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These White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies are baked to golden perfection with a chewy center, sweet white chocolate, and crunchy macadamia nuts. Brown butter adds a warm depth that makes every bite rich and buttery in the best way.
For more delicious cookie recipes, try my Skillet Cookie, Cookies and Cream Cookies, Brown Butter Cookies, and Cookies and Cream Pudding Pops next.
This recipe for macadamia nut white chocolate cookies is great when I want something that feels special without being complicated. When I say these cookies are worth making, I mean it.
Growing up, these were my mother’s favorite cookies, and we’d often grab a dozen from the bakery. I had to recreate those memories with my own twist—brown butter. They bake up rich and soft with chunks of sweet white chocolate and buttery macadamia nuts that practically melt in your mouth.
You can enjoy a batch fresh from the oven or freeze for later so you always have a sweet treat ready for parties, holidays, or whenever. These cookies are always a hit, and I know you’ll love them just as much as we do.
Why are white chocolate macadamia nut cookies so good?
They are loved for the balance of textures and flavours in every bite. The creamy sweetness of white chocolate pairs perfectly with the buttery crunch of macadamia nuts. When baked with brown butter, the cookies gain a rich, nutty flavour and a soft, chewy texture that makes them especially irresistible.
Are white chocolate macadamia cookies healthy?
White chocolate macadamia nut cookies are a sweet treat, so they are best enjoyed in moderation. They contain butter, sugar, and white chocolate which makes them indulgent rather than low-calorie. The macadamia nuts do add some healthy fats and nutrients, but overall these cookies are more of a dessert than a health food.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: This gives the cookies structure so they stay thick and chewy rather than spreading too thin. It’s the foundation that holds everything together.
- Baking soda: Helps the cookies rise slightly and contributes to that soft, chewy texture. It works alongside the baking powder for balance.
- Baking powder: Adds a bit of lift so the cookies don’t bake up too dense. It helps create that perfect golden edge.
- Salt: Brings out the flavours of the butter, chocolate, and nuts. Without it, the cookies would taste flat.
- Unsalted butter: Browning the butter creates a rich, nutty base that sets these cookies apart. It’s what gives the dough its warm depth of flavour.
- Brown sugar: Adds a caramel-like sweetness while also keeping the cookies moist and chewy. It pairs beautifully with the brown butter.
- Granulated sugar: Balances the flavour with a clean sweetness and helps the edges bake up slightly crisp.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and add richness to the dough. They also help the cookies stay soft inside.
- Pure vanilla extract: Enhances all the other flavours and adds a subtle warmth to the cookie dough.
- White chocolate chips: Creamy, sweet chunks throughout the cookies that melt slightly as they bake. They pair perfectly with the buttery dough.
- Macadamia nuts: Add a rich, buttery crunch that contrasts with the soft cookie base. Their flavour works so well with white chocolate.
- Flaky sea salt: Optional, but it gives a pop of contrast against the sweetness. A light sprinkle makes the flavours shine.
How to Make White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Mix the Dry Ingredients
I start by whisking together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Once everything is combined, I set it aside so it’s ready to add later.
How to Brown Butter for Cookies
Next, I melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. I let it simmer until it turns a warm amber color and gives off a nutty aroma. Then I pour it into a mixing bowl, making sure to include the browned bits from the bottom, and let it cool for about 15 minutes.
Combine the Wet Ingredients
When the butter has cooled, I add the brown sugar and white sugar to the bowl. Using a hand mixer, I blend until everything is smooth and well combined.
Then I mix in the eggs and vanilla until the batter lightens in color.
Bring it All Together
I slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just combined. Then I fold in the white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts, being careful not to overmix.
At this point, I place the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill.
Bake the White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies
While the dough chills, I preheat my oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Once the dough is ready, I scoop heaping tablespoons and roll them into balls, placing them a couple of inches apart on the baking sheet.
I bake for about 10 minutes until the edges are golden but the centers are still soft.
Cool and Enjoy
When the cookies come out of the oven, I sprinkle them lightly with flaky sea salt. I let them rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This way, the cookies finish baking from the residual heat and stay soft and chewy in the middle.
Pro Tips
- Cut the butter into pieces before browning. Smaller pieces melt more evenly and help prevent burning, especially when stirring constantly.
- Use a light-colored pan. This makes it easier to see when the butter has reached that perfect amber color without going too far.
- Cool the butter before mixing. Letting it cool prevents the eggs from cooking when you add them to the sugar and butter mixture.
- Chill the dough. Giving the dough at least 30 minutes in the fridge helps the cookies hold their shape and bake up thicker.
- Try recipe variations. Swap the white chocolate for milk or dark chocolate, or use pecans, almonds, or walnuts in place of macadamias for a fun twist.
Storage
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, where they will stay fresh for about 4 to 5 days. If you want to keep them longer, you can refrigerate them for up to a week or freeze them for up to 2 months. For the best texture, let frozen cookies thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, you can freeze both the baked cookies and the unbaked dough. For dough, scoop it into balls, freeze on a tray, then store in a freezer bag and bake straight from frozen with a couple of extra minutes added. Baked cookies can also be frozen and thawed at room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy.
Toasting macadamia nuts is optional, but it does enhance their rich, buttery flavour and adds a little extra crunch. If you prefer a more subtle nutty taste, you can leave them raw and still get delicious results. It really depends on your personal preference.
That’s exactly how they should look. The centers finish setting as they cool on the baking sheet, which keeps them soft and chewy inside.
More Baked Recipes
- Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls
- Bulla Cake
- Ginger Molasses Cookies
- Cornmeal Pudding
- Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Strawberries and Cream French Toast Bake
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White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- Medium Mixing Bowl
- Saucepan
- Mixing Bowl
- Hand mixer
- Spatula
- Cookie scoop or tablespoon
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment paper or silicone mat
- Wire Rack
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup Brown Sugar, packed
- 3/4 cup Granulated White Sugar
- 2 Eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 cup White Chocolate Chips
- 1 cup Macadamia Nuts, roughly chopped
- Flaky Sea Salt, if desired
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
- Over medium-low heat, melt butter in a saucepan. Allow to simmer until the butter begins to turn a warm amber color with a nutty aroma. Pour the butter (including the more browned pieces settled at the bottom) into a mixing bowl. Allow to cool to room temperature, around 15 minutes.
- Once butter has cooled, add brown sugar and granulated white sugar to the bowl, mix using a hand mixer on medium speed until well incorporated ensuring to scrap down the sides. Add eggs and vanilla, and continue to mix until combined and mixture lighter in colour.
- Add in prepared dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts, do not overmix the batter. Place dough in refrigerator for 30 minutes to cool.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat; set aside.
- Remove cookie batter from fridge, scoop about a heaping tablespoon of the cookie dough at a time and roll into balls (use a cookie scoop if you have one on hand, mine were approx. 50g each). Place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes until edges golden brown. The centers will still be soft for “soft and chewy cookies”. For crispier cookies, bake for an additional 1-3 minutes.
- Remove from oven, sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt and allow to rest for a few minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Hi is the one cup of unsalted room temperature butter measured before melting or after, please
Hi Karen! It’s one cup measured before melting! Good question!
Made these for family and work friends. Have gotten nothing short of rave reviews!!! My supervisor told me she has told everyone she knows about my cookies😁. Family has gobbled them up and asked me not to make anymore because they are trying to cut back on sweets. The brown butter is the piece de resistance!’
Hi! This makes me so glad! Yayy!! So happy to hear this – its a phenomenal recipe and the brown butter is literally the standout feature in these! Thanks for sharing the rave reviews and happy baking!
Absolutely THE BEST cookie I have ever made!! Brown butter=the bomb!!! Thank you for the amazing recipe. Followed your directions to a T and they came out perfect!
Brown butter makes everything taste better! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Ok what did I do wrong… I tried this recipe and converted everything into grams so I could depend on my kitchen scale but my cookies did not turn out 🙁
They were still completely raw in the center and then super dark brown on the edges. They also spread tremendously. Not even edible:’(. Listing my conversions below to see if that is where my mistake was. I doubled the recipe so these are the conversions x2. I also let the dough sit in the fridge overnight, just shy of 24 hours. Help!
360g flour
3 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
454g butter
300g brown sugar
200g white sugar
4 eggs
4 tsp vanilla
320g white chocolate chips
268g macadamia nuts
Hi Sloan! Thanks for sharing the details! The issue looks like too much baking soda and not quite enough flour for a true double batch—this can cause spreading, dark edges, and raw centers. Try using closer to 400g flour and reducing the baking soda to 2.5 tsp for better structure and even baking. Let me know how it turns out!
Hi Sloan,
As someone who likes to bake in grams I 100% understand converting everything. Based on the recipe you posted I think your conversions were off and that’s why the cookies didn’t turn out. I’ve posted conversions for the flour, sugar, white chocolate chips and nuts below for the base recipe.
300g Flour
165g Brown Sugar
150g Sugar
112g Macadamia Nuts
170g White Chocolate Chip
A good rule of thumb is 120g per cup of all purpose flour, 220g per cup of brown sugar, and 200g per cup of sugar.