate guy but could I divide the batter and use chocolate chunk chips instead of white? I know chocolate, coconut and macadamia nuts are good but not sure about the lime with the semi-sweet chocolate. Have you tried it? I love lime and coconut!!!!
Yep, definitely!
Can’t wait to try these. I just realized the recipe doesn’t call for lime juice, only zest. Hmm..
I’ve made these and they are so delicious! I shared it in my collection of 37 White Chocolate Recipes to try http://kristendukephotography.com/37-delicious-white-chocolate-recipes/#comments
Loved the flavor of these cookies!! YUM! Thanks for sharing another fabulous recipe!!
How many cookies does this recipe make?
Okay Sara…you did it again! Not that I’m surprised at all, but YUMMY! Thank you for making my house smell good and making my tummy happy. 🙂
I made these cookies today. I think I’m addicted. They are perfect–chewy, buttery, crunchy, sweet, tangy. Thank you so much for the inspiration. 🙂
When I made these, the cookies flattened out too much and looked like one cookie on the pan. What did I do wrong?
I made these today. I had to taste the batter, you know, just as every good baker should. It made my knees wobble. Unfortunately, I had to wait for the cookies to cool down after they came out of the oven. I do believe the heavens opened up and angels started singing upon my first bite! WOW! Absolutely deeeeeelicioussss!!! My tummy was singing, my tongue was dancing, and then everyone came home and I had to compose myself.
Thank you ladies for another wonderful, wonderful recipe.
I am sooo excited to make these. Question, though… I looked at all three varieties of white chips at Wallyworld today and none of them had any cocoa butter in them. Are “Vanilla Flavored” chips going to work, or should I keep looking for something officially chocolate?
Nah, any white baking chips will do 🙂
Thanks for the Totally Awesome recipe!! My husband’s new favorite cookie. (He loves white chunk macadamia.) I froze some of the dough in cookie dough balls so we wouldn’t gain 5 pounds this week. Any adjustments on baking time/temp for those?
No, I’d just thaw them first (or eat the frozen dough balls like I would 😉
Made these today! Wow! White chocolate Macadamia nut cookies have always been a favorite. The lime zest makes them AMAZING!!
Just made these and they are SCRUMPTIOUS!!!! My family is loving that I’m hooked on your recipes, not to mention my husband’s Sunday school class! Thanks for the amazingness 🙂
Love this recipe! Do you use sweetened or unsweetened coconut?
I use sweetened 🙂
I am so tempted to try this and even picked up a lime ready but i keep thinking ‘What if i don’t like them’ i love citrus and have the white choc chips although i don’t have macadamia nuts and have no idea if i like them but i do have some mixed chopped nuts, will that work the same? Shall i leave the nuts out or will that spoil it???? Oh decision decisions????
I can only guarantee their deliciousness if you make them as the recipe states, and if you actually like all of the ingredients involved! So you’ll just have to try them out and see I guess 🙂
I think I just died and went to heaven.
Don’t hate me because I just got back from Maui. I packed with me the rest of the bag of Mac nuts we didn’t eat on our bananna mac nut pancakes. This will be the PERFECT way to enjoy the rest of the bag. Hawaii in the winter is FABULOUS in case you were wondering.
Hey, this was my first attempt at trying my hand at baking and I think I chose the correct recipe to begin with. The cookies turned out quite nice. Thank you for sharing an amazing recipe. Looking forward to many more such yummy recipes 🙂
I’ve been making a version of these starting with a Bisquick base, so I’ll have to try your base instead because I’ve been wanting to not have to use Bisquick. They are my absolute favorite cookie, especially for Spring and Summer and I’ve got my whole family hooked too. I’ve never had someone not LOVE them. 🙂
Just made these and they’re delicious! I actually squeezed lime juice into the liquids portion and it really brings out the lime flavour. very happy!
I love your writing style! (your recipes too, of course) but I think you have a great sense of humor! Looking forward to making these cookies soon! 🙂
Brilliant! The pictures are AMAZING! Thanks for all the great recipes!
you should have called it “you put the lime in the coconut…” cookies.
I love my daughters lime coconut hand lotion and wish I could lick my hands and taste it. I’m pretty sure these will taste a whole lot better!! Thanks! 🙂
How did you know I was looking for a cookie recipe to use with the coconut flakes in my fridge, and that I had just bought limes…?! Our Best Bites, sometimes you scare me 😉
Haha! The post above about the Lime in the Coconut song… I haven’t heard that in years. I youtubed it and played it while I mixed up a batch on this warm spring day. So much fun! And they are delicious, Sara! I have always loved cooking, but this blog has taken me to new levels. Thank you!
I am very thank you to share this recipe,it’s very good,I hope you can share more,and I will continue to read,thanks!
YUMMY! Can hardly wait to try these tomorrow. thanks for another great new recipe 🙂