If October is Pumpkin Month in my kitchen, then December is Gingerbread month, or rather the time of year where I stock up on bottles of molasses and go on a ginger-infused spree, as evidenced by this classic gingerbread (2014,) these chocolate gingerbread bars (2015), this gingerbread cake (2016,) these gingerbread cookies (2017,) this gingerbread shortbread (2018,) and these gingerbread pancakes (2019). This tradition is one that I have taken with me from the U.S — a country that celebrates gingerbread in the form of everything from coffee to muffins to doughnuts this time of year — and though I do love the panettone that Italy favors at Christmas, it is simply not the holidays without gingerbread.

We’ve established that 2020 has been a, ehm, different sort of year, to stay the least. My usual travel and time with family have been called off this year and as a result, so has my annual gingerbread kick. You see: without my visits home or annual visitors from the U.S, I’ve not been able to get my hands on my yearly supply of molasses — that pungent, sticky syrup that makes gingerbread gingerbread — which, having no place in Italian cuisine, is not an ingredient found easily in Rome. Much like decorating the tree with my brother or catching a performance of the Nutcracker, my tradition of spending most of December making my apartment smell like an actual gingerbread house has been be delayed until further notice.

But just because something is different doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad, right?! For better or worse, 2020 has taught me to be flexible, look on the bright side, make the best out of less than ideal situations, and to — at the risk of sounding cheesy — count my blessings. In other words: no gingerbread, no problem.

So! I may not be whipping up any gingerbread this year, but my Christmas baking plans are in full-swing all the same, getting off to a deliciously successful start with a batch of these White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies. Now: these aren’t exactly traditional or obviously seasonal (no peppermint, eggnog, or ginger here) but in a year that has gone off script, does it really matter?! These cookies are soft in the center and chewy around the edges, redolent of butter and brown sugar and packed with crunchy, buttery macadamia nuts and pools of white chocolate that almost caramelize in the oven. They are luxurious and indulgent and therefore festive, a special occasion kind of cookie, one that goes wonderfully alongside a mug of hot chocolate, tucked into a tin of Christmas cookies you’ve baked for your neighbors, ideal with a glass of milk for Santa, or, if you’re me, eaten warm off the baking sheet in your slippers while teleworking (ahh, 2020). Bonus: these require no softening or beating of butter, and no electric mixers — just the melting and whisking together of ingredients — thus reducing the time it takes to get them baked and ready to eat.

A couple of notes: If you’re in Rome, do yourself a favor and pay a visit to Isola delle Spezie (Via Marcantonio Bragadin 91) which has an excellent selection of every spice, grain, legume, dried fruit, and nut your cooking and any cuisine could ever call for. If you want to have these cookies on hand for whenever a craving strikes, the dough can be formed in to balls, placed on a cookie sheet, and frozen until solid, then stored in plastic freezer bags. The frozen dough can be baked directly from the freezer (you might have to add a minute or two of cooking time). The cookies will keep for up to a week, covered and refrigerated. If you don’t have macadamia nuts, feel free to substitute pecans or walnuts or even pistachios here. If you’re not a fan of white chocolate, milk or semi sweet would also work very well.

Looking for more cookie/biscotti recipes? Click here.
Want other recipes with white chocolate? I have this White Chocolate Blueberry Cake and and these White Chocolate Almond Apricot Biscotti.

WHITE CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA NUT COOKIES

Recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction. Makes 25-30 cookies.

Ingredients:
2 cups + 2 Tablespoons (265g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (170g) unsalted butter, melted + slightly cooled
3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 heaping cup (210g) chopped white chocolate
1 cup (120g) roughly chopped macadamia nuts

Directions:
Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.

Whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract together until combined. Pour into dry ingredients and mix everything together with a rubber spatula until completely combined (I used electric beaters for this step which made it easier). Fold in the white chocolate and macadamia nuts.

Cover and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 4 days. If chilling for longer than 2 hours, allow to sit at room temperature for at least 20-30 minutes before rolling and baking because the dough will be quite hard.

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.

Roll the dough into balls, about 1-1.5 Tablespoons of dough per cookie, and arrange 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look soft. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.