White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies -- Nut Butter Version

I know I’ve already posted white chocolate chip and macadamia cookies on this blog -- and posted them fairly recently at that.  Variations are good, right?  And I think this recipe is a slight improvement on the original, though it remains highly recommended if you don't have easy access to the almond butter the depicted version demands.

This particular batch of cookies was earmarked for the husband of a friend who graduated from nursing school. The challenge inherent in this baking task is that these friends live on the west coast, whereas I hang out on the eastern seaboard. I find that cookies that incorporate nut butter tend to stay soft and fresh-tasting longer than ones made with an all-butter base. Since these had to get to California, I thought it best to take advantage of all the tricks in my cookie repertoire to assure long shelf life.

I used my Bittersweet Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, which includes peanut butter, as a model. Since I wasn’t going for any kind of nut undertone, I replaced the peanut butter with almond butter. I can confidently report success – these were soft and delicious, but you’d never guess there was any fat in them aside from butter from a flavor perspective. Almond butter is so mild that it imperceptibly blends with the other cookie elements.

In sum, these cookies are exactly what a good white chocolate macadamia cookie should taste like, with the added bonus that they’ll keep a bit longer. The lime zest is optional, but I like the contrast of sharp citrus, salty macadamias, and sweet white chocolate. These cookies would make a great dessert alongside a margarita (on the rocks, with salt – anything else is an abomination).

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies – Nut Butter Version
Based on my Bittersweet Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp or melted
1/4 cup almond butter (I used natural salted from Trader Joe’s; you can also get natural almond butter from Whole Foods)
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons malted milk powder
zest from one lime
2 large eggs
2 1/3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt (or a bit less if using salted nut butter and nuts)
1 ½ cups dry roasted macadamia nuts, chopped into less-big chunks
1 12-oz. bag white chocolate chips or chunks

Heat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Cream together butter & sugars. Add nut paste, beating till smooth. Beat in eggs, vanilla, malted milk powder, and lime zest, if including.

In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to butter and stir well. Add white chocolate chips/chunks and macadamia nuts.

Shape heaping tablespoons of dough into slightly flattened round discs with your hands and place onto prepared cookie sheets.

Bake 9-12 minutes till very lightly browned and cool completely on wire rack. Yield 3-4 dozen.

Printable recipe here.

 My Chester approves.