White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies

Vegan white chocolate is not easy to find. It seems that white = milk to chocolate makers, so white chocolate, which is actually considered chocolate since it doesn't have the cocoa solids just the cocoa butter, generally has dairy in it. Fortunately our Kosher friends have resolved this problem by making dairy free white chocolate chips! I really like the Kosher section of the grocery store for a lot of things that are hard to find dairy-free, like bread crumbs, and things that are gelatin free, like jello-style fruit flavored gelatin-esque "food" (is that food really?). Buyer beware, however... not all "white chocolate" chips are created alike. Some white chips are just "decorator chips" and do not include any cocoa butter at all!!

Tangent aside... we found vegan white chocolate chips, with some pretty pastel white chocolate chips mixed in, at the kosher section of the grocery store and had to make white chocolate macadamia nuts. This is a super special treat both because of the dairy free white chocolate, and the fact that 1 cup of macadamia nuts cost nearly $4 on sale. That said, it is a fantastic, rich, decadent treat, and oh so delicious! This recipe is a mutant form of Betty Crocker's white chocolate macadamia cookie recipe.

White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1/2 cup shortening, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup plain or vanilla soy yogurt
2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 bag white chocolate chips
1 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2. With an electric mixer, cream together the margarine and shortening with the sugars. Add the yogurt and vanilla and mix until fluffy.

3. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt and then gradually add to the wet mix.

4. Stir in white chocolate chips and nuts.

5. Drop dough by tbsp 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until light brown.