These vegan white chocolate macadamia nut cookies are soft and chewy, with golden, crisp edges, and perfect for a simple and sweet dessert!
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Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- The Ingredients and Substitutes
- How To Make White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
- FAQs
- Pro Recipe Tips
- Serving Suggestions
- Storage Instructions
- More Vegan Dessert Recipes
- Vegan Carrot Cake
- Vegan Sheet Cake (Vanilla)
- Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream (Ninja Creami)
- White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Why You'll Love This Recipe
These vegan macadamia nut and white chocolate cookies are simple, with a soft, chewy, 'buttery' base, gooey vegan white chocolate, and lightly salty roasted macadamia nuts for simple yet perfectly complementary flavors and textures.
Even better, these cookies are easy to make with no mixer required, customizable with fun add-ins, and bake in just 12 minutes. They're also make-ahead and freezer-friendly.
Looking for more crowd-pleasing vegan cookie recipes? Check out my vegan smores cookies, raisin oatmeal cookies, or red velvet crinkle cookies.
The Ingredients and Substitutes
Chef's tip: Properly softened vegan butter should leave an imprint but still resist slightly when pressed.
Recipe Add-Ins
Here are several simple ways to adapt this white chocolate macadamia nut cookie recipe.
- Almond extract: Just ¼ teaspoon.
- Citrus zest: Add 1-3 teaspoons of lemon or orange zest.
- Coconut: Add ¼ teaspoon coconut extract & a few tbsps shredded coconut.
- Berries: Add ½ cup of frozen or freeze-dried (or a blend) raspberries or strawberries.
- Dried cranberries: Add a few tablespoons.
- Cereal: Like vegan cornflakes/frosted flakes.
- Flaky sea salt: To sprinkle over the top.
How To Make White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Step 1: Cream the softened vegan butter and sugars in a large bowl until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).
Step 2: Mix in the applesauce and vanilla until smooth.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until only just combined. The dough should be thick but soft.
Step 4: Fold in the vegan white chocolate chips and chopped macadamia nuts, then cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Pre-scooping/shaping the dough before chilling may be easier.
Step 5: Preheat the oven to 350F/175C. Scoop 2-tablespoon portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool them on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Optionally, press extra vegan white chocolate chips or macadamia nuts into the top of the cookies right after baking.
FAQs
Absolutely! You can chill prepared cookie dough in a plastic-wrapped bowl for up to 3 days. Alternatively, flash-freeze dough balls in a Ziplock/Stasher for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 2-3 minutes.
Typically not, as it is made with milk solids. However, there are several great vegan options to choose from (in-store or online).
A gluten-free flour blend (like Bob's Red Mill/ King Arthur's) should work in a 1:1 swap.
Pro Recipe Tips
- Measure the flour properly: Using too much leads to dense/cakey cookies. For the best results, fluff it in its bag, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level with the back of a knife.
- Don't over-mix the dough: To avoid overworking the gluten, which affects the cookies' texture and spread.
- Chill the cookie dough: To prevent over-spreading and improve flavor.
- Don't overbake: They should look underbaked in the middle when removing them from the oven. They firm up as they cool.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy these vegan white chocolate macadamia nut cookies alone or with vegan chocolate shavings, berries, a drizzle of vegan caramel sauce or berry coulis, a vegan banana milkshake, and/or a scoop of plant-based vanilla ice cream (like this vegan vanilla ice cream).
Looking to create a spread of yummy desserts? These vegan cookies pair well with this vegan tiramisu, vegan chocolate truffles, and salted caramel brownies.
Storage Instructions
Store: In an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the refrigerator for a week (microwave briefly before enjoying).
Freeze: Flash-freeze the vegan macadamia nut cookies on a tray, then store in a Ziplock/Stasher bag for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter.
More Vegan Dessert Recipes
If you tried this white chocolate macadamia nut cookies recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
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Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegan butter softened
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegan white chocolate chips
- ½ cup chopped macadamia nuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened vegan butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the applesauce and vanilla extract. Mix until fully incorporated and smooth.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until combined, but do not overmix. The dough should be thick but soft.
- Fold in the vegan white chocolate chips and chopped macadamia nuts until evenly distributed.
- Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This helps control spreading and deepens the flavor.
- Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers look slightly underbaked. They'll continue setting as they cool.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Measure the flour properly: Using too much leads to dense/cakey cookies. For the best results, fluff it in its bag, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level with the back of a knife.
- Don't over-mix the dough: To avoid overworking the gluten, which affects the cookies' texture and spread.
- Chill the cookie dough: To prevent over-spreading and improve flavor.
- Don't overbake: They should look underbaked in the middle when removing them from the oven. They firm up as they cool.
Andrea says
SO good! Love these cookies!