Filled with tropical coconut and macadamia nuts, this twist on chocolate chip cookies will make you think you magically transported to a Hawaiian bakery. These chocolate chip-coconut-macadamia nut cookies are perfectly soft and chewy, simple to make and give you a taste of the tropics any time of year. What's not to love about that?
Baking cookies is one of my favorite kitchen pastimes. Maybe it’s because I have fond memories of baking cookies with my mom, especially around the holidays. Whatever it is, baking cookies makes me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside, and these chocolate chip-coconut-macadamia nut cookies definitely give me that happy vibe with their island-inspired ingredients.
Coconut and macadamia nuts --- could there be a more perfect tropical cookie? Call me biased but I don't think so.
Expert Tips and FAQs
My mom and I usually baked the classic Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie. I love the prominent buttery flavor of Tollhouse chocolate chip cookies, so these cookies are based off that classic recipe with a few changes I've incorporated over the years for best results.
Now, I don’t mind somewhat flat cookies. I find most overly puffy cookies to be too dry, but I like a little lift. Nestle Tollhouse cookies can be on the flat side if you're not careful, so some of these changes help give this recipe the perfect height. I also included a few ingredient tweaks for a richer flavor.
Here’s a rundown of all the changes I now make to the Tollhouse recipe for the perfect cookie.
- Replace light brown sugar with dark brown sugar for a richer flavor.
- Add cornstarch to help prevent spreading.
- Up the vanilla extract from 1 teaspoon to 2 teaspoons.
- Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes before baking and keep chilled as the cookies bake.
- Form cookie dough into golf-size balls rather than 1-inch balls.
- Top each dough ball with additional chocolate chips for a prettier presentation.
- Bake the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet to prevent overspreading. This also allows you to easily move the cookies soon after baking to prevent them from continuing to bake on the sheet.
With these changes, you’ll get the perfect cookie base, which you can customize with your favorite mix-ins. White chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, crushed pretzels, orange zest, your favorite dried fruit or nut — seriously, you have so many possibilities.
Perfect Pairing
I love pairing cookies with beer. In fact, I love it so much that I did a week of holiday cookie and beer pairings leading up to Christmas last year on Instagram. I feel extra excited about today’s pairing.
These cookies are made for a big bourbon barrel-aged stout. Not only are bourbon barrel-aged stouts perfect with many desserts but the barrel also tends to lend a coconut flavor to the beer. You may have noticed by now that I love mimicking flavors. With that in mind, bourbon on its own isn’t a bad choice either.
For wine, a Madeira is perfect with these chocolate chip-coconut-macadamia nut cookies. Madeira has a caramel-like backbone to it, which is great with the dark brown sugar. You may also pick up some nutty notes for a delicious match with the coconut and macadamia nuts.
Baking a batch of fresh cookies is always a good idea, so please give these chocolate chip-coconut-macadamia nut cookies a try.
Cheers!
Need More Cookie Recipes?
- Espresso and Kahlua cookies
- Cranberry-orange cookies with white chocolate chips
- Toasted coconut sugar cookies
- Fudgy brownie cookies
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📖 Recipe
Chocolate Chip-Coconut-Macadamia Nut Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup softened salted butter
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or paste
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 cups chocolate chips plus 1 optional cup
- 1 ⅓ cups sweetened shredded coconut
- ¾ cup chopped macadamia nuts
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugars and vanilla on medium speed until creamy. This should take about four minutes. Pause every so often to scrap the mixture from the side of the bowl.
- Add one egg and then beat until incorporated. Add the other egg and beat until incorporated.
- Scrap the mixture off the side of the bowl again and gradually beat in the flour mixture. Stir in 2 cups of chocolate chips, coconut and macadamia nuts.
- Refrigerate until the dough stiffens, at least 30-60 minutes, and heat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Form the dough into golf ball-size rounds and drop onto parchment paper-lined baking sheet. If desired, drop a few chocolate chips from the remaining cup on top of each dough ball. Bake for 9 minutes. The cookies will look a little undercooked in the center, but they'll solidify as they cool.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a minute or two and move to wire racks to finish cooling. Enjoy!
Notes
- Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Nutrition
Cheryl says
I made these before and they are delicious! Ready to make a batch for Christmas but I bought unsweetened coconut by mistake. Will that cause a problem with the flavor?
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Hi, Cheryl! I’ve haven’t made them either unsweetened coconut, but I bet it’ll be fine. You’ll still get the sweetness from the cookies and chocolate chips. Happy holidays!
Karen Wilber says
Made these for a cookie swap party. They are delicious and a very hearty cookie. I love Almond Joys, so I may try it with chopped or sliced almonds too. Happy Holidays!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Almonds sound like a wonderful addition! That’s one of my favorite candies too. I’m so glad you loved these cookies and happy holidays to you!
Heather says
This is a wonderful recipe. The cookies were perfectly sized, fluffy, yet had a nice texture. Thank you for sharing!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thanks so much, Heather! Glad you liked them.
Daniela says
These look and sound like absolutely delicious cookies!!! And your photography rocks! Thanks so much for sharing :).
Julie says
I still remember the first time I had a macadamia nut cookie, on a trip to Hawaii when I was 11 or 12. It was delicious -- and I still haven't made my own version at home. I can't wait to try this and bring back memories from two decades ago!
Stacey says
I'm a sucker for anything chocolate chip, and these sound perfectly decadent! I'm going to have to make these soon!
Des says
What is not to love about these cookies? It has everything that makes a cookie great.
Markus Mueller says
Yum! I love a good cookie recipe. I've been promising my daughter we'd make a batch together this week. I think I just decided what kind to make!
lauren says
Ooooo these cookies are right up my alley! They look like the perfect amount of chewy soft without falling apart. The combination of the macadamia nut and coconut sounds so delicious...and of course, the chocolate chip is a must!
Jacqueline Debono says
These cookies look and sound fabulous. Love that you've used macadamia nuts! Cookies with beer! Now that is great idea!
Kate says
These cookies look amazing, and I absolutely love having drink recommendations to pair with cookies, what a genius idea 🙂
Debbie says
My mouth started watering juice reading the title of this recipe. These chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies are a great twist on a classic cookie that I would take anytime. My oldest son loves anything with coconut and chocolate chip cookies are his kryptonite so this are going on my to bake list.
Mama Maggie's Kitchen says
Hmm yum! This Chocolate Chip-Coconut-Macadamia Nut Cookies looks sooo tasty! Can't wait to try making this at home. My son will surely love this.
Amy says
I've always been a sucker for plain old chocolate chip cookies -- but let me tell ya, I'm so glad you gave them a face-lift! Those tropical flavors look so delicious, and so perfect for summer!
Carrie | Clean Eating Kitchen says
I love macadamia nuts in cookies, they have the perfect texture to them, and I will never say no to coconut anything! Bookmarking to bake soon!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Right there with you! Hope you love them.