Nutty, chewy and delicious! These Homemade Royale Cookies combine three key ingredients: macadamia nuts, shredded coconut, and dark chocolate chips. This recipe uses a bit of whole wheat white flour (optional) and almond flour to garner some nutrition and for a deeper flavor and a perfect cookie crumb. This recipe yields 29 cookies, so you can enjoy some now and freeze the rest for later! This recipe is vegetarian and easily dairy free.
Table of Contents
Highlights of Coconut & Macadamia Nut Cookies
I first discovered the combination of flavors in this cookie when I was in Pastry School. Chef called them CocoMacs. They were one of the most popular cookies we made for the campus cafe. Students couldn’t get enough of em’! I later came across Norstrum’s version, famously called Royale Cookies. Similar cookies with a slightly different character.
If you love these tasty cookies, be sure to add them to your Homemade Cookie Collection!
This Recipe Is:
- Lightly Crisp on the Outside
- Tender and Chewy on the Inside
- Nutty, Moist, with Loads of Texture
- Freezer Friendly
The flavor profile of this cookie is so delicious I created these vegan Coconut Macadamia Nut Bars with similar ingredients.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Many of the ingredients for Royale Cookies can be found in bulk bins, so you can buy exactly what you need. Macadamia nuts go rancid somewhat quickly, so store them in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use. Make sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature so they incorporate easily.
Here’s what you’ll need to whip up these rich and decadent cookies (see recipe card for details):
- Unsalted Butter – use your favorite here. I like Organic Valley or Clover Sonoma brands. For dairy free cookies, use Earth Balance Buttery Sticks.
- Sugar – I use a mixture of light brown sugar and granulated cane sugar. Brown sugar adds caramelly flavor and holds in moisture, while white sugar contributes to the overall sweetness and light crisy edges.
- Vanilla Extract – you can use vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. For best flavor look for real extract, not flavor or imitation. I like Frontier Coop brand.
- Eggs – you’ll need three large eggs; two whole eggs and one egg yolk. The updated version of this recipe includes the added yolk for tenderness and structure, like in my Easter Mini Egg Chocolate Chip Cookies.
- Flour – for these macadamia coconut cookies, I use both all purpose flour and white whole wheat flour for a bit of added nutrition and flavor. You can however use all, all purpose flour if you like. The results are similar.
- Almond Flour – this is the secret ingredient in these cookies. Just a bit of super fine almond meal adds flavor, and texture and locks in additional moisture. It’s such a delight! I use Bob’s Red Mill brand.
- Corn Starch – aids in tenderizing the cookie crumb while contributing to crispy edges. I reduced it by 2 tablespoons from the original recipe because I found the cookies had better overall texture.
- Macadamia Nuts – another ingredient you can find in the bulk bins, look for unsalted, raw macadamia nuts. While I’ve not tried the dry roasted and salted macadamia nuts variety in these cookies, I wouldn’t hesitate using them in this recipe!
- Unsweetened Shredded Coconut – also known as desiccated coconut, it’s another terrific bulk bin find. Otherwise, I like Let’s Do Organic brand. Shredded coconut yields a tender texture and coconutty flavor in these cookies.
- Dark Chocolate Chips – you’ll want to go with a semi sweet morsel rather than milk chocolate. Dark chocolate is less sweet than milk chocolate, and offers a richer flavor. I like Guittard 63% extra dark chocolate chips or Ghirardelli 60% bitter-sweet chocolate chips. For dairy free chocolate chips, I like Enjoy Life Morsels.
At a Glance: How to Make Coconut Macadamia Nut Chocolate Chip Cookies
I’ve modified these cookies from my original recipe published back in 2014 to create a superior cookie. I’ve included notes of those changes throughout the blog post and on the recipe card.
You’ll need a stand mixer or handheld beaters for this recipe since we’re creaming the butter and sugar. Also, there are a lot of inclusions to incorporate so the mixer helps us do this more efficiently. Here’s how to make these tasty coconut macadamia nut cookies (see recipe card for details):
- First, in a bowl whisk the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour (if using), almond flour, baking soda, salt and cornstarch. Set aside.
- Second, with the paddle attachment on a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth.
- Third, drop eggs, and egg yolk, one at a time into the butter mixture and mixing in between additions until just incorporated. The batter will look broken at this point, but don’t worry. It’ll come together!
- Fourth, add the shredded coconut, chocolate chips and macadamia nuts and mix on low speed until the inclusions are evenly distributed.
- Next, scoop the cookie dough with a large cookie scoop and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to help prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
- Last, bake the cookies in a preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until golden around the edges, yet still slightly soft in the middle. Optional: A sprinkle of flaky sea salt is quite nice on these.
They’re nutty, moist, chewy and with loads of texture. The ingredient combination takes these sweet treats a step beyond your regular (but never boring) chocolate chip cookies.
These are big cookies! But just in case we want a small cookie, I added a how-to in the recipe notes (wink).
How to Keep Cookies Moist and Tender
Here’s the solution: since sugar is hygroscopic, it’s like a moisture magnet! So, to keep cookies tender and moist, you can put a piece of bread in the cookie jar. The sugar in the cookie will draw moisture away from the sacrificial bread slice. The cookies stay moist and chewy. After about two days, the bread dries out so just replace it with a new slice.
Pro Tip: put a piece of bread in the cookie jar to keep cookies moist and chewy!
How to Freeze Royale Cookies
These cookies freeze beautifully. Freeze the scooped cookie dough before baking, or you can freeze baked cookies once cooled. Here’s how to do it:
- Cookie Dough: place scooped cookie dough on a parchment lined sheet pan in the freezer. Once frozen, place them in an old plastic bread bag or freezer bag for future use. It’s easy to thaw them out on short notice when friends pop in, or you want to take a few to share at work or, or, or….. Or, you just want to indulge in a fresh-baked cookie, and not share. The cookies take about 25-30 minutes to thaw. The cookies should be somewhat chilled so they hold their shape. Once thawed but still cold to touch, bake at 350F.
- Baked Cookies: cookies taste best just shortly out of the oven, but if you want to freeze them after they’re completely cool, you can. Place the cookies on a parchment lined sheet pan and freeze. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag or container. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Expert Tips
- Chopped Macadamia Nuts: you can chop these fine, or leave them chunky. I like to quarter the nuts for a chunkier texture. My husband prefers em’ chopped fine.
- Give Em’ A Rest: these cookies hold their shape and thickness better if refrigerated for 15 minutes before baking. If you’re in a hurry, you can skip refrigerating, but the cookies will spread more.
- Pro Tip: a #20 cookie scoop makes whipping these cookies up a snap! It also portions perfect cupcakes and is the perfect ice cream scoop.
- Smaller Cookies: these are big cookies! For a smaller, two bite cookie, you can use a smaller #50 cookie scoop. See recipe card notes for details.
- Kitchen Tools: I recommend a digital oven thermometer with an air probe and weighing ingredients using a digital kitchen scale for best outcome (affiliate links).
More Cookie Recipes to Love
- Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Bourbon Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies
- No-Flour Peanut Butter Cookies
Coconut & Macadamia Nut Cookies (Royale Cookies)
Servings:29 Cookies
Calories:245kcal
Nutty, chewy and delicious! These Homemade Royale Cookies combine three key ingredients: macadamia nuts, shredded coconut, and dark chocolate chips. This recipe yields 29 cookies, so you can enjoy some now and freeze the rest for later! This recipe is vegetarian and easily dairy free. *See Blog Post* for more tips!*See Recipe Notes* for changes I made to my original 2014 recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 (225 grams) Sticks of Unsalted Butter at room temperature *see note for dairy free
- 2/3 cup (145 grams) Cane Sugar
- 1 1/4 cups (240 grams) Light Brown Sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 Large Eggs at room temperature
- 1 Egg Yolk at room temperature
- 1 cup (140 grams) All Purpose Flour
- 1 cup (140 grams) Whole Wheat White Flour or substitute All Purpose Flour
- 1/4 cup (30 grams) Almond Flour super fine
- 2 tablespoons Corn Starch
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 cup (115 grams) Raw Macadamia Nuts roughly chopped
- 3 cups (240 grams) Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
- 1 1/2 cups (285 grams) Dark Chocolate Chips *see note for dairy free
Instructions
- All ingredients should be at room temperature. Arrange two oven racks in the center and bottom 1/3 of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit (180 Celsius) and line two large sheet pans with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose, white whole wheat and almond flours together with the baking soda, salt and cornstarch. Set aside.
- With the paddle attachment on a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth about 2 minutes on medium speed.
- Crack one whole egg into the butter mixture and mix until just incorporated. Scrape the bowl down. Crack the second whole egg into the mixture and mix just until incorporated. Drop the egg yolk into the batter. Add the flour mixture all at once, pulsing first, then mixing the flour in on medium speed until no white streaks remain. Do not overmix.
- To the batter, add the macadamia nuts, chocolate chips and shredded coconut. Pulse the mixer to incorporate the ingredients, then mix on low speed until the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the dough. The dough will be thick and stiff.
- Use a #20 scoop (50 grams or 3.25 tablespoons each) to scoop 6 cookies per sheet pan. (I get more even baking results when baking one sheet pan, on the center rack, at a time). Make sure the dough is packed into the scoop for best shape. Refrigerate the scooped cookie dough for at least 15 minutes before baking. **For a smaller cookie, see notes below. To Freeze: At this point the scooped cookie dough may be frozen. Freeze on a parchment lined sheet pan. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag. When ready to bake, thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes and bake.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes in a 350F oven, rotating the sheet pan(s) 1/2 way through baking. The cookies are done when they're lightly golden on top, and golden brown around the edges and bottom. The center will still be a little soft. Remove from oven and let the cookies rest for 5 minutes on the sheet pan. Optional: A sprinkle of flaky sea salt is quite nice on these. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before placing in a cookie jar or other lidded container. Add a small slice of bread to the cookie jar to keep the cookies fresh and tender for about three days.
Notes
*Dairy Free: use unsalted Earth Balance Buttery Sticks instead of butter, and dairy free chocolate chips. I like Enjoy Life Chocolate Morsels.
**For a Smaller Cookie, use a small cookie scoop (#50, about 1 tablespoon) and bake for about 10-12 minutes or until golden on top and lightly brown on the bottom.
To Freeze Baked Cookies, place cookies on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Transfer the sheet pan to the freezer. Freeze for 1 hour, remove and place the frozen cookies in a freezer bag. Seal tightly and place back in freezer. Thaw at room temperature.
Recipe Update: I updated this recipe Sept. 2023. Here are the changes: I added one egg yolk and decreased the cornstarch from 1/4 cup to 2 tablespoons, decreased the bake time from 18-20 minutes to 14-16 minutes for a softer set.
Adapted from Chef Christopher Harris’ CocoMacs and Inspired by Nordstrom’s Royale Cookies.
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 245kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.004g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 81mg | Potassium: 157mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 27IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg
Made It? Leave a comment below! The most helpful comment may include recipe rating, feedback, any modifications and/or helping other commenters. On Instagram? Take a snap of your make and share, tagging @VanillaAndBean #VanillaAndBean!
Hi Traci! I bet you love it when somebody says I LOVE YOUR RECIPE but I changed a couple of the ingredients! Even so these cookies are beyond DELICIOUS (actually addicting) and they are nice and big and look just like the picture. I couldn’t find whole wheat white flour so used all purpose, couldn’t find unsweetened coconut so used sweetened and I already had macadamia nuts roasted and salted so didn’t use raw. FORTUNATELY, I only made 6 of these honkers and froze the rest for another time. Thank you so much for the recipe. Luv them❤️
I LOL at your note “honkers” Sally!! Thank you for sending a laugh and sharing your tips.. they truly are helpful! I bet the roasted and salted maca nuts added another flavor dimension – just a bit more salt – yum! Good thing you have more in the freezer (story of my honkin’ cookies too – ha!).
I wasn’t as careful reading the directions and I added 3 eggs. My cookies still tasted great, but a few spread out more than desirable. Change the ingredients to say 2 while eggs plus one egg yolk. I did weigh my ingredients.
Hi Debra… thank you for your note. I’ll clarify in the ingredient list. SO glad the cookies turned out!!
I e got to give these cookies a try Traci! I’ve always love the chocolate/coconut combo and with the Macadamia nuts, I bet they’re totally irresistible!
You’ll love em’ Mare! They’re totally irresistible!
Delicious! Sweet coconut, smooth chocolate and nuts give a little crunch. Perfect
Hooray! So excited! Thank you for your note, Maggie, 5 star review and giving the cooookies a go!
Any suggestions for adding oatmeal to these cookies?
Hi Ann! That sounds delightful, but adding oats would make it a different recipe all together. I’d have to rework/reformulate. Please feel free to play with that ingredient, tho! It would be a delicious cookie!
WHOA!!! The texture of this cookie is incredible! I used up the bottom of the bag of cashew meal in place of almond meal and used flax eggs, as we are vegan. I also subbed coconut sugar for white. Let it be known, they aren’t super sweet, which is to my liking!! Took a chance and doubled the recipe. Baked a dozen and froze 5 dozen for later. MAKE THESE, PEOPLE!!!
Oh yummm! Love those subs and so happy to hear the flax eggs worked! Thank you for sharing your tips and coming back to leave a note! Hooray!
These cookies turned out great! I didn’t have macadamia nuts on hand so I subbed walnuts. I’m sure they’d be even better with macadamias, but no complaints the way mine turned out. I like that they are somewhat crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside. To the people worried about carbs/butter, it’s a freakin’ cookie, not meant to be a part of your steady diet. Enjoy it for what it is and remember: everything in moderation.
Hi Suzanne! For the love of walnuts…how delicious! I’m with you on the crunchy outside, tender inside.. and the cookie/carbs/butter thing. Moderation is the spice of life! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note and a smile! :D
These cookies are absolutely fabulous and a must have in anyone’s repertoire! I was trying to replicate “Royal” cookies sold in one of the restaurants at work … and your recipe is even better! They were a hit with my husband, boys & coworkers! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for your note, Florence! So happy you enjoyed them and were able to find that “Royal” cookie you were after! Hooray!!
I never thought I’d be adding yet another version of chocolate chip cookie to my repertoire, but this recipe is that happy exception. The almond meal and cornstarch…wow, did these ingredients give the cookies indescribable texture. Very appreciated that Traci listed ingredient “weights”, as well as volume measurements, as is this how I try to approach all of my baking. There was crunch, there was chew, there was everything you could want in a cookie…that being said, I turned off the oven, removed half of the cookies after the 20 minutes, and then after letting out a goodly amount of the heat, I shut the oven door to let the remaining cookies dwell until cool. Those cookies became totally crispy, and I’ve fallen for both versions.
Cheers all,
Jeff
Hi Jeff!
So happy you enjoyed the recipe! Love the oven tip! I’m on it!