toasted coconut, white chocolate, and macadamia cookies

prep: 20 MINUTES | bake: 10 TO 12 MINUTES PER BATCH | makes 36 COOKIES

Of all the chocolates, white chocolate usually isn’t at the top of my list, but Caleb loves it and is always begging me to add it to a cookie recipe. I decided to start with a pretty classic flavor combination—white chocolate and macadamia—and then took it up a notch with another favorite: toasted coconut. Because white chocolate can be pretty sweet, I balanced things out with a sprinkling of sea salt at the end. The result: A cookie that made my little guy so happy (I got two thumbs up!) and made me a white chocolate fan.

1¼ cups shredded sweetened coconut

3¼ cups all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup (½ pound) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1½ cups packed light brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 cups white chocolate chunks or chips

1 cup chopped macadamia nuts

Maldon sea salt flakes, for sprinkling

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.

2 Line a second large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and spread the coconut in an even layer over the top. Place the baking sheet on the middle oven rack and bake for 3 minutes. Gently stir the coconut with a spatula and continue baking until the coconut is golden brown and fragrant, 3 to 4 more minutes. Set aside to cool completely.

3 In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt.

4 In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and both sugars for about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl with a spatula between mixing, if necessary. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients. Use a spoon or spatula to stir in the white chocolate, macadamia nuts, and cooled toasted coconut.

5 Form the dough into balls the size of 2 tablespoons. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Not all the cookies will fit on the sheet for one batch. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are slightly golden brown. Sprinkle the cookies with the salt flakes and let cool on the baking sheet for 3 to 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Once the baking sheet has cooled completely, repeat with the remaining dough.

6 Store the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.