White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Lab Bake Off Time!!!

With Roshani leaving to Sweden very soon, the lab decide to host a Lab Bake Off!!!  I was looking through my favourite recipe website, and couldn't really decide what I want to bake on a weeknight with limited time to get ingredients and bake.  Then I came across the cookies section with my favourite cookie of ALL time - white chocolate macadamia nut cookies - serenading to ask me to make them hahaha.  So I sucked it up and finally bought baking powder and baking soda.  I don't know why I was so reluctant to get these two items before.  I have always picked recipes that doesn't use them, or if I'm baking with friends I asked who can bring some over.  Now that I have them... I'm tempted to make some banana bread lol!  

The Lab Bake Off was a success! We had more turn outs than anticipated... Nancy baked some peach pockets, Ben baked some coffee chocolate cookies, Prarthna made some strawberry walnut chocolate fudge, and Ply's girlfriend Megan baked some rhubarb tarts. <3  I'm really happy how the cookies turned out!!! I like how thick they are, and not your conventional thin cookies.

**Note to self ** to buy lots of macadamia nuts when I go to Hawaii for wedding/honeymoon.

Ingredients

yields about two dozen cookies

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. coarse salt
1¼ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 cup (16 tbsp.) unsalted butter, cold and cut into large chunks
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. coconut extract (optional - didn't use this, but added more vanilla extract)
12 oz. white chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used 1 bag of white chocolate chips instead to save time)
1½ cups coarsely chopped macadamia nuts (I used 2 bags of 100g macadamia nuts)

Procedure

1. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.  Whisk to blend.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cold butter and the sugars.  Beat on medium-high speed until smooth and just combined, 1-2 minutes.  Blend in the eggs one at a time just until incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed.   Blend in the vanilla and coconut extracts. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated.  Fold in the white chocolate and macadamia nuts with a spatula.  Cover and refrigerate the dough for about 30-60 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  Roll a small handful of dough into a ball and place on baking sheets.
4. Bake the cookies, rotating halfway through, until light golden and just set, about 14-16 minutes total.  Let cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.
   
   
   Recipe adapted from Annie's Eats
   

   Thoughts:

   1. I love how it is less sweet because I put more macadamia nut than white chocolates.  Cookies turned out really delicious! And the recipe is super easy to follow.
   2. Remember to bake for 14 minutes for lighter, more raw, chewier texture.
   3. I creamed the butter-sugar by hand, definitely would help if I have a stand mixer lol =P