Paleo Macadamia Nut Cookies (Gluten Free)

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These paleo macadamia nut cookies consist of an almond cookie dough that's filled with chopped macadamia nuts and dark chocolate chips. These cookies are slightly crisp on the outside with a chewy inside texture and chunks of nuts and chocolate in every bite. In addition, this recipe is gluten free, dairy free and paleo friendly.

Paleo macadamia nut cookies topped with flaked salt.

While most macadamia nut cookies are paired with white chocolate chips, I took a different route and created these paleo macadamia nut cookies with dark chocolate.

They are everything you could want in a cookie - slightly crisp on the outside with a chewy center and bits of chocolate and nuts in every bite! While my kids aren't usually fans of chopped nuts in cookies, they adored this recipe.

These macadamia cookies are not only paleo, but gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free as well. You make the dough with almond butter and almond flour, sweeten it with coconut sugar and mix in chunks of chocolate and macadamia nuts.

Why You'll Love these Macadamia Nut Cookies

paleo friendly - made with simple, wholesome ingredients you can feel good about.
gluten free and grain free - the dough is made with almond butter and almond flour.
easy to make - this recipe can be made in one bowl and you don't have to chill the dough!

Holding a cookie that's been broken in half to show the inside texture.

Ingredients

The full recipe for these dark chocolate macadamia nut cookies can be found in the recipe card below, but here's an overview of the ingredients you'll need:

almond butter - made from just dry roasted almonds
palm shortening (or butter) - to keep this recipe dairy free and paleo, I used palm shortening. However, this ingredient can be replaced with any butter of your choosing.
coconut sugar - to sweeten the cookies
egg - to bind the ingredients and create structure for the cookies. I have not tested an egg replacement.
vanilla extract - for flavor
almond flour - I recommend using blanched almond flour
tapioca starch - this helps with the structure and texture of the cookies. The best swaps would be arrowroot starch or cornstarch (note: cornstarch is not paleo).
baking soda - to help the cookies spread
macadamia nuts - I recommend salted macadamia nuts. If your nuts are unsalted, then add a pinch of salt to the cookie dough.
dark chocolate chips - I used miniature dark chocolate chips, but any type of chocolate will work. You can use regular sized, chop up a dark chocolate bar, or swap the dark chocolate chips for white chocolate if you prefer.
flaked salt - optional for topping your baked cookies.

Ingredients in paleo macadamia nut cookies.

How to Make Paleo Macadamia Nut Cookies

The dough for these cookies is made in one bowl, scooped onto a lined baking sheet and baked in the oven. Here are the steps:

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the wet cookie ingredients.

Mix in the dry ingredients.

Fold the macadamia nuts and chocolate chips into your batter.

Scoop the dough onto your lined baking sheet.

Bake the cookies at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes.
After baking, remove the cookies from the oven and sprinkle them with a pinch of flaked salt. Let the cookies cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack.

Tips and Tricks

Really mix the cookie dough - get the dough well mixed before adding in the chocolate and nuts.
Use salted macadamia nuts - the salt will add more flavor to the cookies. If your macadamia nuts are unsalted, then add a pinch of salt to the dough.
Do a test run - bake just 1-2 cookies at first, to double check the bake time. Baking time can vary slightly depending on the size of your cookies, the material of your baking pan and the temperature of your oven.
Shape the cookies after baking - use a spatula or large circular cookie cutter to shape the edges of the cookies after baking (while they're still hot). This will give them a perfect circular shape.
Cool the cookies before moving - let the cookies sit for 5-10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack. This allows the cookies to firm up so they won't break when you move them.

Storage

These cookies are best stored in an airtight container or baggie. They can be kept at room temperature for a couple days, in the fridge up to one week, or the freezer up to two months. My favorite way to store them is in the freezer! They're also great cookies for ice cream sandwiches.

FAQ

Do I have to use dark chocolate?

No, you can use any type of chocolate your heart desires!

Is there a swap for tapioca starch?

Yes, you can use arrowroot starch in place of the tapioca starch. If you don't care about the recipe being paleo, then cornstarch should work as well.

Looking for more paleo cookies recipes? Check these out: