Macadamia & Almond White Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you want a change from the traditional milk-choc-chip, look no further. With the toasty, nutty warmth of these cookies, the decadence of is certainly not lost through a change to white chocolate or the addition of nuts.

The nuts could be changed for a different type, though macadamias and almonds work very well (the ratio of macadamia:almond could be altered)- if you have allergies or just don't like nuts, they could be omitted and these would still taste great.

I found this recipe on Mr. P's blog, and edited it ever so slightly. I froze these cookies before baking (as I did with the Chocolate Chip Cookies- I froze them in blobs until solid, then transferred them to freezer bags, in which they can remain for up to 6 months). I often do this now, as not only can you have warm cookies in a snap, but the shape, texture -and taste if left for at least 24 hours- seem to improve.

Macadamia Almond White Chocolate Cookies

Makes about 15

Ingredients:

100g raw macadamia nuts

100g raw almonds, roughly chopped

125g unsalted butter

150g soft light brown sugar

25g soft dark brown sugar

½tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

225g plain flour

½tsp salt

1tsp baking powder

150g chocolate, chopped

Method:

1. Pre heat the oven to 180°C/ 350F/Gas 4. Line a baking tray/s with greaseproof paper.

2. Place the nuts into a hot frying pan over a medium-low heat and toast until golden brown. Leave to cool.

3. Cream together the butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl until pale and fluffy, then beat in the vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time.

4. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into the buttery mixture and mix until completely combined. Add the cooled nuts and chocolate pieces and fold evenly through the dough.

5. Scoop blobs of dough, using an ice cream scoop onto the prepared tray/s and bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 or until lightly golden and darker at the edges.


If you are freezing the dough, scoop the made-up dough into 60ml blobs onto greaseproof paper and place in the freezer for 20 minutes, until the blobs are solid. Put the frozen blobs into a freezer bag and return to the freezer where they can stay for up to 6 months. Cook the dough from frozen- the baking instructions are the same, but with an additional 2- 3 minutes.