These Macadamia Shortbread Cookies are crisp, buttery, and chock full of nuts. With just six simple ingredients needed, they're quick, simple, and a must-make for any time of year.
One thing that I love about these buttery macadamia nut shortbread cookies is that the added macadamia nuts give a nice crunchy bite. You get to enjoy the full-flavored taste of the added vanilla and sugar, and then have the simplicity of the roasted nuts for an even bigger boost of flavor. They have the texture of sugar cookies, but with a deeper and more complex flavor.
Simple recipes like these Hawaiian shortbread cookies are perfect for holidays or even just a simple weekend treat. All I know is that once I whipped up my first batch, I was 100% positive that I'd be making these cookies for many years to come. They're just that good!
If you're a fan of fun cookie flavors, be sure to try these Strawberry Shortbread Cookies or these Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies. These are a couple of other cookie recipes that are always on my baking radar.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour - The basis for making the cookie dough.
- Salted butter - It needs to be cold for this recipe. I use salted butter for a full flavored taste. If you have unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt.
- White sugar - For added sweetness.
- Egg white - You only need a bit of egg white for the binder.
- Vanilla extract - Adds a nice vanilla flavoring.
- Macadamia nuts - I prefer using roasted and salted ones for added flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Macadamia Shortbread Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add parchment paper to a baking sheet.
Step One: Add all the ingredients, minus the nuts, into a food processor and pulse until a dough starts to form.
Step Two: Add the nuts and pulse until they are chopped and incorporated. You want them coarsely chopped.
Step Three: Take the dough and form it into a log that is approximately 1.5 inches in diameter and 3 inches long.
Step Four: It should be rectangular in size. Wrap it in parchment paper and place it in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
Step Five: After the time has passed, slice the dough into 24 pieces. I find it helpful to slice it in half, and then in half again, before slicing to be able to eye up the size of the slices.
Step Six: Place the sliced dough on the baking sheet. These don't spread much so they only need to be a couple of inches apart.
Step Seven: Put the sheet in the oven and bake for 16-18 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown. Let them cool completely before eating.
Top Tip
These get crisper the longer they bake. For softer cookies, bake for less time. For crisper cookies, leave them in the oven longer. Just watch to be sure they don't burn.
Substitutions
- Unsalted butter - If you don't have salted butter, be sure to add a tiny pinch of salt to the food processor to combine with the other dough ingredients.
Variations
- Melted Chocolate - While I don't make these cookies with a topping, that doesn't mean that you can't. You can melt chocolate chips or dark chocolate and drizzle it over the top of the baked cookies. You can also dip them so half is coated with chocolate.
- Nuts - If you don't want to use macadamia nuts, you could use walnuts, peanuts, or cashews.
See these Lavender Lemon Shortbread Cookies for another flavorful, crisp cookie.
Equipment
The main equipment needed to bake these cookies is a food processor, a baking sheet, and parchment paper. That's it!
Storage
Once you've baked and let these cookies cool, store them in an airtight container with a lid. You can keep leftovers at room temperature or in the fridge; either works.
If you want to freeze these cookies, just be sure that you keep them in a freezer-safe bag or container. I also put parchment paper between the cookies if I'm stacking or layering them so that they don't stick together.
Common Questions
You can. Add baking spices like cinnamon or nutmeg. You could also try using different extract flavorings like almond extract or lemon extract.
Yes, since you have to chill this dough for a short time, you can make and have the dough ready to bake at a later point in time.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
- Apple Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Coffee Cake Cookies Recipe
- Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
- Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies
📖 Recipe
Macadamia Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 8 tablespoon salted butter cold
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon egg white
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup macadamia nuts roasted and salted
Instructions
- Process the flour, butter, sugar, egg white, and vanilla in a food processor until a dough begins to form.
- Add the macadamia nuts and pulse until they are chopped and incorporated into the dough.
- Form the dough into a 2-inch thick log. Wrap in parchment and chill for 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice the dough into 12 slices. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool completely.
Nutrition
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