I can’t believe the month of August is almost over. This month has been so crazy between cleaning and organizing my bedroom and office, researching teaching jobs, and working on my literature class assignments. Graduation is less than a week away, and I am super excited. But first, I need to write a fifteen-page paper, a five-page analysis paper, and two discussions. I am a little nervous about getting all of this work done, but I am determined. I have dreamt of getting my master’s degree since I was a teenager, and now I am so close. I’m going to need a lot of coffee, and there are going to be a lot of late nights. Since I am going to have a stressful week, I thought a sweet treat would bring me some comfort while I do my homework.

This week I would like to share my take on my favorite cookies—white chocolate macadamia nut from my kitchen to yours. It’s a soft-baked cookie with white chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, and macadamia nuts. They are buttery and sweet and taste amazing, so if you love white chocolate, you will love this cookie recipe. The following recipe makes almost three dozen cookies, depending on the size you make your cookies.

Photo by Destiny Constantin

Gluten-Free White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks of salted butter, softened
• 1 ½ cup of granulated cane sugar
• 1 cup of granulated cane sugar + 2 teaspoons of molasses (Substitution for 1 ½ cup of light brown sugar.)
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste (May substitute for pure vanilla extract.)
• 4 ½ cups of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten- Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour
• 2 teaspoons of baking soda
• 10 ounces of macadamia nuts (Chop nuts in half if they are large.)
• 12 ounces of white chocolate chips
• 2 ounces of semi-sweet milk chocolate chips
• 2 teaspoons of corn starch

Directions:

1. Gather all your ingredients.
   

   Photo by Destiny Constantin

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about two minutes.
4. In a small bowl, stir the molasses and cane sugar together with a baking spatula. Add to the bowl of the stand mixer.
5. Add the eggs, vanilla, and mix to incorporate fully. Baking tip: (Crack eggs into a liquid measure cup to prevent egg shells from getting into your cookie dough mixture.
   

   Photo by Destiny Constantin

6. With the mixture on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture in 2 batches, beating just until combined, stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Do not over-beat.
   

   Photo by Destiny Constantin

7. Let cookie mix rest for a couple of minutes while you toast your nuts. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet then spread out your macadamia nuts on the pan. Toast them in the oven for five minutes on 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
   

   Photo by Destiny Constantin

8. After toasting the nuts, raise the oven temperature to 325 degrees Fahrenheit to bake the cookies.
9. In a small bowl or zip lock bag, toss both kinds of chocolate chips together with the cornstarch. When the nuts are cool, toss them in the corn starch with the chocolate chips.
   

   Photo by Destiny Constantin

10. Once the batter is blended and fluffy, fold in the nuts and chocolate chips using a baking spatula.
11. Mix batter until it is smooth and blended well.
    

    Photo by Destiny Constantin

12. Line three cookie sheets with parchment paper or a baking mat.
13. Shape and form the cookies.
14. Baking tip: Use a cookie or ice cream scooper to help shape the cookies into round two-inch balls.
    

    Photo by Destiny Constantin

15. Bake cookies for 15 minutes. Time may vary depending on the type of oven you have and the size of your cookies.
16. While the cookies are in the oven, prepare a cup of coffee, tea, or milk.
17. Let cookies cool before eating them because they will be very soft still, but the cookies will firm up as they are cooling.

I hope you enjoy making this recipe as much as I had fun drinking milk and cold-brew coffee while eating my warm white chocolate chip cookies before digging into a long night of homework.

Photo by Destiny Constantin

Photo by Destiny Constantin