Melt-in-your-mouth buttery shortbread combined with creamy chocolate chips and bits of crunchy macadamia nuts take these Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies to the next level. Dip them in melted chocolate for even more chocolate goodness.
Looking for a traditional shortbread? Check out my OG Classic Shortbread Cookies, the mother of all shortbread recipes!
My love for shortbread is never ending. If I had all the time in the world, I would be making every flavor under the sun into shortbread cookies. You gotta check out my current shortbread collection on the blog, but for now let’s talk about this Chocolate Chip Shortbread recipe!
If you love a classic chocolate chip cookie but you crave the crunchiness of a shortbread, you will love this recipe. Dunk them into a cup of cappuccino, trust me, it’s phenomenal!
How to make Chocolate Chip Shortbread with macadamia nuts
Prepare the Macadamia nuts
To prepare the macadamia nuts, roast them for a few minutes to bring out their sweet flavor, then pulverize the roasted macadamia nuts in a food processor or chop them with a knife until pieces are smaller than ¼”.
If you don’t have or don’t want to use macadamia nuts, just omit them. You can also substitute them with your favorite nuts: almonds, walnuts, pecans, even pistachio.
Chocolate chip shortbread cookie dough
Preparing Chocolate Chip Shortbread cookie dough (Photos 1 – 4)
- Add softened butter, sugar, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl.
- Beat until the butter mixture is thoroughly combined and fluffy.
- In another mixing bowl, sift together flour and malted milk powder. Stir in the salt, mini chocolate chips and chopped macadamia nuts until evenly distributed. Add to butter mixture.
- Mix just until the dough forms.
Shaping and cutting chocolate chip shortbread cookie dough (Photos 5 – 7)
- Scrape the dough out of the mixing bowl onto a piece of plastic wrap.
- Roll dough into a log and wrap tightly. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Slice the log into ½” slices. Freeze for 15 minutes before baking at 350°F until the bottom edges turn golden brown.
These chocolate chip shortbread cookies have a lot of mix-ins, from the macadamia nuts to the mini chocolate chips. It is best to handle them like a slice and bake cookie recipe. It is much easier this way as opposed to rolling it out into a sheet and cut with cookie cutters.
Which type of chocolate chip to use in this recipe?
I like to use mini chocolate chips in these cookies for better and more even distribution. You can add more chocolate chips to your preference or if you’re omitting the macadamia nuts.
Also, take your chocolate chip shortbread cookies to the next level by dipping them in melted chocolate as a final touch. I like to use chocolate melting wafers for this step.
Baker’s Tips
- Use room temperature softened butter for this recipe, it will take 30 minutes to an hour to soften. Make sure you don’t let the butter melt, especially in warmer weather.
- If the butter softens too much, the shortbread dough will be very soft and sticky. The dough will need longer refrigeration time, even freezing the log is recommended before slicing.
- On the other hand, if the butter is not soft enough, the dough will appear a little sandy, crumbly, like pie dough. Continue to beat with the mixer, the friction from the beater will warm the dough up and help it incorporate.
- Refrigerating or freezing the dough log on a folded up kitchen towel can help prevent it from going flat on one side or have weird indentations if you have slatted shelvings in the freezer.
- If you want the dough log perfectly round, you will need to keep shaping it and smoothing it during the refrigeration process.
- Freezing the sliced cookies briefly before baking will help them to keep their shape better in the oven.
How long will these cookies last?
These chocolate chip shortbread cookies will last up to a week in an airtight container on the countertop at room temperature.
Can I freeze them?
Similar to all my other shortbread recipes, this chocolate chip shortbread recipe is great for freezing and making ahead. To freeze them, I recommend cutting the dough into slices, then place them in an airtight container with parchment paper between each layer so they don’t stick together.
When you are ready to bake, go ahead and bake them straight from frozen. Frozen cookies will need to bake about 2 minutes longer than recipe time.
More island inspired cookies
- The Big Island Kitchen Sink Cookies
- Chocolate Shortbread with Macadamia Nuts
- Coconut Shortbread Cookies
- Guava Jam Thumbprint Cookies
- Tropical Rugelach
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment, send me a photo, rate it and don’t forget to tag me @wildwildwhisk on Instagram. I’d love to see what’s cooking up in your kitchen. Cheers!
Chocolate Chip Shortbread with macadamia nuts
Ingredients
- 8 oz unsalted butter (room temperature, 226 g)
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar (134 g)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour (294 g)
- 2 tablespoon malted milk powder (18 g)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (scant)
- 1 cup macadamia nuts (141 g)
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips (82 g)
- Extra sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Toast the macadamia nuts in a skillet over medium heat for 3 - 5 minutes until toasty and fragrant. Set aside to cool for 15 - 30 minutes.
- Transfer cooled macadamia nuts to a food processor and pulverize into small pieces no larger than ¼”. You can also chop the nuts on a cutting board with a knife if you don’t have a food processor. Set aside.
- Beat together softened butter, sugar, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl until combined and fluffy.
- Sift flour and malted milk powder into a small mixing bowl. Stir in salt, chocolate chips and the chopped macadamia nuts. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix until a dough forms.
- Scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a piece of plastic wrap, roll into a log about 12” long or divide in half and roll into 2 logs about 6” each. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. If the dough is too soft at this point, you may want to refrigerate for 30 minutes, reshape the logs to make sure they are round, and freeze for another 30 minutes to speed up the process.
- When the dough is ready, take it out of the refrigerator or freezer and cut it into ½” slices. Place the cookies in a container and freeze for about 15 minutes while the oven is preheating.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- When the oven is ready, place cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet 1” - 2” apart. Sprinkle granulated sugar over the top of cookies generously and bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 - 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely
- Optional: dip cooled cookies in melted chocolate to add another layer of chocolate flavor.
Notes
- Allow butter to soften at room temperature before making the dough, but make sure you don’t let the butter melt, especially in warmer weather.
- If you accidentally let the butter soften too much, the cookie dough could become slightly a sticky mess. You will need to refrigerate it longer or freeze the dough log before slicing.
- If your butter is not soft enough, the dough might not incorporate well and will be a little sandy, crumbly, like pie dough. Keep beating, the friction from the beater will warm the dough up and help it incorporate.
- Before refrigerating or freezing the dough log, shape it as best as you can and place it on a folded up kitchen towel to try and prevent it from going flat on one side.
- If you want it perfectly round, you will need to keep shaping it and smoothing it during the refrigeration process.
- Freezing the sliced cookies before baking is highly recommended as it will allow them to keep their shape better in the oven.
- If your freezer is not large enough for a baking sheet, freeze the sliced cookies in a smaller container with parchment paper between each layer. Place them on a baking sheet right when you are ready to pop them into the oven.
- This cookie dough freezes well, and is perfect for making ahead. You can bake from frozen for about 2 minutes longer.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on 2/15/2018. The post has been updated and republished on 5/21/2020 with the latest improvements, extra tips, and process photos to help you in the kitchen.
These were terrific and very close to the $$ Hawaiian Cookie Company bites. I sub’d 1 T Barley malt syrup for the malted milk powder and found it didn’t make a difference. Maybe even better? I also used the flex edge beater instead of a dough hook which did not work at all, as shown in the photos.
Thanks for the recipe
Hi Michael, I did not use a dough hook, it’s a paddle attachment shown in the photo. Flex edge beater is similar to what I used but fancier with a scraper already built in. Thanks for the note about the barley malt syrup. Please give a 5 star rating if you can, it will really help out the post!
These are the most delicious cookies I have ever made, and I make a lot of cookies….for neighbors, work, any repairman, mail deliverers, gardeners, etc. because Hawaiians love shortbread and sharing us what we do!
Thank you so much for the recipe. I am glad I found you while searching recipes. Judy
Thank you Judy! It’s an honor to hear these live up to a Hawaiian’s expectation!!
These are the most delicious cookies I have ever made, and I make a lot of cookies….for neighbors, work, any repairman, mail deliverers, gardeners, etc. because Hawaiians love shortbread and sharing us what we do!
Thank you so much for the recipe. I am glad I found you while searching recipes. Judy
What brand of malted milk powder do you use and where do you buy it?
I can’t wait to make these!
Hey Heather, I just used Carnation, bought it at Stater Bros. You should be able to find it in the baking aisle of most major supermarket.
Hi Trang, so happy to see this recipe. The macadamia nut cookies they sell outside usually includes white chocolate, which taste way too sweet for me. Can’t wait to try your recipe once I have the ingredients. Jeanie
Hi auntie Jeanie!! I think you’d like these, they’re not too sweet at all. Send me pictures when you make them 🙂
My mixture is really crumbly, won’t wrap into log. Can I press into sheet pan to bake, or should I add more butter?
Please disregard my last message. I see where I went wrong, mistook the 8oz of butter for 8 tablespoons. I added another stick of butter, it’s much better now!
Hi Dawn, sorry for the delay but I’m glad you found the solution!
Will using salted nuts be okay?
Hey Aly, yes you can use salted nut but it might be extra salty so I would reduce the amount of salt called for in the recipe by half.
Love this recipe, thank you for sharing! I’ve actually made three batches this weekend and have been tweaking it slightly for holiday cookies at work. I seriously dream about those cookies from Hawaii and am so happy I can satisfy my craving. Happy Holidays!
Thanks Missy! I’m so glad you like there. Have a wonderful holiday!
I made these with oats instead of AP flour and it still tastes yumm!!
Glad to hear this recipe works with oats, thanks Preeti!
JUST ate my third cookie in a row, IF I substitute a different nut -pecans or walnuts- is the amount the same to use as the macadamia nuts.
Also, have you tried using cocoa powder instead of the mini-chocolate chips in your recipe?
Thank you sharing a great recipe!
Yup same amount of nuts if you use a different kind. I have another recipe that is a chocolate shortbread with macadamia nuts, no chocolate chip, I think you might be looking for that 🙂
Hi! Just curious do you use unsalted nuts? Thank you!
Yes, I use unsalted nuts.
Awesome cookies truly remind me of the cookies from Honolulu cookie co! The only modification I made was I didnt add the sugar on top of the cookie, not needed at all. I also just eyeballed my chocolate chips. So delicious!! Highly recommend 🙂
Yay! Thanks Kelsey, I’m so happy you like these 🙂
I’d like to pre-make these… should I mix dough and freeze individual cookies prior to baking? Or bake and freeze? Thanks! Excited to bring some Aloha to our party!
I would make the dough, pre-portion and then freeze. I freeze shortbread for later all the time, and they can bake straight from freezer.
I don’t know why there aren’t more reviews of this recipe. I made it yesterday and the cookies were amazing!!!! 🙂
Thank you Cat! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed these 🙂
Can I use a different nut? I don’t have any macadamia nuts at home and wanted to try this
recipe now. Thank you.
Sure you can use a different nut, any would work, but will give a different flavor to the cookies.
Curious why you need malted milk powder? Can you use whole milk instead?
Hi Emily, malted milk powder is not the same as milk, it gives a different taste to the cookie. Plus we wouldn’t want to use whole milk in a shortbread cookie dough, shortbread dough only uses butter and no other liquid ingredients. You can omit if you don’t have, your cookies will taste just a little different but will still be delicious!
Yes, this is my kind of cookie. I love shortbread and with choc chips – yes please
Give me all the shortbread!!! 🙂