Can we talk about white chocolate chunks & macadamia nuts today? 

Now, I have to admit that this is one cookie I do not make. 

Like, ever.

Maybe because I rarely have 1 cup of macadamia nuts on hand.  I have a kitchen cabinet lined with mason jars filled with just about every kind of nut… except the macadamia.  Go figure.

But, it’s one of my boyfriend’s favorite cookie. So the other day I decided I would give it a whirl.

I bought a bag of macadamia nuts and two big bars of the best white chocolate I could find.

And I have to say…

I will definitely be making these more often.

This recipe has a base that is very similar to Baking Illustrated’s “thick and chewy chocolate chip cookie " which happens to be one of my go-to’s.  It’s another reason why these white chocolate cookies are so darn good. 

This week I packaged up a few of these and sent them to friends. Because the cookie experience is meant to be shared.

Chewy White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cups chopped salted macadamia nuts
• 2 cups good-quality white chocolate, chopped into chunks

Directions:

- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

-  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.

- Beat together the melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the egg, then beat in the egg yolk, then beat in the vanilla.

-  Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture until just moistened. Stir in the macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips by hand until just combined.

-  Drop dough by heaping tablespoons onto baking sheets sprayed with nonstick spray. I make sure the top of the dough is rigid and filled with chunks.

- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges look golden brown and the middles don’t look quite set. Rotate sheet halfway through.

- Allow to finish cooling on the baking sheet. These freeze well too.

Well, now I’ve divided my life into two parts: the time before I made this cookie. And now the rest of my life with this cookie in it.

Cheers to new favorites.