These delicious homemade coconut macadamia cookies deliver on taste, texture, and indulgence. What’s not to love? Each salty-sweet treat contains flecks of rich coconut and chunks of big buttery macadamia nuts. Add a drizzle of sweet white chocolate for a lovely finishing touch.
If a cookie could taste like paradise, coconut macadamia nut cookies would be it! The recipe is just like my super-chunk white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, but the addition of sweet coconut adds a major flavor and texture boost.
Tell Me About these Coconut Macadamia Nut Cookies
- Texture: With super soft centers and crisp edges, these cookies are loaded with macadamia nuts, coconut flakes, and thin ribbons of white chocolate drizzle. Each work together to create layers of texture in every bite.
- Flavor: The combination of coconut, macadamia nuts, butter, and white chocolate creates a rich cookie that is both salty and sweet.
- Ease: No mixer is required for this easy-to-make recipe, just like chocolate chip cookies. There is even a make-ahead option. You can make them now and bake them later (see Note).
- Time: The ingredients come together quickly and easily, but allow 2 hours for the dough to chill before baking. This is essential.
Recipe Testing Coconut Macadamia Nut Cookies: What Works & What Doesn’t
Developing the perfect cookie dough is a science. You keep trying until you hit that sweet spot – the best ratio of ingredients for a tasty cookie with the right amount of spread. I started with the base dough from my popular dark chocolate cranberry almond cookies since it’s a reader favorite. Plus, it’s sturdy enough to hold up to all of those yummy add-ins! I wanted a chewy cookie with a crisp edge, though, so I made a few adjustments:
- Melted butter. Creamed butter yields soft cookies, while melted butter produces a chewier cookie. Using melted butter here will produce cookies that are still ultrasoft but with a chewier texture.
- Egg yolk. The addition of a single egg yolk creates an incredibly rich and chewy cookie. I use this trick in my chewy chocolate chip cookies too.
- No cornstarch. Adding cornstarch creates a softer dough and a tender cookie. So for today’s cookie, I didn’t add cornstarch. They are still soft, but they have a crispier edge and top – I think you’ll really like it.
- Equal amounts of sugar. Balancing the amount of granulated sugar and brown sugar is important to obtain a crisp cookie edge. Brown sugar creates a soft and more flavorful cookie, while granulated sugar helps with spread.
Choosing the Right Ingredients: Best Macadamia Nuts to Use
I LOVE using salted, dry-roasted macadamia nuts in these coconut macadamia nut cookies. The salty roasted flavor pairs beautifully with the sweet white chocolate – it’s a salty-sweet dream! If you prefer unsalted, raw, or other type of macadamia nut, you can substitute for your favorite.
Overview: How to Make Coconut Macadamia Nut Cookies
The full printable recipe is below, but let’s walk through it quickly so you understand each step before you get started.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together.
- Mix the wet ingredients together. Wet ingredients include the sugars.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Then add the coconut and macadamia nuts to the dough.
- Chill the cookie dough. Cover and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- Roll the cookie dough into balls. Use 1.5 Tablespoons of dough per cookie.
- Bake. Place each cookie 3 inches apart and bake until the sides are lightly browned. The center will still look soft.
- Cool first, then drizzle. Wait until the cookies have cooled, and then drizzle each one with melted white chocolate.
Similar Recipes
- White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
- Key Lime Pie (with Macadamia Nut Crust)
- White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Sand Dollar Cookies
Coconut Macadamia Nut Cookies
- Prep Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
- Yield: 30 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Coconut macadamia nut cookies feature golden crisp edges, sweet soft centers, flecks of coconut, and chunks of big buttery macadamia nuts and a white chocolate drizzle!
Ingredients
- 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons (265g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks or 170g) unsalted butter, melted + slightly cooled
- 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cup (150g)Â granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) roughly chopped macadamia nuts*
- 1 cup (80g)Â sweetened shredded coconut
- optional: 4 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract together until combined. Pour into dry ingredients and mix everything together until completely combined. Fold in the macadamia nuts and coconut. (You can use a mixer for this step if needed.)
- Cover and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 4 days. If chilling for longer than 2 hours, allow to sit at room temperature for at least 20-30Â minutes before rolling and baking because the dough will be quite hard.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Roll cookie dough into balls, about 1.5 Tablespoons of dough per cookie, and arrange 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look soft.
- Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the optional white chocolate drizzle: Melt the chopped white chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave in 15-second increments, stopping and stirring after each until completely smooth. Drizzle over cookies. Allow chocolate to set completely, about 30 minutes.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week. You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Allow to come to room temperature then continue with step 4. Baked cookies, with or without white chocolate drizzle, freeze well for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. Here are my tips and trips about how to freeze cookie dough.
- Special Tools:Â KitchenAid Stand Mixer, Silpat Baking Mat, Baking Sheet, Medium Cookie Scoop, and Cooling Rack
- Macadamia Nuts: I used salted dry-roasted macadamia nuts. You can use unsalted, raw, and/or whichever macadamia nuts you love most.
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
Keywords: coconut macadamia nut cookies
I made these with chopped pecans instead of macadamia nuts. Drizzled with icing made with lime juice and they were the absolute best cookies I’ve ever tasted.
★★★★★
I came to Sally’s baking addiction for the fabulous cake recipes, but WOW if this isn’t my all time favorite cookie recipe! I add white chocolate chips instead of drizzle but other than that followed instructions to a T.
My one recommendation (and Sally mentions it as well) is next time I’ll use the really good salted macadamia nuts instead of the raw baking ones. They’re way more expensive at least near me but would make these even more incredible.
★★★★★
Hi Sally! I have just made your fabulous macadamia nut coconut cookies with the white chocolate drizzle and without as some people are allergic to chocolate and didnt want to risk it. They came out perfect. I am super happy about this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing!
★★★★★
Hi Sally! My husband requested a cookie with coconut and chocolate chips, no oats and no nuts. I was thinking of trying this recipe, but swapping the macadamia nuts for chocolate chips. What do you think? Or should I try a regular chocolate chip cookie recipe and just add coconut? BTW I’ve made dozens and dozens of your recipes over the years — your site is my go-to for cookies and cakes. Thanks so much!
Hi Lorelei, you can absolutely swap the macadamia nuts for chocolate chips. Hope your husband enjoys them!
Thank you so much, Lexi, for your speedy response!
Another winner! I used white chocolate chips and these cookies are delicious. Yummy!
★★★★★
Another AMAZING Sally’s recipe! I had some white chocolate chips to use up so I made this and used chips instead of a glaze. Excellent! And I got rave reviews from my cast mates when I took them to rehearsal. Chewy and buttery with so much coconut and macadamia nut goodness!
★★★★★
I want to add Dried apricots. Is a cup too much and will it make it too wet?
★★★★★
Hi Myra, You could certainly try that. We recommend sticking to 1.5 – 2 cups total add-ins.
Has anyone added added dried chopped cranberries to these? If so, how much did you add?
Hi Sue! You could try swapping out some of the macadamia nuts and/or coconut for dried cranberries. Keep the total amount of add-ins about the same. Let us know what you try!
Hi Sally,
I’m planning on making these cookies soon as they look scrumptious but I was just wondering if it would be okay if I swapped out the shredded coconut for desiccated coconut instead?
Hi Uzma, that should work just fine. Desiccated coconut is often drier so the cookies’ texture may change slightly. Let us know how it goes!
Hi Sally, I made these cookies today (replaced the macadamia nuts with pecan nuts and the shredded coconut with desiccated coconut) and they taste scrumptious. My little sister and I loved them! I’m not a natural baker but thankfully it was so easy to make.. Will definitely try this recipe out again
★★★★★
Hi. I was wondering if I could substitute dessicated coconut for the sweetened shredded coconut. Do you think it would work out?
Hi Meg, that should work just fine. Hope you enjoy the cookies!
I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but I LOVE super soft cookies. I see the coconut will create a soft cookie, but would adding 1-2 tsp of cornstarch cause an issues? THANK YOU!
Hi Eric! These cookies are pretty soft as is, bu you can definitely add 1 teaspoon of cornstarch to the dry ingredients. No other changes necessary.
Love this recipe Sally! Was wondering if I could omit the nuts and roll the dough balls in coconut before baking?
Hi Donna, that should work just fine!
Thanks for the quick response! You and your team are the best!
Amazing texture and easy to make cookie, however it is way way way too sweet for us. Sally, have you got a much less sweet cookie recipe that will still turn out soft & chewy?
★★★★
Hi Candice, Sugar is used for moisture and texture in baked goods as well as taste. You can certainly try reducing the sugar, but the resulting texture will be different than intended. White chocolate is also very sweet so you can try leaving out or reducing the white chocolate chips in this recipe. If you are looking for less sugar in general, you can try browsing our slightly healthier sweets category (these chocolate chip cookies with less sugar are great).
Instead of whisking the dry ingredients would it change the texture if I sifted them instead?
No, that would work just fine!
Hi Sally can I used coconut flour instead of all-purpose flour. Thank you
Hi Jenny! We haven’t tested that substitution, but fear it won’t be a 1:1 swap. For best taste and texture (and so you don’t waste your time trying to adapt this recipe since it may not work properly), it may be more useful to find a recipe that is specifically formulated for coconut flour.
You give good advice. 🙂
★★★★★
Another winner! I halved the recipe using weight measurements. Kept to 1 egg and 1 tsp of vanilla. I added white chocolate chips instead of the drizzle. Added 2 Tbs of coconut manna just to see what it’ll do in this recipe. My dough was wet & very sticky ( probably due to the added manna) so I added about a 1/4 cup of extra AP. The dough was still sticky, but did not add more flour – just let it chill in the fridge. I took the advice of one of your reviewers. Pulled the dough out after 1 hour in the fridge & made my dough balls using a #50 cookie scooper (about 1 1/4 Tbs). It yielded about 20 cookies. Put the tray back in the fridge to chill. My batch baked for about 14 minutes. My cookies ended more like mounds than your pictures, but they were fabulous! Moist and delicious. The texture was crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. A wonderful combination! Thanks, SBA!
★★★★★
I made these using pecans and my oh my they were heavenly good. Although I craved a hint of lime with them because of a candy I make and love , so I’m going to drizzle next batch with a lime icing. Thank you for all the goodness you’ve given with your recipes
★★★★★
These look delicious! Would I be able to make these into bars instead of individual cookies? Would I need to do anything different to make this change?
Hi Angie, absolutely! We’d try with a 9×13 pan. Let us know how it goes!
So chewy and delicious! Added a lime cream cheese icing and kept in fridge.
★★★★★
Awesome recipe! Soft and chewy with slightly crisp edges just as promised. Used white chocolate chips instead of the drizzle. We love to have freshly baked cookies on hand so always double the recipe and freeze the dough balls as is suggested in the notes. They bake up perfectly every time!
★★★★★
I don’t usually leave comments on recipes like this but I made these today and they’re literally the perfect cookie. I added white chocolate chips to the dough instead of making a drizzle and ended up with the most perfect crispy edged chewy cookies. This flavor combination is awesome but I’m also going to use the dough base to try other mix-ins. My boyfriend almost never eats any of my baked goods (which are almost all great but he’s never interested) but he ate 5 of these just today. I can’t believe it because I’ve never seen him eat that many cookies. Definitely going to save this recipe forever!
★★★★★
I make a chocolate chip coconut macadamia nut cookie. It’s known as a Hopes Royale. You may have had one at a Nordstrom department store. Your cookie dough is the best and will use it in my recipe.
Hi Sally! I made the recipe with half the sugar quantity as I do not like it to be too sweet. My cookies did not spread at all. Any idea why and what I can do?
Hi Dora, The sugar in the cookies help the cookies to spread so if you reduce the sugar you are changing the texture of the cookie and reducing their ability to spread. Best to stick to the recipe as written.
Hi Sally, thank you so very much for this recipe! I’ve made this 3 times now, following your recipe to a tee and it turned out perfect every single time.
★★★★★