Buttery & delicious, this Hawaiian Shortbread Cookie Recipe has chocolate chips & macadamia nuts…it’s definitely one of my best shortbread recipes, these cookies are so good!
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
If you’ve ever been to Hawaii, they are known – among many other wonderful things, for their outstanding shortbread. This is great news if you happen to have a sweet tooth, and you can find them pretty easily (plus the Honolulu Cookie Company sells the pineapple-shaped ones online).
Some of the best shortbread cookies I’ve tasted are from home cooks who sell at the little farmer’s markets that are scattered around the big island. While this isn’t the exact recipe, it’s a delicious version worth a try.
Here’s a few good reasons to make this recipe:
- This recipe is different thanks to a generous amount of chocolate chips and pieces of macadamia nuts. They look kind of like sugar cookies, but these are crispy, buttery, sweet and so, so good.
- The cookies are crumbly, a little delicate, even. But they really kind of melt in your mouth, which we like very much.
- Super simple ingredients here, and they can be frozen if well wrapped for up to 60 days.
And if shortbread’s your thing, bookmark these Macadamia Shortbread Cookies with white chocolate drizzle for later! Had these in Hawaii too and they are fabulous.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the full recipe and list of ingredients, please scroll to the recipe card below.
- Flour: Regular old all-purpose flour
- Baking Soda & Salt: For tenderness and flavor
- Unsalted Butter: One cup butter, well softened for easier combining
- Vanilla Extract: For that special flavor you can’t get anywhere else
- Sugar: Baker’s Sugar (superfine) if you can, regular sugar is fine too
- Chocolate Chips: The semi-sweet variety, please
- Macadamia Nuts: Chopped small so there’s some in every bite 🙂
Step-By Step Instructions
For the full list of instructions and ingredients, please scroll to the recipe card below.
- Start by pre-heating the oven and letting the butter sit out for an hour to soften
- Cream butter & sugar in a large bowl until very light (3 minutes)
- Add the dry ingredients in two batches and mix gently to combine and make the shortbread dough
- Pulse macadamia nuts in a food processor, or chop them into small pieces with a knife
- Add the macadamia nuts and chocolate chips to the cookie dough
- Shape dough into balls and place on cookie sheet
After you’ve shaped the cookie dough balls, lightly flatten them with the bottom of a jar, then bake!
Tips and Possible Variations
- Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper before baking so the cookies don’t stick.
- Cream butter at room temperature…. If it’s too cold, it won’t mix well.
- You can leave the macadamia nuts out if you like, or try an equal amount of toasted pecans instead.
- Use a small ice cream scoop to form the cookie dough…this is the best way to do it to get a consistent size for overall even baking.
- Use superfine Baker’s Sugar in this recipe if you can find it, found in what looks like a milk carton in the baking aisle of well-stocked grocery stores. Otherwise, use regular granulated sugar.
- Do a mini chocolate chip version! You can find semi-sweet and white chocolate mini chips in the baking section.
Serving Ideas
- This shortbread cookie practically begs for a cup of coffee or tea, or a fantastic hot chocolate.
- No one will turn down a nice big tray of cookies for dessert, especially if you’ve got a crowd. Try these outstanding peanut butter thumbprints, or these soft, thick Lemon Shortbread Cookies. These Mini Blueberry Pies don’t actually qualify as cookies, but they’re really, really good. 🙂
- Any cookie would be fabulous with this juicy and wonderful Fresh Tangerine Sorbet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Best in an airtight container, and they’ll stay fresh for a couple of days
Sure can, and you can freeze half (well-wrapped) for at least 60 days!
More Recipes to Try:
- Butterscotch Shortbread Cookies: Absolutely devine
- Crispy Snickerdoodle Cookies: Perfect with a tall glass of iced tea!
- Philadelphia Strawberry Cheesecake Bars Recipe: Just as good as the original!
- Bite Sized Chocolate Chip Cookies: So cute and so tasty!
- Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pecans: Some of the best chocolate chip cookies out there.
- Ginger Biscotti with Pistachio: Delicious, dunkable cookies!
- Dark Chocolate Trail Mix: Easy to make, fun to eat!
- Chocolate Covered Oreos: These are super easy and delicious!
- Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies: An absolutely delicious cookie!
- Easy Chocolate Covered Pecans: These are easy and so good!
If you’ve tried this Hawaiian Shortbread Cookie Recipe, or any other recipe on Studio Delicious, please rate the recipe 5 stars and tell me how you liked it in comments below!
Looking for more tips and fresh, homemade recipes? Join my email list, tag and follow me on Instagram using #studiodeliciouseats, follow my boards on Pinterest, and see what I’m up to on Facebook and Twitter!
Hawaiian Shortbread Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1¾ Cup Flour, all-purpose
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 Cup Butter, unsalted, softened
- ½ Cup Sugar, superfine see notes
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ¾ Cup Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
- ½ Cup Macadamia Nuts, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees, and prepare a large baking sheet (cookie sheet) with parchment paper. Set your butter out to soften for at least 30 minutes.
- Sift the dry ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl, set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until it's light and fluffy, about 3 minutes using an electric mixer. Add the vanilla and mix to combine. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture – about half the amount at a time – just mixing it together until the flour disappears into the butter, 30 seconds or so. Mix the rest of the flour in until just combined. Stir the chocolate chips and macadamia nuts in the batter until combined.
- Scoop the batter with an ice cream or cookie scoop (or a spoon) – about 1 ½ tablespoons per cookie – onto the prepared baking sheet. Flatten the tops down slightly with a flat-bottom jar or glass and bake for 18-20 minutes. The outside edges will be very light brown. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes until set, then transfer to a wire cooling rack. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.
Notes
- Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper before baking so the cookies don’t stick.
- Make sure your butter is soft before starting. If it’s too cold, it won’t mix well.
- You can leave the macadamia nuts out if you like, or try an equal amount of toasted pecans instead.
- Use a small ice cream scoop to form the cookie dough…this is the best way to do it to get a consistent size for overall even baking.
- Use superfine Baker’s Sugar in this recipe, found in what looks like a milk carton in the baking aisle of well-stocked grocery stores. Otherwise, use regular granulated sugar.
Nutrition
- Super important to read the whole recipe before you begin
- Pay attention to the ingredient list and photos for the recipe
- If possible, prep your ingredients a little before you start
- Always use a sharp knife for safety
- Use the size of pan called for in the recipe
- For savory recipes, taste and season as you go
- Buy fresh, organic ingredients, locally sourced whenever possible
Made these after a friend brought me Hawaiian chocolate chip macadamia cookies & it was a fabulous recipe! I froze before cooking & pressed them VERY thin (ala Tate’s) & they were crisp, delicate & divine!!! Thanks!
I made them vegan too & they were equally delish! Earth buttery sticks worked great!
Oh that’s so great to hear! I love the idea of making them vegan. Thanks for commenting!