Chocolate Chunk Macadamia Kiss Cookies were baked in honor of our friend Stephanie, who went to Hawaii and brought us back a giant bag of Macadamia Nut Hershey’s Kisses. Did you even know that such a Kiss existed? I had no idea, but from what I've read you can purchase them in Hawaii and in a few select grocery stores in other parts of the United States. Let me know if you spot them, but rest assured you can still makes these cookies with Hershey's Almond Kisses or a combination of regular Kisses and macadamia nuts.
Soft and Chewy Texture
What I like about this recipe other than the fact it makes a dense, chewy, cookie, is that the dough can be stirred together all in one bowl and there’s no need to bother with a mixer. The downside of the recipe is that the dough needs to be chilled for the best results. You *can* bake it right away, but the texture really improves after a full night in the refrigerator and the cookies will be slightly thicker.
Which Hershey's Kisses
Since the Macadamia Hershey's Kisses are now impossible to find, you'll have to choose a different flavor of Kisses and combine with a handful of macadamia nuts. I've lost track of how many different flavors of Kisses Hershey's has now, but there are a lot to choose from and I hope that choosing a flavor is your biggest dilemma today.
Half Batch Version
If you only have enough Kisses for a half batch or just don't need quite so many ingredients, the recipe halves easily. To halve an egg and a yolk, use one egg with some of the white discarded. Just crack and egg into a bowl and discard about 15 to 17 grams of the white. This gives you the higher proportion of yolk which contains the lecithin that keeps the cookies soft.
Recipe
Stephanie's Chocolate Chunk Macadamia Kiss Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter (168 grams)
- 2 ⅓ cup 10.5 ounces all-purpose unbleached flour (295 grams)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt plus a pinch
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar (100 grams)
- ½ cup packed dark brown sugar (100 grams)
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate cut into chunks
- 20 candies Milk Chocolate Kisses with Nuts coarsely chopped
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Set aside to cool.
- While the butter is cooling, mix together the flour, baking soda and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together cooled butter and both sugars. Stir in the egg and egg yolk until blended. Stir in the vanilla, then add the flour mixture and stir until blended. Stir in the chocolate.
- Divide batter into 14 to 16 (depending on how big you want the cookies) equal sections and shape into balls. Chill balls overnight or for several hours.
- When ready to bake, arrange balls of dough 3 inches apart on a foil lined baking sheets. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 13 to 15 minutes or until cookies appear set. As soon as you pull them out of the oven, tap the edges inward with a spatula so make the cookies round (they do spread a bit).
Treva says
They sell them at Hershey park! I just bought 2 bags- at 5.98 a bag but who cares they are good and I would make a trip back to the Hershey chocolate world for them! it is only 2 hrs from me!
Anna says
Thanks for the tip! That is a fun Hershey store, to be sure.
Jennifer J-W says
Anna, all you need to do is take another trip to NYC. They had them in the Times Square Hershey's store. My daughter and I wanted to buy some, but the line was LONG and they were expensive.
Katrina says
Macadamia nuts aren't my favorite nut, I think it's because they often don't taste as good as the ones I had in Hawaii back in 1991--chocolate covered, of course. Definitely not as fresh!
Obsessive Compulsive Baking Disorder says
MMMMMmmm these look delicious, I never bake with macadamia nuts so will have to try this to start off!
Thanks for the recipe xx
Sue says
I had no idea there was such a thing. They sound GREAT! As to macadamia nuts. I have all but given up on buying them locally. They simply aren't very good. There is a Trader Joe's about 50 miles away and sometimes when traveling I stop there but haven't thought to look for macadamia nuts.
Your cookies sound really good.
June G. says
I brought back a ton of those kisses on our trip to Hawaii. Too bad they're all gone;)
Anna says
Do any of you have issues getting fresh macadamia nuts? Half the time I buy them they taste stale. The ones in the middle of the Kisses were very fresh.
Katrina says
Who knew Hershey's was holding out on us lowly land-locked states? 😉 But yum! White chocolate macadamia cookies are not my favorite, but put "real" chocolate with them and hmmmm? And I actually have some macadamia nuts right now.
Darlene says
That cookie looks incredible - can't wait to try it!
Chewthefat says
I'm slightly obsessed with salted macadamia nuts (I just made some white chocolate macadamia nut cookies) and I'd love to give these a try with macadamia nuts plus the Kissses...I've also become much better at chilling my dough. I kind of like making it in the morning before things get hectic and then baking in the evening when things quiet down a bit.