These Lemon Macadamia Nut Cookies are soft, buttery, and full of lemon flavor. Each cookie has a chewy center, crisp edges, and a mix of sweet white chocolate chips and crunchy macadamia nuts. They're easy to make and just a really good cookie to bake any time of year.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Bright lemon flavor - A little citrus twist gives these cookies a nice flavor.
- Soft, chewy texture - Cream cheese adds richness for a tender center.
- Easy to make - Simple pantry ingredients and ready in under 30 minutes.
- Freezer-friendly - Store cookie dough balls in a freezer-safe container for easy baking later.
- Perfect for any occasion - Great for spring, summer, or holiday cookie trays. It's great all year round!
What's Needed to Make Lemon Macadamia Nut Cookies
- unsalted butter, softened
- cream cheese, softened
- light brown sugar
- granulated sugar
- large egg
- lemon extract
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- salt
- cornstarch
- macadamia nuts, chopped
- white chocolate chips
How to Make Macadamia Nut Cookies with Lemon
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line cookie sheets or a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the unsalted butter, cream cheese, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium speed until light and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the egg and lemon extract, mixing until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour mixture-flour, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients on low speed, mixing just until no streaks of flour remain.
- Stir in the chopped macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the finished dough.
- Scoop dough using a #30 cookie scoop and place cookie dough balls onto the prepared sheet pan, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes, until the cookies are lightly golden brown around the edges but still soft in the centers.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Quick Tips
- Use room temperature butter and cream cheese for best results.
- For a deeper flavor, try making brown butter first and letting it cool before mixing.
- Add ½ teaspoon almond extract for extra depth and flavor.
- Don't overbake-cookies continue to cook slightly on the pan after baking.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.
Storage
Allow cookies to cool completely, then layer them in a single layer between sheets of parchment paper in an airtight container. They'll stay fresh for up to 5 days at room temperature.
To freeze, place baked cookies or raw cookie dough balls in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Bake dough straight from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
More Cookie Recipes
If you loved these Lemon Macadamia Nut Cookies, here are a few more cookie recipes to try next:
- White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies - A classic cookie with buttery dough, sweet white chocolate chips, and crunchy macadamia nuts.
- Mrs. Field's Chocolate Chip Cookies Copycat Recipe - Soft, chewy, and filled with melty chocolate chips-just like the ones from the mall bakery.
- Peanut Butter Blossoms - The perfect mix of soft peanut butter cookies and chocolate kisses, always a hit at cookie exchanges or holiday trays.
📖 Recipe
Lemon Macadamia Nut Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter - softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese - softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons lemon extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1½ cups macadamia nuts - chopped
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, brown sugar, and white sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add egg and lemon extract; mix until combined.
- In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture; mix until combined.
- Stir in macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips.
- Scoop cookie dough using a #30 cookie scoop and place on baking sheets.
- Bake 11-13 minutes, until edges are golden brown.
- Cool on the sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter and cream cheese for best results.
- Don't overbake-cookies continue to cook slightly on the pan after baking.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage (3 months).
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.
© Mama Needs Cake
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Dana is an experienced recipe creator who crafts easy and delicious recipes for all levels of home cooks.
Her recipes range from classic comfort foods to healthy and nutritious meals, and she is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring flavor and variety to the table.
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