White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies with Toasted Coconut

Happy Monday, everyone! We’re all at the beginning of a brand new week. These last few weeks of May for us are jam-packed with everything I don’t want to have to deal with next month when the baby comes. I’ve crammed it all into May, and left June completely wide open in case this little guy comes early, or I need to slow things down again…

We had quite the scare a couple weeks ago. Without going into too much detail, I was having a little spotting, and was told to keep things very relaxed for the weekend. Well, I did, and then the spotting came back on the Monday after. My doctor told me to go to labor and delivery up at the University of Utah Hospital and get checked out, and most likely deliver the baby, if I noticed any bit of spotting at all that evening. I was horrified. I was 31-32 weeks along then, and completely taken back at how on earth this could be happening to us. I remember listening to the doctor explain the situation we may be finding ourselves in, and me looking over at my husband with tear-filled eyes thinking “how could this be happening?” It was just insane. It was Monday, and I was thinking of the week I had planned ahead of me: It was my turn to host preschool that week. It was my son’s first week of the swimming lessons I had signed him up for a month ago. It was a busy, busy week for my husband in court and with huge interviews coming up that we had been praying for, for so very long. I had Wind Symphony duties that had been grossly neglected. I had sharing time to prepare for over 120 kids in our primary at church (including a Mother’s Day gift/craft/lesson). I had this dear food blog here to cook for, attend to, and keep up social media for. And my house was a complete disaster.

But none of that mattered for that night. I laid down on my bed, and just sat there. Starring. It was surreal. I couldn’t believe it. Spotting was never, ever, ever a good thing at this late in the game. I was really, really scared. I took it completely easy that night, and the next morning. No spotting. So far so good. Early that next morning, my Mom showed up with dinner to throw in the crock pot, flowers, movies, entertainment for my 4-year old son, lots of treats and popcorn, and her warm spirit. I got a call from the doctor right before. He said he wanted me to come into his office right away so he could check out how things are going, and figure out why I was spotting.

Thankfully, after a potentially scary visit, the doctor found the source of the spotting, and it had nothing to do with the baby, where the baby was, how the baby was connected, or anything to do with the health and safety of the baby. I wasn’t in pre-term labor. WHEW. He gave me some medicine for the problem, and told me to take it easy for a couple days. I did, and decided then I needed to slow the heck down in my life.

So you see, that’s why the blog has slowed down a bit. I promise I still make and try new recipes all the time, but I needed a second to reevaluate everything, and slow down the constant stay in crazy town. It’s been nice!

That weekend, I decided to make some cookies for my husband. He was such a rock for me that week, and I was so grateful for having him by my side throughout all the crazy. I know some of his favorite cookies on the planet are the traditional chocolate chip cookie, but I think a close second would be white chocolate macadamia. Thinking of a way to change it up a bit, I tossed in a handful of toasted coconut, and we arrived at something so DANG TASTY, my friends. Adding the coconut to the traditional white chocolate macadamia cookies was revelation, I tell you. It amped up the toasty flavors, along with the overall tropical hue of the cookie with a little bit of coconut extract. It was like Hawaii in a cookie for me (we went to Molokai for our honeymoon, and ate ourselves silly with macadamia nuts). I fell in love, and couldn’t wait to share the recipe with you guys! Enjoy!

makes 2 dozen

2 C all-purpose flour

1 T cornstarch

1 t baking soda

3/4 t salt

3/4 C unsalted butter

3/4 C brown sugar

1/2 C granulated sugar

1 egg

2 t vanilla

1/2 t coconut extract

1/2 C toasted macadamia nut pieces

1/2 C toasted coconut

1/2 C white chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prep cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, while the butter and sugar are creaming together, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Set aside.

4. Back to the creamed ingredients. Add vanilla and egg and mix until incorporated, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Turn mixer on to a lower speed, then slowly add in dry ingredients (about a 1/2 C at a time) until just combined. Don’t over-mix. Toss in add-ins (nuts, coconut, choc. chips) and stir until evenly distributed.

5. Roll into 1-inch wide cookie dough balls and place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 9 minutes, then remove from oven. Let sit on cookie sheet for 30 seconds to let the bottoms cook a little longer on the pan, then transfer to a wire/cooling rack to cool. Store in an airtight container with a slice of bread.