Chocolate Macadamia Cookies With White Chocolate Chunks

The cookies are flavorful, without an overpowering sweetness or richness. The chocolate cookie dough bakes to buttery, crumbly texture, much like a shortbread. The macadamias add a rich nuttiness, and white chocolate imparts the sweetness. The recipe is from Pillsbury Best Cookies Cookbook. They're listed as editor's favorite, and chocoholic's choice. The prep time was listed at 45 minutes, but it only took me 15. I avoided chopping the chocolate and nuts by buying white chocolate chunks (instead of bar chocolate), and putting the nuts into a plastic ziplock bag and giving them a good beating with a rolling pin. Be careful not to turn them into flour. Next time I make them I will do half butter, half shortening, and add a teaspoon of vanilla. I used dutch process cocoa, since that's what was in the pantry.

• Ready In: 27 mins
• Yields: 36 cookies

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup  firmly packed brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 3⁄4 cup butter, softened
• 1⁄4 cup butter flavor shortening
• 1  teaspoon  almond extract
• 1  egg
• 2  cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 cup  unsweetened cocoa
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  cup white chocolate pieces or 1  cup white chocolate chips or 6  ounces white chocolate baking bar, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
• 1 (3 1/2ounce) jar  unsalted macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375°F.
2. In large bowl combine brown sugar, sugar, butter, and shortening; beat until light and fluffy. Add almond extract and egg, blend well.
3. In small bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients into the large bowl with the sugar, butter, egg mixture and mix well.
4. Stir in white chocolate and nuts.
5. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
6. Bake at 375 for 8 - 12 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute. remove from cookies sheets.