Toffee Macadamia Nut Cookies

So, I had a half a can of macadamia nuts lounging around in the refrigerator – I always either refrigerate or freeze nuts – and wanted to do something other than the typical white chocolate macadamia cookie. They are great, don’t get me wrong, and I did make a batch of them, but there has to be something else to do with macadamia nuts. And this recipe just happened to fall into my lap.

I made the dough first thing in the morning with the plans to bake them at the end of the day, so they will be in the fridge aging for about 6-7 hours. I like to do this when ever possible. To my mind, it makes for more relaxing baking. Make the dough, then in a day or two bake the cookies. This is also the way I get a decent bit of baking done during the week.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup toffee bits + a little more
1/2 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts + a little more
flakey salt, such as Maldon, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Over a piece of waxed paper, sift together flour and baking soda.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugars until well combined and lighter. Mix in the egg and the vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients until flour just disappears. Do not over mix. Stir in toffee and macadamia nuts.

Using a cookie scoop (#), scoop out dough and place a couple inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle each cookie generously with flaky salt and bake for 12-15 minutes, until the edges are golden, but the centers are still soft-ish. Let cool on baking sheet 5 minutes and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

source:  iamafoodblog.com/toffee-macadamia-nut-cookies/

Went for 11 minutes and that was a bit of a mess. Tossed those out – 8 minutes, turning half way through was the best bet,

These went over well at the test kitchen (office and students). That makes me happy. I like making things that people like.

24 June 2017

 

White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies

I know I have done this cookie over and over again – with lots of different recipes, but what the hell else are you going to do with macadamia nuts. I mean, really. It is a thing for a reason. I will try to find something else to do with because, dear lord, they are expensive – no, really expensive. And I cannot waste them. I store them in the fridge – like I do all my nuts – freezer or fridge. It makes total sense and saves a lot of money over time. 

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
12 Tbs unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1 cup white chocolate chips – and a little more
1 cup salted Macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped – and a little more

Sift together over waxed paper the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter, and brown sugar until light and fluffy – about 4 minutes. Beat in egg, then yolk, then vanilla until just creamy.  Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Using a spatula, add the white chocolate chips and Macadamia nuts, mixing well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees*. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop (#20) dough onto parchment about 3 inches apart. Bake for 12 minutes, turning half way though. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for a couple of minutes then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. But they just do not last that long  – just saying.

source: Food & Wine

* this is a bit higher for cookies than then usual, but it seemed to work.

 

Salted White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

The Boy loves white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies and I get that to a certain degree. This recipe intrigued me because of the flaky salt on top and, for me, that is always Maldon. This year is Maldon’s 135-year anniversary. To me that is just slightly, no, mostly,  amazing. But even better –  they have been harvesting salt in that area of England* since the Romans occupied the country. You just cannot beat that kind of history.

When The Boy and I lived in England it was so strange to me to live somewhere where everything was pretty much older than everything in the United States. We lived in Coventry – in the Midlands, a lovely, if slightly industrial town, but there were some buildings in the City Centre that were medieval timber-framed houses and were beautiful and so close to the original St. Michael’s. The original St. Michael’s was destroyed during the Blitz of World War II, so they just left it that way. That was impressive and chilling at the same time. I would go shopping in the city centre and then just go hang out at the bombed out St. Michaels. I went into the new cathedral, but the part I liked best about the “new” version was the sculpture of Michael on the outside. It is pretty much just bad ass. But we all know Michael was the angel version of a total badass.

How did this go from salt to Coventry and then to St. Michael? It got away from me. Just like the Doctor.

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 Tbs vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup roughly-chopped macadamia nuts
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Flaky sea salt – Maldon, my go to for flaky

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Over a piece of waxed paper, sift together flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, and mix until combined.

Add in the flour mixture until just combined. Stir in the chopped macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips by hand until combined.

Use a large cookie scoop or dishers as they are called, I used a #30 size. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle each with a bit of the flaky sea salt. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 10-20 minutes, or until the dough is chilled completely through. This is pretty important. Also just add a few white chocolate chips on the top just to make it look nice.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are just set.  Cool cookies on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Source: Gimmesomeoven  – Amazingly creative name, yeah, really amazing.

* Maldon is a town on the Blackwater estuary in Essex, England. It is the seat of the Maldon District and starting point of the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation. It is most renowned for Maldon Sea Salt which is produced in the area.

 

Butter usage – by month – April 2016

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars – yep

2 April –  8 Tbs – Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars (for Heather)

9 April – 8 Tbs – Salted Crispy Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies

11 April – 2 Tbs – Everyday Orzo (once again amazing!)

13 April – 8 Tbs – Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

16 April – 12 Tbs – Buttermilk Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze – don’t do this

17 April – 7 Tbs – Italian Cream Cake

21 April – 8 Tbs – Lemon Ricotta Cookies – don’t do that either, do this

28 April – 12 Tbs – Brown Sugar White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

30 April – 5 Tbs – Mac and Cheese My Mom’s recipe, as such which I will say again – just do it. Really. Not kidding.

30 April – 8 Tbs – Brown Sugar Pecan Scones

78 Tbs = 9.75 sticks = 39 ozs = 2.4375 pounds

Not great, but not a ringing endorsement either. And from what I can gather my May does not start out any better. Crap.

 

Brown Sugar White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

I do love my white china.

The Boy has always loved white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. But this time copious amounts of brown sugar will be involved – and no white sugar.  But I think that’s my favorite part of cookies is the brown sugar. It gives a bit of depth to a cookie.  I love a toll-house chocolate chip cookie, but to be honest, if I made it without the semi-sweet chocolate chips, I would still love it just as much, just because of the brown sugar taste. I always use light brown sugar. It is just a thing for me. You can always add a little molasses to it if you want to deepen the flavor.

I do think now I will be on the prowl for a brown sugar cookie. You know, something you roll and stamp out, but it might not be crisp like white sugar cookie. It might be a bit softer, but I’m sure it could really be tasty. That would really be nice, or amazing – yes, I am guessing amazing.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
12 Tbs unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups light brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup white chocolate chips (Ghirardelli, of course)
1 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts (mine were salted, I saw no other kind – salt is never a bad thing)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment – as usual.

Over a piece of waxed paper, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar until fluffy.  Mix in eggs, one at a time. Mix in vanilla. Slowly incorporate flour mixture. Stir in white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts.

Using a cookie scoop+, space cookies on sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 12 minutes turning the pan half way through. The cookies should be set in the middle and gold on the edges.* Cool a couple minutes on baking sheet and cool completely on a wire rack.

Source: Baking Bites

Notes: * The original recipe had a longer time, but this is what worked for me.

+ How does one know the size of a cookie scoop? I have no idea, but this random tool seems to work out well for me. I’m guessing (totally guessing!) that is a smidge over a tablespoon, but to be honest, I am so not sure about that.

Egg Usage – by month – April 2016

M & M Cookies – the Spring Edition

2 April – 1 Egg – Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

2 April – 2 Eggs – M & M Cookies, Spring Edition

9 April – 1 Egg – Salted Crispy Butterscotch Pecan Cookies (These are just amazingness it self – so far these are favorite of all the people I take cookies to).

13 April – 1 Egg – Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Bars

16 April – 4 Eggs – Buttermilk Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze – don’t do this.

17 April – 4 Eggs – Italian Cream Cake

21 April – 2 Eggs – Lemon Ricotta Cookies – do not do this either. But do this  – Yes This. 

28 April – 2 Eggs – Brown Sugar White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

 

Egg Usage – by month – (February 2016)

What shall I decide to represent the February Egg Usage, not sure what will work. But these are great sugar cookies that I have been making them for donkey’s years and now I have Mardi Gras Cookie Cutters. Cool.  Thank you King Arthur Flour. I really hope March is better, but that is just me. Damn Mardi Gras came too early. So strange. 

February 4 – 2 – Chocolate Chip Walnut Blondies

February 5 – 2 – Sugar Cookies

February 20 – 2 – Oatmeal Pecan Toffee Cookies

February 24 – 3 – Carrot Cake

February 27 – 2 – White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

February 29 – 4 – Apple Carrot Cupcakes

Apparently I need to add this up and do some math – ugh.

15 eggs @ .33 each = $4.95. I can do better.

Butter Usage – by month – (February 2016)

February 1 – 2 Tbs – Grilled Cheese Sandwich – yep boring, but I love a good grilled cheese. Of course with applesauce.

Spiced Pecans

February 4 – 16 Tbs – Chocolate Chip Walnut Blondies

February 5 – 16 Tbs – Sugar Cookies

February 6 – 4 Tbs – Spiced Pecans Will be making these again even if they are a bit sticky – but we’ve had a rather damp winter  – hence, no taffy (total bummer.)

February 20 – 3 Tbs – Parmesan Rosemary Crackers

February 20 – 8 Tbs – Oatmeal Pecan Toffee Cookies

February 24 – 4 Tbs – Carrot Cake – frosting

February 27 – 16 Tbs – White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

So it is common knowledge that I like to bake for my friends and family. I also, kinda, use them as a) Guinea pigs, and b) ways to get me out of a baking rut or to try something different. I figure it is a fair exchange. You guys get cookies, or some such thing, and I get out of a cooking/baking rut. And hopefully some honest opinions. At least I hope so.

So a friend told me last weekend that she had a craving for white chocolate macadamia nut cookies and since I haven’t made them in donkey’s years I decided to go for it. Added bonus: The Boy loves these too – so it is a double win.

This recipe makes approximately 5 dozen – plenty to share with everyone. But let us just see how many it really is. Me being me, I do keep count of things like that.

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tsp salt
11 oz bag white chocolate chips (Ghiradelli, of course)
1 1/2 cups macadamia nuts, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment. Over a piece of waxed paper, sift together flour, salt, and baking soda.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, mixing well. Blend in flour mixture. Stir in the white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the  baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake until lightly golden on top, 10 to 12minutes. Cool on the sheet about 3 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Source: Ghirardelli – the back of the white chocolate chip package – duh.

Okay – so this was 69 cookies – never a bad thing, in my opinion. But, dear lord, macadamia nuts are amazingly expensive. I had no idea  how much they had gone up. So my 12 ozs of salted macadamia nuts (Publix brand – which is a great brand by the way) was $10. O holy crap. Now I have to figure out what to do with the rest of them, besides make more white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies. Must come up with something different. Otherwise that is a bit meh.

I do think that there was a Martha Stewart tart recipe that had macadamia nuts in them. It is the greatest Martha Stewart book ever, in my opinion, Martha Stewart Pies & Tarts. Although her Christmas book is right up there with it.