If you grew up grabbing white chocolate macadamia nut cookies at Subway, this recipe is for you. These gluten-free white chocolate macadamia nut cookies have crisp edges, chewy centers, and big puddles of melted white chocolate in every bite. As someone with celiac disease, I’ve made sure this recipe is the real deal.
The base is my tried-and-true gluten-free chocolate chip cookie dough, swapped with white chocolate and macadamia nuts. I like to chop up white chocolate baking bars instead of using chips. You get those varying sizes that melt into gooey pockets throughout the cookie. But chips work too if that’s what you have.
The secret to the chewy center is pulling them out of the oven while they still look slightly underdone. They’ll firm up as they cool but stay soft and chewy even the next day.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
Searching for more gluten-free cookie recipes? gluten-free pecan chocolate chip cookies / gluten-free chewy sugar cookies / gluten-free fluffernutter cookies / gluten-free chocolate cookies
Ingredients
TIP
Chop your white chocolate into varying sizes. The smaller pieces melt into the dough while the larger chunks create those big gooey puddles.
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten-free flour blend — I tested this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour and King Arthur Measure-for-Measure. Both blends contain xanthan gum. Since gluten-free flour blends vary so much, these are the only two I recommend for this recipe.
- White chocolate — I prefer chopping up white chocolate baking bars because the different-sized pieces melt into gooey pockets throughout the cookie. Chips work too. Just be sure the brand you use is gluten-free—some white chocolate contains barley malt, which is not safe for those with celiac disease.
- Macadamia nuts — I used roasted macadamia nuts for great flavor and texture. If yours are raw, you may want to toast them first. If you’re using salted nuts, that’s totally fine! You may want to just consider skipping the flaky sea salt on top.
- Butter — Let the butter come to room temperature so it creams properly with the sugar. I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level.
- Flaky sea salt — This adds that perfect sweet-and-salty finish. Table salt won’t give the same effect. Maldon brand or any flaky finishing salt works well.
For the ingredient list with measurements, full instructions, printable recipe, and additional notes, please scroll down to the recipe card.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Chilling the dough helps the flour hydrate, prevents excessive spreading, and gives you that thick, chewy center. One hour is the minimum, but you can chill it up to 48 hours. Perfect for making ahead.
You can, but results will vary. This recipe was tested only with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 (in the blue bag) and King Arthur Measure-for-Measure Gluten-Free Flour, both of which contain xanthan gum. Other blends may change the texture, spread, or taste gritty.
Use a round cookie cutter or biscuit cutter slightly larger than the cookie. Scoot the cookie into a circle while it’s still warm (the “cookie scoot” trick).
Yes. I tested this recipe with a #24 scoop (about 2.7 tablespoons) and got 24 cookies, and with a larger #20 scoop (3 tablespoons) and got 18 cookies. For smaller cookies, use a #40 scoop (1.5 tablespoons) and reduce the bake time by 1–2 minutes. For extra-large bakery-style cookies, use 1/4 cup of dough and add 2–3 minutes to the bake time.
Expert Tips
Storage instructions
Room temperature:
Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days. Like most gluten-free cookies, they’ll start to lose their softness after the first day or two. Warm them in the microwave for 8–10 seconds to bring back that fresh-from-the-oven texture.
Freezer (cookie dough balls):
Scoop the dough and place the balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 1 hour, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. Bake straight from frozen—just add 1–2 extra minutes to the bake time.
Freezer (baked cookies):
Freeze the fully cooled cookies in a single layer, then move them to an airtight container or freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and warm in the microwave for about 10 seconds.
More gluten-free cookies to try
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Gluten-Free White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Ingredients
- 350 g (2 1/2 cups) gluten-free flour blend
- 7 g (1 teaspoon) baking soda
- 7 g (1 teaspoon) kosher salt
- 170 g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter - at room temperature
- 200 g (1 cup) brown sugar
- 100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs - 50g each, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (130g) coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
- 8 oz (225g) chopped white chocolate - about 1 1/2 cups
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt - for finishing after baking, such as Maldon salt
**Use the toggle button above to turn the instruction photos on and off!
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 350g (2 1/2 cups) gluten–free flour blend, 7g (1 teaspoon) baking soda, and 7g (1 teaspoon) salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add 170g (3/4 cup) softened butter, 200g (1 cup) brown sugar, and 100g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar.
- Cream with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add 100g (2 large) eggs and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir until just combined. Repeat with the remaining flour, stirring until no more streaks of flour remain.
- Reserve about 2 tablespoons each of the chopped white chocolate and macadamia nuts for topping. Stir the rest into the dough.
- Cover and chill the dough for at least one hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop the dough into 2-3 tablespoon balls. You should get about 24 cookies using a #24 scoop (2.7 tablespoons) and 18 cookies using a #20 scoop (3 tablespoons).
- Place the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving 3-4 inches between each one. You can fit 6-8 cookies per sheet. Keep remaining dough in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
- Top the cookie dough balls with the reserved white chocolate and macadamia nuts before baking, after baking, or both.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 8-11 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned and the middle is no longer raw. The cookies will continue to bake on the sheet pan, so do not over-bake them for chewy centers.
- While the cookies are still warm, use a round cookie cutter or biscuit cutter slightly larger than the cookie to scoot them into a perfect round shape.
- Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt immediately after removing from the oven. Let cool on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Notes
- Flour note: I’ve tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 and King Arthur Measure-for-Measure flour blends. Both contain xanthan gum. I can’t guarantee results with other blends.
- White chocolate: I prefer chopping white chocolate baking bars instead of using chips. You get varying sizes that melt into big gooey puddles. Chips work too.
- For Chewy Cookies: Pull the cookies when they look slightly underdone. They’ll firm up as they cool but stay chewy even the next day.
- Toppings: You don’t have to reserve some of the white chocolate and macadamia nuts for the top of the cookies, but I think it makes them look more impressive and guarantees you get visible chunks in every bite.
Nutrition
First of all, I love you.
Second of all, for some reason I’m odd and don’t really like chocolate chip cookies. BUT I loooove WHITE chocolate cookies, especially white chocolate MACADAMIA cookies. They remind me of Hawaii.
I’m not a huge nut fan, either…but baked into a cookie– I’ll definitely eat it!