Chocolate Chunk Macadamia Nut Cookies

While everyone else is beginning the new year with fresh and healthy ways to loose the pounds gained throughout the holiday season, I have decided to gather together ingredients I purchased on sale during the season and make cookies. So what does that say about me? Well I must be a little crazy, huh?

For me a cookie is a guilty pleasure and one I try not to avail myself of frequently. But a good cookie, especially a home made cookie can satisfy a craving for sweets. I believe these will do the trick nicely.

Noting that macadamia nuts are generally ten dollars I got them for around five dollars at a job lot store. The first recipe I made using some of them was Coconut Macadamia Nut Bars and I still have plenty left for these cookies and probably something else as well. You will find the cost at the end of the post.

As you shop throughout the month pick up the items you need for a recipe on sale, one or two at a time so you don't ruin your food budget and when you have everything you need you're all set to make what ever it is you have in mind. Hopefully, it's for these cookies.

Please note that I made these in my Kitchen Aide stand mixer and the dough when turning, was almost coming out the top. It makes a lot of dough. Also, I hate sifting and this recipe requires sifting so what I have done to speed things along is to put the ingredients that need sifting into my food processor. I pulse a few times and let it whiz around for a couple of minutes. It's works just fine for recipes that call for sifting.

• 1 lb. butter - softened
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar (light or dark - I had to use both as I was low on light sugar)
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips (more if you like them with more chips)
• 2 cups macadamia nuts - chopped
• parchment paper

1. In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. (Or use your food processor as suggested above.)
2. In another bowl combine the sugars.
3. Chop the nuts by hand or blitz quick in a food processor.
4. In a stand mixer beat the butter, eggs, vanilla and sugars until well blended.
5. Next, add the flour a little bit at a time and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
6. At the end add the chips, and macadamia nuts and mix well to incorporate. I ended up folding and mixing by hand, using my hands actually.
   
7. Form the dough into balls (I used my 1 1/2 inch scoop) and place on a large cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (ungreased), placed at least 1 1/2 - 2 inches inch apart as these do spread. If you don't have a scoop, rolls  them about 1 1/2 inches around by hand.
   
8. Bake in a preheated 375° oven10-12 minutes. If using multiple cookie sheets and racks you may want to move them around in the oven half way through. Switch a bottom rack to the top and vice versa.
9. Cool the cookies on a cookie sheet for a couple of minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely using a spatula.
10. When cooled completely cover them with plastic wrap or store in plastic containers with a lid.

I hope that you will make these cookies and can get a super find on macadamia nuts in your area. They are crispy, buttery and just so delicious. My sweet tooth fanatic is plowing through these like Grant through Richmond!