My favorite cookie in the whole wide world is a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie. They are always so soft and chewy, with a touch of crunch and just the right amount of sweet.
Whenever I am in a bakery and they have that flavor on offer, you can bet I am ordering at least two to go with my coffee.
A couple of years ago, I went to Hawaii to celebrate my thirtieth birthday with a couple of close friends. I had been to Hawaii before, but at that time I wasn’t much of a foodie, so I didn’t realize at the time that I was surrounded by so much incredible food.
In Hawaii, the macadamia nut is a big deal, and it’s there that I fell even more in love with it. They use it in cookies and cakes, to crust fish fillets, and to make so many more recipes that are freaking incredible.
So, of course I came back craving those nuts in all of their varied sweet and savory preparations, and I’ve been cooking with them more than ever before in the last couple of years.
Let me tell you, if you haven’t had macadamia crusted fish yet, it’s the next thing that you need to try for dinner after you make these bars.
Today, I’m sharing my new favorite with you all. It’s a simple, classic blondie recipe. These bars are chewy, but they are also packed with a bunch of white chocolate chips and nuts.
While I love the classic cocoa brownie, sometimes I want a white chocolate version to satisfy my sweet craving, you know?
Instead of the heavy flavor of the classic brownie, blondies offer more of a brown sugar and vanilla flavor for the base. The texture is so perfect, and you get those crisp edges… It’s the ultimate dessert indulgence, in my opinion.
If you love vanilla, this is the luscious dessert that you should be reaching for.
On the other hand, I know that white chocolate isn’t for everyone. Honestly, eating this type by itself really doesn’t wow me like milk or dark chocolate does. But it’s one of those ingredients that really comes to life when it’s featured in a recipe like this one.
The sweetness of the white chocolate alongside the savory flavor of the macadamias and the smooth vanilla makes for bite after bite of sweet and comforting flavor.
To really push these blondies over the top, I like to sprinkle them with coarse salt as soon as they come out of the oven. The heat of the just-baked blondies allows the salt to stick to the tops, providing a little touch of salty contrast to balance out the sweetness.
If you haven’t jumped on the sea salt bandwagon yet, when it comes to desserts at least, this is the best recipe to dive in with. They are these little magic crystals that will keep you coming back for more and more and more… To put it simply, it wholeheartedly enhances the overall greatness of the recipe.
Trust me when tell you that a plate of these will disappear incredibly quickly.
Print
Soft and Chewy White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Blondies
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
Description
White chocolate macadamia nut blondies are going to quickly become your favorite bar dessert. They’re chewy, soft, and luxurious.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/3 cups packed light brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup roughly chopped, roasted, unsalted macadamia nuts
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-by-8-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, letting the paper hang over the edges for easy removal.
- In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Add butter, brown sugar, and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition. Continue to beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add flour mixture and beat on low speed until just incorporated.
- Use a spatula to fold in white chocolate and nuts until just combined.
- Add batter to the prepared pan. Spread into an even layer.
- Bake until cooked through and the edges are golden brown, about 40 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. Sprinkle with coarse salt, if desired.
- Cool completely in the pan, on a wire rack. Cut into 16 bars.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Blondies
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Baked Goods
Keywords: blondies, macadamia nut, white chocolate
Cooking By the Numbers…
Step 1 – Chop Nuts and Measure Remaining Ingredients
Chop enough roasted, unsalted macadamia nuts so you have 3/4 cup total.
Measure out all of the remaining ingredients as listed on the ingredients list.
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line an 8-by-8-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper. Make sure to let some excess paper hang over the edges for easy removal, to create a sort of sling that you can lift right out of the pan.
Step 2 – Mix Dry Ingredients
Add flour, baking powder, and salt to a small bowl. Stir together until combined.
Set aside.
Step 3 – Make Batter
Beat together the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time. Be sure to beat fully between each addition until incorporated. After the second egg is mixed in, beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add dry ingredients and beat on low speed until just incorporated.
Fold in nuts and white chocolate using a spatula, until just combined.
Step 4 – Bake
Add batter to the prepared pan. Spread into an even layer.
Bake until the edges are golden and the blondies are cooked through. This will take about 40 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
Sprinkle the surface evenly with coarse salt, if desired. I highly recommend it!
Step 5 – Cool and Slice
Place the pan on a wire rack and cool completely.
Remove from the pan using the parchment paper sling. Cut into 16 equally-sized bars.
Can I Make These Ahead of Time?
You can easily make these blondies ahead of time for a party. I recommend cooling them, removing them from the pan, and then wrapping the whole thing tightly in cling wrap.
When you are ready to serve, or just before serving, cut the baked slab into 16 bars. That way, the edges of each blondie won’t dry out, and it’ll keep that fudgy texture in the center that I love so much.
For more blondie and brownie recipes, check out the following:
- Sweet Potato Blondies with Maple Syrup Glaze
- Sweet Potato Chocolate Brownies
- Ultimate Vegan Brownies
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies
What’s your favorite way to enjoy macadamia nuts for dessert? Tell us in the comments below, and rate the recipe once you try it to let other readers know how much you liked it.
Photos by Meghan Yager, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. With additional writing and editing by Allison Sidhu.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Meghan Yager
Meghan Yager is a food addict turned food and travel writer with a love for creating uncomplicated, gourmet recipes and devouring anything the world serves up. As the author of the food and travel blog Cake 'n Knife, Meghan focuses on unique foodie experiences from around the world to right at home in your own kitchen.
