If this blog were written by 13 year old me instead of 28 year old me… I can safely say that I would blog about these White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies every. single. day.
One bite of these cookies and… oh heavens! I feel like I’m being dropped off at the mall to meet my friends on a hot summer day. We speak Gibberish and Pig Latin. We are fluent enough in both made up languages to combine the two into one mega made-up language. It’s pretty sick.
One bite of these cookie and I have tragically frizzly triangle hair and my twenty dollar allowance in my pocket. My friends are trying to convince me to see Jurassic Park and all I want to do is sit on a bench with a bag of White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies from Mrs Field’s and try to muster up the courage to go talk to the cute cashier at Sbarro Pizza.
One bite of these cookie and, yes… I’m wearing overalls. Yes.. I only have one strap buckled. Yes… one hanging strap on overalls is super cool.
Who knew one bite of a cookie could be so transforming…. and awkward. It’s a good thing I don’t make these very often.
These cookies are a sweet treat. Boy oh boy are they sweet. Between the brown sugar and the white chocolate chunks… wowza! Sweet. These days I like mine best with a milky cup of coffee. The browned butter adds a lovely nuttiness to the batter, kicking up the lovable factor on this already stellar cookie.
Brown Butter White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
adapted from Betty Crocker
makes 2 dozen small cookies
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, don’t even think of using margarine
1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
2 Tablespoons milk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
1 cup white chocolate chunks
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium saucepan melt the butter, swirling and stirring the butter until nicely browned bits appear in the bottom of the pan. This may take about 5-7 minutes. Once the butter is browned, remove pan from heat and set aside to cool a bit while you measure out the dry ingredients and set them aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer add the brown sugar and slightly cooled butter. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Add egg and beat for one minute more. Add milk and vanilla extract and beat to incorporate.
Turn the mixer off, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the dry ingredients all at once. With either the stand mixer on low, or by hand with a spatula, incorporate the dry ingredients until just mixed in. Fold in the chopped nuts and white chocolate chips.
Scoop two teaspoon sized balls onto a lined baking sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until cookies are deliciously golden. Remove from oven and let rest of the baking sheet for 3 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
katie
oh my goodness, those look amazing! i was allergic to chocolate when i was little (tragic, i know) so i have the best memories of my grandma buying me bars of white chocolate from the candy department at macy’s.
Kylie of Thin Crust, Deep Dish
Good stuff. I have to admit, the white chocolate macadamia was my fave, too, but when I was even littler than 13. I love that you browned the butter; such a great idea. Lovely, as always.
Donna
When I read the title of this post my first thought was “My favorite mall cookie!” Then I read your story and giggled of your mall experience. My mall time consisted of Orange Julius, the OP store, and the cute boys at the corn dog stand. Pastel Plaid with a nice perm, bangs sprayed high over to the side. Awesome.
I have never made this cookie but that’s about to change. Thanks Joy!
Liz Brooks
Oh my good Lord these sound good. Funny thing is they are my favorite cookie, but I’ve never made them myself! LOL I’ll have to try it soon.
Evan
LOL! The Hubs and I were talking the other day and I told him how I used to wear overalls back in the day and he said they were never in style. What the heck does HE know, right?
joythebaker
hahahaa! the hubs just wishes he were cool enough to wear overalls back in the day… for serious.
Kate
OMG (as my 16 year old would say), these look amazing!!!
Shushmi
Oh My! the overalls (think we call them dungarees in the UK) with only one strap done up brings back vague memories…and being 13 with bad air and terrible attempts at make up! sometimes its a good thing to have grown up!
cookies look scrummy!!!! yum yum yum!
joythebaker
yes… it’s very very good to have grown up.
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is
OH yum. So gonna make this for my cookie jar. :)
Alicia
I am bookmarking this one – I love white chocolate and the addition of macadamia for that bit of extra crunch – yum!
Abby (Nibble, Nourish, Run)
Girlie I am with you on the Mrs. Field’s/overalls/Sbarro mall tragic-ness. Love. Can’t wait to make these so I too can be transported back to that oh so special (awkward) time.
DeAnne
the ones at Au Bon Pain do the same thing to me, I can hardly wait to give this recipe a shot!
Akinaj
Ohhhh, I think may have to make these very soon. Just as soon as I can get my hands on some macadamias again!
paula
I think it will be even without the nuts.
Ashley from NC
I had frizzy triangle hair too! My sister used to call me mushroom head… very, very tragic. These cookies, however, look amazing. I’ll be making them this weekend!
Mandie
Ack! I’ve been waiting for you make these cookies! I didn’t want to try a recipe from anyone else. My husband LOVES white chocolate macadamia nut cookies — he’s going to fall over when I send these to him in Iraq. I could just hug you!
joythebaker
Iraq!? Oh My! I could just hug the both of you! If these cookies are going all the way to Iraq, they might be best if you undercook them a bit. I hope he loves them!