From Yossy Arefi’s latest book, Snacking Bakes, this recipe, at first glance, looks like a classic. But upon closer inspection, you’ll quickly see it’s so much more. For one, it starts with two words that make my heart sing: brown butter. In addition to the lovely nuttiness brown butter lends to baked goods, it also assures me I’ll neither have to lug out my stand mixer nor soften any butter. And how nice?! Second, it calls for salted macadamia nuts, which not only provide a texturally pleasing buttery crunch, but also so nicely balance the sweet white chocolate chips. Third, the dough comes together in one bowl. Yes, one bowl! What’s more, the formed cookie dough balls do not require chilling before baking (though you can if you wish) and after about 10 minutes in the oven, they’re done. Friends, with crispy edges and soft and chewy centers punctuated by chopped nuts and chocolate throughout, to me these cookies are heaven, evoking, as Yossy writes in the headnotes of the recipe, the vanilla-scented Mrs. Fields classics beckoning mall shoppers of the 1990s everywhere. Memories! I am still putting together my 2023 gift guide, but if you are looking to get a jump start on the shopping, Snacking Bakes would be a great one to gift to the baker in your life. It’s filled with simple recipes, most of which can be made in less than 1 hour in one bowl. I have made only one recipe, but I have many others flagged — malted sugar cookies, chocolate ricotta cake, coconut cookie bark — and I’m looking forward to the many low-lift, big-flavor treats in my near future. PS: Brown Butter Fans: here are a few more favorite sweet treats that call for it: these snickerdoodles, these blondies, and these stamped Christmas cookies. Yossy Arefi’s Snacking Bakes:
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies, Step by Step
First, gather your ingredients: Measure everything, then… … place 8 tablespoons of butter in a skillet and melt it over medium heat until… … it turns brown (which is hard to see from the photo but if you stir constantly while the butter melts, you’ll be able to see), at which point… … you’ll pour it into a bowl with brown sugar and two more tablespoons of butter. Stir to combine. Add vanilla, salt, and 1 egg. Whisk to combine. Add baking powder and baking soda. Stir again to combine. Add the flour and stir with a spatula to incorporate. When the flour is just about incorporated… … add the chopped macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips. Stir to combine. Portion the dough into 21 to 22 balls. Place on a sheet pan and flatten lightly (if you’ve refrigerated the dough balls). Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if you wish. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes. Let cool completely on the sheet pan. Transfer cookies to a rack or a storage vessel while you continue baking the remaining dough balls.
5 from 7 reviews Notes:
Salted Macadamia nuts might be hard to find — I found them at Whole Foods. For best results, please use a scale to measure.
