White chocolate & macadamia nut cookies

I am a big fan of cookies and some of my friends have even given me a nickname 'the Cookie Monster'.   Before moving to the UK all I knew about big cookies was what I had seen on TV- big oversized cookies kept in a cookie jar on the kitchen counter. However, after moving here I could get the cookies from everywhere and they looked exactly like I had imagined them. Whenever I went home to visit I always brought few packs with me as they were my sister's favourites (although she prefers just the milk chocolate chip ones). There is one big problem with shop bought cookies - they are not homemade and more importantly you can't dictate what goes in them.

These white chocolate & macadamia nut cookies have a really cute story behind them. The first time I made them (to welcome my other half home) all the shops I went to had run out of macadamia nuts and as I did not want to give up on my idea to bake them I bought loads of mixed nuts and handpicked the macadamia nuts out. Thankfully, all the following times I have not had to do that.

They are relatively sweet so I find it difficult to have more than one, but everyone else seems to have no problem finishing the whole plate off in one go. So if you prefer cookies which are a bit less sweet reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe (as white chocolate is already quite sweet just on its own). Also, feel free to substitute the nuts and white chocolate for whatever is your favourite combination. These irresistible cookies are perfect for dessert, as a snack or just to enjoy with a nice and strong cup of coffee at any time of the day.

Ingredients
(Makes around 12, depending on the size)
- 475ml flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 75g unsalted butter, melted and cooled down
- 240ml packed light brown sugar
- 120ml white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 350ml chopped macadamia nuts
- 475ml white chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat the oven to 160C. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. In a bigger bowl mix the melted butter, brown and white sugar. Then beat in the egg and egg yolk and lastly add the vanilla. Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture until evenly moistened. Then stir in the macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.

Roll the dough into balls and press down the cookies on the baking tray with your palm to make them flat.

Then bake them for 12-15 minutes or until the edge looks golden brown and the middles don't look quite set. Bake them for a bit longer if you prefer your cookies crunchier (I like mine a bit soft inside so I take them out a bit sooner).