Byron Bay White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Byron Bay cookies changed the Aussie cookie market forever when they first came out. They were known for their size (big!), the buttery crisp-but-melt-in-your-mouth texture and most importantly, the generous amounts of “stuff” inside. Big chunks of chocolate (here’s the Choc Chunk version!), nuts, M&M’s. Nobody eats a Byron Bay cookie and is left feeling dissatisfied!! They’re now found in cafes all across Australia, and as popular as ever. They also come with a fairly hefty price tag of $4.00 each. So it was inevitable that I’d pursue a copy-cat version with a vengeance! This recipe is a copycat of Australia’s most popular cafe cookie – Byron Bay cookies!

This recipe was developed using Shortbread Cookies as a base which has a similar texture and flavour, then tweaked by referencing the ingredients listed on the Byron Bay Cookie jars in cafes (I cheekily took photos of the labels to reference back at home!). Just a note on a few ingredients:

Rice flour – this makes the cookie crumb a bit “silkier” than when made with just flour, to mimic the texture of Byron Bay Cookies (it’s listed in the Byron Bay ingredients). Can sub with normal flour; Brown and white sugar – both used to achieve the balance of texture, flavour and colour. White sugar makes cookies crisper, brown sugar makes cookies chewier, browner and a touch more flavour; and Macadamia nuts and white chocolate – the base cookie is the same for all white Byron Bay Cookies so feel free to sub this with other “stuff” of choice – choc chunks, M&M’s (the Dotty Cookies!), other nuts, dried fruit, caramel bits etc.

How to make it

This recipe is one of those recipes where you form a log which is refrigerated to firm up, then sliced. In the spirit of Byron Bay Cookies, I make these BIG and THICK!! I use a hand held beater here but it can be done with a stand mixer or even with a wooden spoon and a bit of an arm work out.

It cost about $12 for all the ingredients, and this recipe makes 13 cookies (because it would be asking too much for any recipe I invent to make a nice even number like 12 cookies). So at $4 a pop, this makes $52 worth of cookies. So I’m feeling very smug right now. I know I know, I’m soooo immature!!! 😂 – Nagi x PS These cookies keep very well, staying the same texture rather than going soft like some cookies do. The record so far is 4 days. I’m holding onto 1 cookie to see how long much longer it will last.

Other recipes I’ve created in the past for the same reason as these Byron Bay cookie copycat recipe (ie because I love ’em but they’re expensive!)

Byron Bay Triple Choc Fudge Cookies – Chocolate cookies with white AND dark chocolate, these are seriously chewy and seriously chocolatey! Byron Bay Choc Chunk Cookies – the same cookie dough as this recipe, but loaded with choc chunks! Gourmet Fruit & Nut Crackers for Cheese – homemade version of the rather expensive fruit and nut crackers to serve with cheese! Homemade is incredible – the flavour is so much better than the store bought. Plus it’s way WAY cheaper! Muesli Cookies (Breakfast Cookies / Granola Cookies) – copycat of the thick, chunky, chewy muesli cookies sold in cafes across Australia. A healthy breakfast option because it’s like a bowl of oatmeal in cookie form – refined sugar free, low fat, gluten free, keeps you full for ages but it tastes like a sweet cookie!