White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies with Toasted Coconut

Last year, two energetic bloggers—Lindsay of Love and Olive Oil and Julie of The Little Kitchen joined forces to launch the first ever Great Blogger Cookie Swap.  The event brought together over 600 bloggers who sent out nearly 22,000 cookies around the world!

The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap 2012This year Lindsay and Julie have partnered up with Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, a nonprofit organization started by parents who lost their 6½-year-old son to cancer.  Several corporate sponsors of Cookies for Kids’ Cancer have pledged to match money raised by various events including this one—dollar for dollar up to $100,000.  Participants in The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap 2012 all pay a fee which goes directly to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, and all funds raised go to pediatric cancer research.

I am a happy participant in the event this year and, according to the rules, baked 3 dozen cookies to send out to three different bloggers (a dozen cookies each).  In turn, I received a dozen cookies to enjoy from yet another set of three bloggers.  It’s a particularly enjoyable way to raise money for a worthwhile cause with kindred spirits in the blogging world.  We get to “meet” fellow foodies and enjoy some new cookie recipes.

After messing up my first choice for cookies to send, I switched gears to a tried and true, sturdier cookie to pack up and mail.  These white chocolate macadamia nut cookie may not look “sexy,” but they sure are scrumptious!  The addition of some toasted coconut elevates them over all the other versions of white chocolate macadamia cookies I have tried.  They have all the elements of my idea of a perfect cookie.  They are chewy, crunchy, rich and buttery and are loaded with Ghirardelli white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts—what’s not to like?

So, I packed up three boxes and sent them off to Lauren at A Picture Journey, Jess at Cheese Please, and Erin at Bachus’ Cooking Capers.

In turn, Roger and I thoroughly enjoyed the Molasses cookies from Adrianne at Bake Not Burn,

the Hazelnut Dusties from Lacey at Small Town Cookie,

and the Italian Lemon cookies from Tina at The Daily Bite.

If you want to try something new, there is a wealth of recipes to browse through in these ladies’ blogs.

Lauren, Jess, Erin, Adrianne, Lacey, and Tina—I enjoyed getting to know you through this event and  through your blogs.  Happy browsing, happy cooking, and especially happy baking!

One year ago:  Sylvia’s Carrot Cake

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies with Toasted Coconut

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 each:  large egg, large egg yolk
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips


Directions

Heat oven to 350o F.  Spread macadamia nuts and coconut over a cookie sheet; roast, stirring every 2 minutes, until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

Increase heat to 375 degrees.  Whisk flour, baking soda and baking powder together in a medium bowl; set aside.

Cream the butter in a mixing bowl with a mixer on low speed, 30 seconds.  Add the sugars and salt; increase the speed to medium.  Beat the mixture until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.  Reduce the speed; add the egg and egg yolk.  Beat until combined.  Beat in vanilla.  Add dry ingredients; mix on low until combined.  Stir in chips, nuts and coconut.

Scoop out about 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie, arranging 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheets.  Bake cookies 1 tray at a time, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking, until cookies are golden brown and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 – 12 minutes per batch.  Transfer sheet to wire rack to cool.

Fran’s Notes

I tried flattening the cookies before they were baked, and they were quite good—but we liked the cookies “fatter.”

Source:  A recipe by Roseanne Barr which appeared in the Chicago Tribune

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