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    Home Β» Recipes Β» Cookies

    Lemon White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

    Published: Jul 20, 2016 Β· Modified: Jun 7, 2020 by Alyssa Β· This post may contain affiliate links.

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    White chocolate macadamia nut cookies are nice and chewy with toasted macadamia nuts, white chocolate, and a perfect hint of lemon. These cookies are just the thing for the citrus lovers in your life!

    A lemon white chocolate macadamia nut cookie with a bite taking out of it on top of a jar of white chocolate chips.

    Outside of extra festive varieties like Christmas sugar cookies or red, white, and blue confections, I'm not one to declare cookies as seasonal and designate them for certain times of the year. When you have a craving, you have a craving, you know?

    That said, if I had to pick a time of year when these white chocolate macadamia nut cookies would be most appropriate it would have to be the warmer months.

    For one, there's a whole lemon's worth of zest in here, which is a super simple way to bring a bright and spring-y flavor. And then there are the toasted macadamia nuts. Their buttery flavor/texture never fails to scream tropical. Hula pie, anyone?

    Bowls of cookie ingredients

    The cookie base here is my go-to that I also use in my homemade break and bake cookies. It holds its shape without being sticky and is c-h-e-w-y. Just how I like my cookies.

    This macadamia nut cookie recipe really begins by toasting your macadamia nuts. You may be able to find them in the baking aisle of your local grocery store or in the bulk bin section if your store has those. While you can buy already roasted macadamias, I usually go with raw and roast them myself.

    How to toast macadamia nuts

    Just like when you're toasting coconut and other nuts, there are two main details to remember and you're good to go:

    1. Arrange whatever it is you're toasting in a single layer on an ungreased, rimmed baking sheet.
    2. Don't walk away from the kitchen! Things can go from toasty golden-brown to singed and burnt very, very quickly. Keep a close eye.

    Other than that, heat the oven to 350°F and set the timer for 8-10 minutes. Mine usually take around ten, but all ovens are different. Once they're golden and becoming fragrant they're ready.

    Lemon white chocolate macadamia nut cookie dough in a stand mixer bowl with the paddle attachment

    Recipe steps

    The method for these lemon white chocolate macadamia nut cookies is pretty straightforward. Now that our ingredients are prepped and the nuts are roasted, the butter, sugars, and wet ingredients are creamed in a bowl until light.

    Next, the dry ingredients are mixed in until just combined. Then goodies like the white chocolate and macadamia nuts are folded in.

    Now you're ready to scoop! The cookie scoop I use for these has a two-tablespoon capacity. Be sure not to crowd the cookies in on the baking sheet because they'll spread as they bake. Aim to leave at least 1 Β½" between them.

    Once golden around the edges, remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool for five or so minutes on the tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an air-tight container once cooled.

    A raw cookie dough ball on a parchment-lined baking sheet

    The whys

    Using softened butter is important here as it more easily combines with the sugar and other ingredients when they're creamed together, versus butter chilled from the fridge. This helps produce a tender cookie texture.

    I always measure flour by the spooning and leveling method. This prevents against excess flour making its way into the recipe, which would lead to drier baked goods. To measure this way, stir the flour up in its bag or canister to fluff it up, then spoon it into your dry measuring cup, letting it just fall in there without packing it down.

    Once full, use a straight edge like a knife (or what I usually use, the flat handle of the spoon) to level off the top of the measuring cup. I do this over the flour bag so the excess falls right back in.

    Toasting macadamia nuts allows them to develop a deeper flavor that really stands out when you bite into them in one of these cookies. While raw nuts wouldn't be awful or anything, I recommend taking the extra time to toast them. It's worth it!

    A rectangular ceramic serving tray stacked with cookies

    If you're looking for ways to use up your macadamia nuts, coconut macadamia crusted salmon is one of our family favorites. Plus for this easy weeknight dinner recipe, there's no need to toast them beforehand.

    And if you're into the lemon and nut combination, Italian ricotta cookies feature lots of lemon-y flavor combined with almond extract. Mmm.

    Recipe notes

    • Either salted or unsalted macadamia nuts would work -- use salted if you're into a sweet and salty dessert combo.
    • Over the years I've baked these cookies using ungreased baking sheets and sheets lined with parchment paper. There's enough fat in here that they won't stick to the ungreased sheets, though I prefer parchment as it makes for easier cleanup.
    • I used a two-tablespoon capacity cookie scoop here, but a (more common) one-and-a-half-tablespoon, more medium-sized scoop will absolutely do, too. Just reduce the bake time by a few minutes and keep an eye on them.
    A white chocolate macadamia nut cookie with a bite taken out of it on top of a frosted glass jar of white chocolate chips

    Lemon White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

    White chocolate macadamia nut cookies are nice and chewy with toasted macadamia nuts, white chocolate, and a perfect hint of lemon. These cookies are just the thing for the citrus lovers in your life!
    4.80 from 10 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Cookies
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 25 minutes
    Cook Time: 16 minutes
    Total Time: 41 minutes
    Servings: 18 cookies
    Calories: 203kcal
    Author: Alyssa

    Ingredients

    • Β½ cup plus 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • β…” cup granulated sugar
    • Β½ cup brown sugar
    • 1 egg
    • 1 Β½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 Β½ teaspoon lemon zest (from about 1 large lemon)
    • 1 ΒΎ cup plus 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
    • Β½ teaspoon baking powder
    • Β½ cup toasted macadamia nuts, chopped
    • Β½ cup white chocolate chips
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    To toast the macadamia nuts:

    • Heat oven to 350°F. Place macadamia nuts in a single layer on a rimmed and ungreased baking sheet and toast for 8-10 minutes, or until they become fragrant and lightly browned. Immediately remove the toasted nuts from the sheet to a separate plate or bowl. If making the cookies right away, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.

    To make the cookies:

    • Add softened butter, sugars, egg, vanilla extract, and lemon zest to a bowl and beat using a mixer on medium speed until light and creamy.
    • Whisk together the flour and baking powder. Add to the rest of the ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined, taking care not to overmix.
    • Chop the toasted macadamia nuts into smaller pieces and add to the batter along with the white chocolate chips. Stir in until evenly dispersed.
    • Scoop batter using a 2-tbsp cookie scoop (or a spoon) and place onto parchment-lined baking sheets about 1 Β½-2" apart from one another to account for spreading.
    • Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Let cookies sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes, and them remove to cool completely on a wire rack.

    Notes

    I used a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to yield 18 nicely-sized cookies. Using a 1 Β½ tablespoon scoop will probably yield about 22-24 slightly smaller cookies. If using a smaller scoop, reduce the baking time by a few minutes.
    If you're baking one batch at a time, consider popping the waiting cookies on their sheets in the fridge. This helps prevent them from becoming too warm, which will make them spread more.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 203kcal | Carbohydrates: 24.7g | Protein: 2.2g | Fat: 10.8g | Saturated Fat: 5.4g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 64mg | Fiber: 0.7g | Sugar: 14.3g | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.9mg
    Tried this Recipe?Tag @mysequinedlife - I love to see what you're making!

    Nutritional information is provided as an estimate. As it can vary due to many factors (brands used, quantities, etc.), we cannot guarantee its accuracy.

    Food Safety and Nutrition Disclaimer

     

    « Mango Peach White Sangria
    Lemon Coconut Ice Cream with Toasted Macadamia Nuts (Dairy-Free) »
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Shanna says

      December 22, 2021 at 7:35 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious cookies!!! Next time I may add a little more lemon zest but these cookies are still 5 stars as it!

      Reply
      • Alyssa says

        January 12, 2022 at 12:21 pm

        So happy you like them, Shanna!

        Reply
    2. Britt says

      July 29, 2020 at 2:47 pm

      Could I make the dough and leave it in the freezer for lager use?

      Reply
      • Alyssa says

        July 29, 2020 at 3:00 pm

        That would work for these cookies! I'd scoop them into balls and freeze that way.

        Reply
    3. Thecrafty-woman says

      April 24, 2020 at 9:47 am

      5 stars
      What a treat! These cookies are so good, it’s tough to share!

      Reply
      • Alyssa says

        April 25, 2020 at 6:00 pm

        I agree! πŸ™‚

        Reply
    4. Sandi says

      June 08, 2019 at 9:33 pm

      5 stars
      These cookies are seriously yummy! I love macadamias!

      Reply
    5. wilhelmina says

      June 08, 2019 at 8:46 pm

      5 stars
      I love the bright zing that lemon adds to these cookies! You made one of my favs even better!!!

      Reply
    6. Priya says

      September 28, 2017 at 5:10 pm

      Hi Alyssa, thanks for a wonderful recipe. I love Macadamia nuts but not chocolate chips, can I just skip chocolate chips from the recipe? Please let me know, TIA

      Reply
      • Alyssa says

        September 28, 2017 at 6:23 pm

        Hi Priya, yes you can! This recipe will work just fine without them. I hope you enjoy! πŸ™‚

        Reply
        • Priya says

          September 29, 2017 at 2:02 pm

          Thanks for such a quick response, will let you know how they turn out. πŸ™‚

    7. marcie says

      July 20, 2016 at 6:15 pm

      These cookies look delicious, Alyssa, and I love that you added lemon to the mix! Citrus is always welcome in my eyes, and so are cookies for that matter!

      Reply
      • Alyssa says

        July 20, 2016 at 8:57 pm

        Thanks so much Marcie!

        Reply
    8. Alynne says

      July 20, 2016 at 10:32 am

      Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and definitely Sunday night! Cookie perfection!

      Reply
      • Alyssa says

        July 20, 2016 at 8:55 pm

        That's the kind of logic my sweet tooth likes to hear. πŸ™‚

        Reply
    9. Sues says

      July 20, 2016 at 7:42 am

      I always consider macadamia nuts to be fancy, too, and I absolutely loveeee them with white chocolate in cookies. These sound just perfect!! And if you're AC isn't keeping you cool enough, you definitely need extra cookies!

      Reply
      • Alyssa says

        July 20, 2016 at 9:02 pm

        Thanks Sues! πŸ™‚

        Reply
    10. Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      July 20, 2016 at 6:53 am

      Girl, we have NO A/C in any of our 3 cars :O It's brutal!

      Reply
      • Alyssa says

        July 20, 2016 at 8:49 pm

        Oh man oh man! That is brutal. I don't want to wish the seasons away but I kind of can't wait until fall!

        Reply
    11. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says

      July 20, 2016 at 6:28 am

      Cookies are definitely needed, especially on a Wednesday! I love this lemon version, Alyssa! And white chocolate makes everything better, too. Perfect to cure my cookie cravings!

      Reply
      • Alyssa says

        July 20, 2016 at 9:10 pm

        Thanks Gayle! I agree. πŸ™‚

        Reply

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    Hi! I’m Alyssa and welcome to my food blog. Here you can find a variety of food and drink recipes, running the gamut from better-for-you main dishes to holiday fare, and from lighter bites to some serious desserts. All with the occasional cocktail recipe thrown in for good measure, too. ♥ Learn more β†’

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