White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

My absolute favorite cookie has to be White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookies... and I realize that is weird since I absolutely adore chocolate (especially dark). So how did a girl who loves dark chocolate come to decide that her favorite cookie doesn't have chocolate in it? I'm not getting into the white chocolate vs. chocolate in this post, just to let you know! I think it comes from hardly ever making these cookies and only having them on special occasions. Believe it or not, I hadn't made my favorite cookie until last year (at least not in my recollections, which is something I think I'd remember)! True story, I'd make cheesecakes, chocolates but never White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies. Is it because I held them up to such a high standard or because I felt that they should be reserved for a special occasion for which they were always store bought? I don't know. All I know now is that I'm definately making them more often in the future! I've only made them twice in the past year, but considering I've been on a diet the last 6 months, that makes sense... I eat WAY too many of these when they are laying around ;). So to answer the original question, I think these are my favorite because they were a rare treat and I enjoyed eating them every time I got one!

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

First you'll need 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened. You can use salted, but unsalted is better for cookies - plus it helps cut down on sodium in you diet. ;)

You'll also need 1/3 cup granulated sugar

and 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed.

Cream the butter and sugar together for 1-2 minutes.

Next, add 1/2 cup malt powder (I used Ovaltine's malt mix.) Seriously, this makes the cookies so darn good. I wouldn't omit unless your local grocer does not carry it!

Beat it in. Now is a great time to snitch the dough - which I realize is only butter, sugar and malt...

You'll also need 2 eggs. Beat well.

Add 1/2 tsp salt,

1 tsp vanilla extract,

and 3/4 tsp baking soda.

toss them all in and beat until just combined.

Next, add 2-1/2 cups flour. Beat until combined, do not over beat.

Next, add 2 cups white chocolate chips. Just a note on white chocolate - most white chips in the stores do not include cocoa butter (the only cocoa they have in them) but use instead some other type of oil. When possible try to get white chocolate chips (instead of vanilla chips, etc.) You'll have to read the ingredients on some to make sure, but unless it has cocoa butter it will not say White Chocolate (or should not!)

Also toss in 1-1/2 cups of Macadamia Nuts. Just a side note on macadamia nuts - toffee and chocolate covered whole roasted macadamia nuts are to die for, but are not good for your waistline. However, if you get a chance to try them, I highly suggest doing so!

Mix the chips and nuts into the cookie dough.

looks delicious!

Place by tablespoonfuls onto a cookie sheet.

These I had frozen into a log and baked later. This is a great way to help me not eat a whole batch in one sitting... not that I would!

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes... or longer/shorter depending on the size of the cookies and your oven.

I pull mine out just before the middle is finished cooking and let them finish on the pan for 1-2 minutes. It makes them soft and gooey, plus they never get overcooked.

However, if you happen to cook them for just a bit too long, once removed from oven, place them on a cooling rack ASAP.

It stops them from being completely overcooked.

Let them cool for a few minutes. Or you can be like me and almost burn your mouth on the cookies right out of the oven.

I can guarantee you these were not the first batch out of the oven!

Excuse me now, I'm going to have to go make a batch of these... actually I'm going to have to run to the store to get chips and malt powder first!

Enjoy!