White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Several years ago, I began a short lived quest to find the best recipe for my favorite cookie: White Chocolate Macadamia Nut.  After a couple tries, I found this one on TopSecretRecipes.com.  I love the minced coconut which makes them extra chewy.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut flakes, finely minced
1 egg
1 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup macadamia nuts, chopped (these are so expensive, I use 1/2- 3/4 cup)
8 oz. white chocolate chips or bar cut into chunks ( I used 6 oz.)

Cream butter and sugar in mixer on high speed.  Add coconut, egg, milk and vanilla; mix well.  Combine dry ingredients, including nuts and chocolate.  Add to wet mixture until dough forms.

Let dough rest 30-60 minutes in refrigerator.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

For regular sized cookies: drop onto ungreased cookie sheets, 2 inches apart. Press to flatten slightly.  Bake for 8-10 minutes.
For giant sized cookies: measure out 2 1/2 Tbsp. of dough and form into a ball.  Drop onto ungreased cookie sheets, 3 inches apart. Press to flatten slightly.  Bake for 12-14 minutes.

Cookies should come out of oven appearing slightly browned, yet undercooked.  When cooled, cookies will be soft and chewy. Let cool a few minutes on cookie sheets, remove to rack.

Yields: About 3 dozen regular or 16-18 giant cookies.