White chocolate and macadamia nut cookies spiked with just a touch of coffee.
White chocolate and macadamia nut cookies are such a classic, aren’t they? We’ve been over here brainstorming about ideas for Christmas cookies and thought we might try our hand at this one.
The challenge was with macadamia nuts and white chocolate, both very rich ingredients, how to give this cookie a bit of sparkle.
Our solution?
A touch of instant coffee granules added to the dough.
A Hint of Coffee Flavor
The cookie already has macadamia nuts and vanilla, both tropical ingredients. A little coffee flavor added to the mix, coffee also being a tropical ingredient, gives this cookie a splash of pizazz.
While any instant coffee granule will do, I use and recommend the VIA packets sold at Starbucks. The granules are finely ground, and dissolve easily in the mixture. If you use decaf granules, you won’t have to worry about getting a coffee buzz from a cookie.
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies Recipe
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 15 minutes
- Yield: Makes about a dozen cookies
This recipe can be made either with a stand mixer, or by hand with a bowl, a wooden spoon, and strong arms. If you use salted butter, please omit the added salt in this recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (160 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick, or 8 Tbsp, or 112g) at room temperature
- 1/2 cup white sugar (90 g)
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed (85 g)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules or instant espresso powder
- 1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts (3 1/2 ounces, or 100 g)
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Method
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2 Whisk dry ingredients: Vigorously whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl and set aside.
3 Make cookie dough: Beat the butter until fluffy. Add the brown and white sugars and beat until smooth. Beat in the egg. Add the vanilla extract and instant coffee and beat until creamy.
Add the dry ingredients a third at time, mixing after each addition.
When the batter is combined, fold in the nuts and chocolate chips with a wooden spoon.
4 Place on baking sheet: Drop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoon amounts on a greased baking sheet, place 2 inches apart from each other to allow enough room for the cookies to spread as they bake.
5 Bake: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are nicely browned and the center is just barely cooked.
6 Cool: Take the cookies from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes, then move them to a rack to cool completely.
Links:
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies here on Simply Recipes
White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies with Browned Butter – from Joy the Baker
Oatmeal White Chocolate Cookies – from Smitten Kitchen
