MACADAMIA AND WHITE CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

SOURCE: ALICE MEDRICH. ALICE MEDRICH’S COOKIES AND BROWNIES.

When toasted macadamia nuts, white chocolate chunks, and oatmeal cookie dough bake together to a golden perfect, expect sinful loads of buttery synergy between salty and crunchy, sweet and creamy, and soft and moist components!

Ingredients

3/4 cup/75 grams rolled OR quick-cooking oats

3/4 cup/95 grams all-purpose flour, preferably unbleached

1/2 teaspoon/2.5 grams baking soda

1/4 teaspoon/1.5 grams sea salt

1/2 cup/114 grams unsalted butter, cut into chunks

1/3 cup/67 grams granulated sugar

1/3 cup/67 grams tightly packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon/2.5 mL pure vanilla extract OR vanilla bean paste

1 large egg

1 cup/130 grams coarsely chopped toasted macadamia nuts, preferably dry-roasted

6 ounces/170 grams finely chopped premium-quality white chocolate callets OR chips

Specific Equipment

Food processor OR blender

Large saucepan

Wire whisk

Large bowl

Rubber spatula

Plastic wrap

Ice cream scoop

2 baking trays OR cookie sheets lined with parchment paper

Wire rack

Makes about 18 2-inch/5-cm cookies

Instructions

1. Pulverize the oats in the food processor or blender to a fine powder. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt, and pulse quickly several times until the dry ingredients are well-blended. Set aside.

2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove the saucepan from heat and whisk in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract or bean paste until well-blended.

3. Beat in the egg and continue whisking until the mixture has thickened. Stir in the dry ingredients, adding the mixture gradually, until the cookie batter is moist and well-blended.

4. Scrape out the cookie dough into a large bowl with a rubber spatula. Stir in the macadamia nuts and white chocolate callets or chips until well-blended. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to rest the cookie dough.

5. Preheat oven to 325°F/160°C, and position the oven racks on the upper and lower thirds of the oven.

6. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it soften slightly under room temperature. Spoon out the rounded cookie dough pieces with an ice cream scoop and place each piece about 2 inches/5 cm apart on baking trays or cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.

7. Bake the cookies for 13 to 15 minutes or until the cookies have spread and have turned deep golden brown, switching the top and bottom baking trays or cookie sheets and rotating their front and rear side about halfway through the baking time.

8. Remove the baking trays or cookie sheets from the oven and transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely before serving or storing in airtight containers.