White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookies are the only real contender when it comes to wrenching me away from your classic Chocolate Chip cookie. If faced with a choice, I always have to deliberate, long and hard. Usually, the macadamia nut cookies win. But with this special incarnation, I would not be able to resist.
I made a standard recipe of the cookies and then added orange essential oil (though you could use orange extract instead) and grated orange peel. The result is an addictive cookie that makes my list of top ten cookies of all time. I have to warn you that if you make these, you won’t be able to stop eating them. But it’s worth it 🙂
- 1/2 c. one stick butter, room temperature
- 1/2 c. brown sugar packed
- 1/3 c. granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 10 drops DoTERRA Wild Orange essential oil or 1 tsp. orange extract
- 1 Tbsp. fresh orange zest
- 1 3/4 c. flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 3/4 c. white chocolate chips
- 1/2 c. coarsely chopped macadamia nuts salted or unsalted, according to your preference
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with Silpat or parchment paper.
- Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla extract, orange oil (or extract) and mix well.
- Add one cup of the flour, along with the baking soda and salt and mix well. Add remaining 1/2 cup flour and mix until incorporated. If necessary, add more flour until the dough is thick and doesn't stick to your fingers when you pinch it.
- Add white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts and mix until evenly distributed.
- Using a large cookie scoop, place dough two inches apart on baking sheets. Using your fingers, press the sides of the dough in to make the unbaked cookies look like tall rectangles or small pillars. (You just want them taller than they are wide. This will ensure that the cookies maintain a soft, chewy center).
- Bake for 12 minutes, until edges just start to brown. Remove from the oven, even though the cookies will look puffy and slightly undercooked. They will finish cooking on the pan outside the oven. After about 10 minutes, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
If you want to use stoneware to bake your cookies, you will need to increase the time in the oven. You can also make larger cookies by using a scoop and a half of dough. Make sure there is enough room between cookies for them to spread.
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Those cookies are so PRETTY! I bet they taste pretty too. 😀
Made this with orange extract and a little less sugar. It was a soft and chewy texture with slightly crispy edge, great recipe! 🙂
So glad you liked them! Thanks for taking the time to make them and comment!
I LOVE macadamia nut cookies! With the orange flavor I bet they’re even better!
Yes, they are fantastic with the orange flavor! Thanks for stopping by Lindsay!
This is a genius combo Melissa!! I need one! And your photos are so gorgeous 🙂
Thank you, Karen! I so appreciate your comment!
How sweet are these? I don’t want them too sweet.
And about how many does this recipe make?
They are pretty sweet. (They are cookies, afterall!) That being said, you can reduce the amount of sugar if you want. But understand that it will change the appearance of the cookies.
About how many does this recipe make?
About 30, depending on the size of your scoop.
Just had one precious cookie at a reception after a Christmas concert. It was so amazing I just Googled the flavors to get the recipe! DELICIOUS Melissa!!! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe will make them soon for a special “Sister-Girls” brunch.
Grace, Peace and Happy Baking!
Cathy
Thank you Cathy! I hope the cookies turned out wonderfully for you!
These look so good!
I just had one question though – in the ingredients list you have 1 TBSP of orange zest but there isn’t a place for it in the mixing steps below… where is it supposed to be mixed in? Thanks!
Yikes! Sorry I left that out! You can mix in the orange zest with the wet ingredients before you mix in the flour.
This recipe makes very very yummy cookies. I did not use any essential oil or orange extract and white choc. Used 1/3 of the sugal level and 2 tbsp orange rind. Very very yummy! Thanks
Ana, I’m so glad you loved the cookies! Thanks for leaving a comment and rating!
Definitely going to make these. When I lived in Spartenburg, SC there was a small restaurant that had them fresh baked daily. They were Heavenly….
I hope you love them, Ellise!