Spring will be here in less than three weeks. It cannot get here soon enough. Beside the shift in the weather, spring brings one of my favorite flavors. Tulips. Given the choice between a bouquet of roses and a bunch of tulips, tulips always win. If given the choice between hydrangeas and tulips, it would be a draw. I wouldn't, couldn't choose between them. Of the many things on my ever evolving bucket list is spending time walking through and capturing the beauty of rows upon rows of tulips found in an orchard. If given the choice between traveling to the tulip farms in either Michigan or Washington, I would lean toward Washington. Mostly because I long to return to the captivating, breathtaking beauty of the northwest. Although a less than three hour drive to the tulip farms in Michigan seems the most practical option this spring. Choosing practical isn't necessarily one of my strong suits.
Until I decide where and when I can check off one of the things high on my bucket list, I will be buying bunches of tulips at least weekly. At least until the hydrangeas come into season.
As I was doing some early spring cleaning in my cupboards, I discovered I had several unexpired packages of macadamia nuts. They were bought with the intention of being used to make my Key Lime Pie with Macadamia Nut Crust. A Christmas dessert request that wasn't granted (too many competing requests this year). Rather than have the macadamia nuts go to waste, I thought 'Why not use them to make White Chocolate Chunk and Macadamia Nut Cookies?' instead.
After years or rather I should say decades of using chocolate 'chips', I discovered chopped chunks of chocolate create a more satisfying and even more beautiful cookie. Uneven, chopped pieces create pools of intensely satisfying bites of chocolate.
Like all of the chocolate chip cookies I make these days, an ice cream scoop is used to create perfect round balls and they get some chilling time in the refrigerator before going into the oven. I have chilled dough for as a little as two hours and as long as overnight. But if not waiting until the next day to bake, I prefer to let the dough chill for at least four hours. I can't really explain why I think four hours is better than two hours or three hours. I really do wish I could give you a credible culinary answer to this recommendation. If there is one.
The dough for these White Chocolate Chunk and Macadamia Nut Cookies is made in a large bowl. No mixer required. In other words, they couldn't be easier to make. But before mixing up a batch, make sure to roast your macadamia nuts to further enhance their flavor. See the roasting time recommendation in the notes below.
Instead of baking up the entire batch of these cookies, I froze about dozen of the balls of dough. I love being able to bake up a batch of cookies for an impromptu gathering or to satisfy a craving.
I would like to go so far as to say these are the BEST White Chocolate Chunk and Macadamia Nut Cookies in the universe. But sometimes the use of the word 'best' as a descriptor is a double-edge sword. So instead I will say they are an irresistibly addictive, indulgence. Quite possibly falling into the 'to die for' or 'make you go weak in the knees' cookie categories. The combination of white chocolate and macadamia nuts in a cookie will take your cookie loving palate to places it may have never gone before. Additionally these White Chocolate Chunk and Macadamia Nut Cookies are as refreshing of a change from a 'chocolate' chip/chunk cookie as there is with a change in seasons. If you like white chocolate and macadamia nuts, you fall in love with these cookies. Especially if you make them with chunks versus chips of white chocolate.
White Chocolate Chunk and Macadamia Nut Cookies
Makes 28-30 large cookies
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, cut up into pieces
3 1/4 cups (416 g) all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/4 cups (250 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup (50 g) dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons vanilla
12 ounces white chocolate chopped into chunks (recommend Ghiradelli White Chocolate)
1 cup (126 g) macadamia nuts, roasted and coarsely chopped
Optional: Flaky sea salt for finishing
Directions
1. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, melt butter on lowest heat possible to ensure the butter does not sizzle or lose any of its' moisture. Stir occasionally. Once the butter has melted, remove from heat and set aside.
2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and kosher salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, pour in melted butter. Add brown sugars and granulated sugar, whisking until sugar has melted.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking after each addition.
5. Stir in vanilla.
6. Using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, stir in flour mixture until barely blended and still a teeny bit floury.
7. Add in chopped white chocolate and roasted/chopped macadamia nuts. Stir until all ingredients are combined.
8. Using a large ice cream scooper (large golf ball sized), scoop dough and then roll into balls. Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Chill at least 4 hours or overnight.
9. Before baking sprinkle each cookie with a bit of flaky sea salt. Or bake without the addition of the sea salt.
10. In a preheated 360 degree (F) oven, bake cookies until the tops are cracked and lightly golden. Rotate the pan halfway through the baking process. Baking time is approximately 10-12 minutes, however, mine ranged from 13-14 minutes. Note: Midway through the baking process tap the cookie sheet several times on a large flat surface.
11. Allow cookies to cool on pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
12. Enjoy immediately! Store cookies in a sealed container.
Notes: (1) Chilling the balls of dough overnight is a game-changer. When baking each sheet of cookies (about 8-9 will fit on a large baking sheet pan), keep the remaining dough in the refrigerator. If you are not a big fan of dark brown sugar, use all light brown sugar. (2) To roast the macadamia nuts, place a baking pan in a preheated 325 degree (F) oven and and bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. (3) Balls of dough can be frozen in a freezer ziplock bag for up to a month. When ready to bake, place the frozen balls of dough on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Baking time may need to be increased slightly.
