White Chocolate & Macadamia Island Cookies

A delicious gourmet cookie!

Ingredients:
2 cups flaked coconut
3 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter (room temperature)
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar 
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla 
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12 ounces) white chocolate chips
2 cups chopped macadamia nuts
parchment paper (optional)

Method:
Preheat oven to 275*. Line a baking sheet with foil. Sprinkle coconut on the foil. Place in oven. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove and stir. Return to the oven for approximately 5 more minutes, until crisped and some of the coconut is golden brown. Set aside to cool. (Turn off oven.) 
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugars and extracts until creamy. Add eggs and mix well. Gradually beat in the flour mixture until well blended. Stir in the white chocolate chips, coconut and nuts. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for one hour or overnight.

Dough

Preheat oven to 350*. If desired, line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll tablespoons of dough into balls approximately 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Place about 2 inches apart on the lined cookie sheets.

Cookie dough, ready to go into the oven.

Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheets for a few minutes, before moving to wire racks.  

Baked cookies cooling on cookie sheet.

Finish cooling completely on the racks. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Makes 8 - 10 dozen. 

Notes:
Macadamia nuts are expensive, so try and buy them from a store that carries them in bulk. They do not need to be salted, but they should be roasted and not raw.