Best Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies With Macadamia Nuts
Who doesn’t love fresh cookies? Simple and delicious, especially with dark chocolate and nuts! Just like many happy accidents that turned into beloved favorites—think superglue or sticky notes—the chocolate chip cookie was also born by accident. In 1938, at the Toll House Inn in Massachusetts, chef Ruth Wakefield added chunks of Nestlé semi-sweet chocolate to her plain cookie dough, expecting them to melt. Instead, the chunks kept their shape, but she and her guests were pleasantly surprised by how delicious they turned out to be. This method became very popular, and today, it is known as the classic Toll House Cookie. I made some adjustments to the recipe, changing a few ingredients and slightly altering the preparation method. In my experience, the key to making these cookies turn out flawlessly every time is in how you build and combine the ingredients, how closely you watch the oven, and how you store them.
Best Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies With Macadamia Nuts
Equipment
- 2 Large bowls
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 Baking Sheet
- 1 Hand or standing mixer (if desired)
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 sticks butter (room temperature, soft) 1 cup
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar (packed) either dark or golden brown
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature from when you started
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (IE: Toll House) 1 12-oz package
- 1 cup macadamia nuts large chop (some people prefer walnuts)
Instructions
- Take the eggs and butter out at least 30 minutes before you begin so they reach room temperature and mix more easily.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Mix
- Note: It's important to mix certain ingredients seperately as explained here, or the cookies won't turn out well!
- In a smaller bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix, then add the 2 eggs one at a time, beating well into the mixture after each addition.
- In the large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and pure vanilla extract until creamy.
- Gradually mix the brown sugar mixture into the flour mixture until smooth.
- Then, fold in the chocolate chips and nuts, making sure they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Refrigerate the dough for 10 minutes so the balls are easier to form and less sticky. Then shape into 1- to 1 1/2-inch rounds and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each ball, as they will spread when baked.
Bake
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden brown, avoiding burnt edges.
- Note: Watch your cookies and don't rely solely on your timer. I like to take my cookies out a bit early so they stay soft and chewy. They will continue to cook slightly as they cool.
- Cool on the cooking sheet, away from the oven, for approximately 2 minutes.
- Then place the cookies on paper towels in a large Tupperware container with a lid to keep them soft. If left out, they will become crunchy.
