Lemon White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
The perfect dairy-free White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies, loaded with mini white chocolate chips, chopped macadamia nuts, and fresh lemon for a bright twist on a beloved cookie. With their soft and chewy centers, these quick and easy cookies are seriously irresistible.
Lemon White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
A few years ago, I created a lemon-flavored White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies recipe for a client, and ever since, I knew I needed a second version for my own blog. These seriously delicious cookies are slightly under-baked to create soft, chewy centers. They have mini white chocolate chips for the best cookie spread. And enough lemon zest and extract for an extra special flavor twist that’s perfect for the spring and summer seasons. Add in those crunchy macadamia nuts, and I promise these will fly off the cooling rack (or serving platter). Even my kids, who don’t normally enjoy nutty desserts, loved these. And if a chocolate-loving baker like myself finds these cookies irresistible, then that’s really saying something 😉
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
- Soft and chewy cookie texture (you’ll under-bake them a bit to get it just right)
- Lots of fresh lemon zest, plus lemon extract!
- The dough needs zero chill time and comes together quickly
- Packed with a delicious crunch and tons of sweet flavor
What You’ll Need
- Plant-based butter adds that buttery flavor we all love. I used Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks with Olive Oil.
- Light brown sugar sweetens these cookies and adds moisture.
- White granulated sugar also sweetens these cookies and helps give them a crispier edge.
- Lemon extract helps deepen the lemon flavor.
- Vanilla extract adds flavor.
- Lemon zest adds fresh lemon flavor and a beautifully bright topping to the cookies.
- Egg binds the ingredients together. I haven’t tested these cookies with any egg alternatives.
- Baking soda leavens these cookies and creates the prefect spread.
- Salt enhances flavor.
- All-purpose flour makes up the bulk of the cookie dough. I like to use an unbleached variety, but any all-purpose flour will work.
- Macadamia nuts compliment the white chocolate and lemon. You’ll chop them into smaller pieces to create an even dispersement of nutty crunch throughout the cookies.
- White chocolate chips add a creamy white chocolate flavor. I used Enjoy Life Mini White Baking Chips. Whole Foods also offers a standard white chocolate chip in mini chip size. If you plan to use regular-sized chocolate chips, note that your cookies will not spread as much as the ones pictured in this post.
FAQ
Can I make these with regular butter? I haven’t tested this recipe with regular butter, but it should work.
Will regular white chocolate chips work? Yes, I’ve made these with both mini and standard chips. Since regular chips are bigger, the dough will be chunkier and the cookies won’t spread as much in the oven (your baked cookies will be thicker than what is pictured here).
Can I leave out the lemon? Totally. If lemon isn’t your favorite, you can leave it out altogether, or even replace it with orange for orange-flavored cookies.
How do I replace the lemon extract with more lemon zest? I would zest another small lemon, or two, into the dough in place of the extract.
Is there a substitute for fresh lemon zest? I don’t recommend replacing the lemon zest. Lemon extract doesn’t have the same fresh lemon flavor as zest, and there isn’t another substitute. You don’t want to add lemon juice to these cookies as it will make the dough wet and result in funky cookies.
Can I bake these ahead of time? Yes, you can bake these one day in advance and the cookies will still taste chewy and fresh.
Lemon White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Perfectly chewy and sweet Lemon White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies, loaded with white chocolate chips, chopped nuts, and fresh lemon - a bright twist on a beloved cookie!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (113g) plant-based butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (110g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup (67g) white granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon extract
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Zest from 3 small lemons
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups (195g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (64g) chopped macadamia nuts (plus more to top the dough balls)
- 1/2 cup (90g) mini white chocolate chips (plus more to top the dough balls)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet (or two) with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugars until combined (around 30 seconds). Beat in the extracts and fresh lemon zest. Beat in the egg. Beat in the baking soda and salt.
- Add the flour and use a large spoon or spatula to mix the dough together. Add in the chopped macadamia nuts and mini white chocolate chips. Stir to combine.
- Scoop dough balls 3 Tbsp in size, 6 per baking sheet. Slightly press each dough ball down and then gently press extra chocolate chips and nuts (if desired) into the tops and sides of the dough balls.
- Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes (9 minutes was perfect for my oven). You want to pull the cookies out of the oven when the middles look slightly wet. Under-baking these cookies allows them to firm up into a soft and chewy cookie.
- When you pull the cookies out of the oven, immediately use the back of a spoon to push in any lopsided edges (these cookies have a tendency to spread unevenly due to the large macadamia nut pieces).
- Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 1-2 minutes and then carefully transfer them to a cooling rack (they will be unstable until they cool). Enjoy the cookies warm or allow them to firm up.
- If desired, once the cookies are cool, zest more fresh lemon over the cookies for extra lemon flavor and a pretty garnish.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
- Butter: I used Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks with Olive Oil.
- White chocolate chips: I used Enjoy Life White Baking Chips. If you aren't dairy-free, Whole Foods makes mini white chocolate chips with milk.
Leave a Reply