White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

It is great to be back...........

Restaurant Quality has been on a brief hiatus while in The Great City On A Great Lake. Flew back for some family events, and of course, to be with My Little Sweethearts, #1-4. We had FIVE sleepovers in 17 days. Lots of fun to be had at Grandma's house. Lots of conversations involving the musings of an eight year old, a seven year old, a four year old and a two year old.

Ms. Oconomowoc and I had Fun Day in The Windy City, visiting FD #2 ---- actually for lunch and then for cocktail time (there are those amongst us who feel that's the best time of the day). In between, we started out at FD's office building and walked about six miles to/from 'Marshall Field's' on State (we never call it Macy's) and to/from The Art Institute. Ahhhh, to stand and marvel at the 'blue' in Renoir's "The Two Sisters".

Now, here I am, back in The Great SouthWest.

It's Mother's Day weekend and I threw myself into some baking. I have been saying for quite some time that I was going to make White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies for Mr. Restaurant Quality.

Well, Mother's Day weekend is the perfect time to make them for the Father of all The Fabulous Ones and the Grandfather of all The Little Sweethearts. (I would not be a Mom or Grandma without him..............)

So, I cranked up my ipod and starting hauling out all the ingredients. I HIGHLY recommend baking to Bobby Darin's 'Call Me Irresponsible'. It is a great song ---- the musical arrangement is sooo good ------ and I blast it. It made these cookies especially good.

Life is good...........................

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

350 degrees
parchment lined cookie sheets
makes about 4 dozen


1 cup butter, room temp
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, room temp
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. almond extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts (about 3/4 pound)
1 cup coarsely chopped white chocolate

In medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and sugar, until smooth.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time.

Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.

Gradually add the flour mixture into the butter mixture.

Mix in the nuts and white chocolate.

Drop dough by teaspoonsful, onto parchment lined cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and place pans on cooling racks. Let cookies 'rest' about five minutes, then remove from pan and place cookies on cooling racks.


My Notes:

A disclaimer: I am not a White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie gal. In fact, I step forward to say that I have never had one. You see what true love is ----- I baked something for Mr. Restaurant Quality that I don't care for. Mr. Restaurant Quality wishes to advise all that he is "The Tester" for this recipe, and he advises that they are good.

I tried one (ok, I tried three). They are tasty, but I prefer eating the dough.................

RE: baking for 10 minutes. I rotated the pans (top rack to bottom rack and vice versa) at the
five minute mark.

Start watching for 'doneness' at 9 minutes.

RE: the 'resting' of the cookies on the pan after coming out of the oven. I read somewhere that if you do this, you'll get a chewier cookie. I think 'chewy' does this cookie proud, so I let them 'rest'.

If you prefer a crisper cookie, remove the cookies from the pan, directly to a cooling rack, as soon as you take them out of the oven.

I am lucky to have a Sprouts grocery store near me, here in The Great SouthWest. Bought the nuts there, from a bulk bin, for $5.39/pound.