Cranberry Macadamia Nut Cookies

We had BIG dreams for a vegan, gluten-free version of classic white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. Little did we know good vegan white chocolate chips are hard to come by! But when we swapped them for dried cranberries in this new dough, we found our new favorite cookie!

These cookies taste just like the classics — they’re soft, sweet, vanilla-infused, and we’re confident you won’t even miss the chocolate! Plus, they’re easy to make (1 bowl) and undetectably gluten-free and vegan! We plan on making them all year round. Let us show you how it’s done!

How To Make Macadamia Nut Cookies

These cookies start with creaming vegan butter and sugar using a hand mixer. This technique adds air to the dough, giving the cookies the soft, light texture of classic macadamia nut cookies.

Then we mix in applesauce as the egg replacement and vanilla extract for a delicious, vanilla-infused dough.

To keep them gluten-free (and oat-free for those who need it! ), we used a combination of almond flour for its crumb texture, sorghum flour for its sweet, mild flavor, brown rice flour for its structure, and tapioca starch for lightness and binding.

Baking soda provides the leavening, and sea salt is a cookie essential for maximizing flavor.

After mixing the dry ingredients into the wet, the only remaining elements are the crunchy macadamia nuts and sweet dried cranberries (and white chocolate chips if you find tasty ones! ).

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup cold vegan butter, cubed (we used Miyoko’s)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar (organic if vegan)
  • 1/2 cup cane sugar (organic if vegan)
  • 1/4 cup applesauce
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 cup sorghum flour*
  • 1/2 cup brown rice flour
  • 1/2 cup tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour)
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 cup raw macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
  • 2/3 cup dried cranberries (see notes for adding white chocolate chips)

Instructions

  • Add the butter to a medium mixing bowl with the brown sugar and cane sugar, and use a hand mixer to cream them together until fluffy. You can also do this with a stand mixer. Next, add the applesauce and vanilla extract and beat until well combined.
  • Add the almond flour, sorghum flour, brown rice flour, tapioca starch, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low until the flours are completely incorporated. Fold in the macadamia nuts and cranberries with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 F (176 C) and prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.
  • Once the dough is chilled, use a spoon or 1 1/2 Tbsp cookie scoop (we like this one) to scoop the dough into balls and place them on the baking sheets, spacing them two inches apart. For softer cookies, leave the dough in balls, or for slightly flatter and crisper cookies, press the dough balls down slightly to form discs (our preferred method). Bake for 11-13 minutes until just golden on the edges. Let cool for 10 minutes before enjoying!
  • Leftover cookies are kept at room temperature for 3-4 days, in the refrigerator for one week (though the texture will change slightly), or in the freezer for one month.

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