Shelly's Recipe

CHUNKY CREAM CHEESE AND MACADAMIA NUT COOKIES

Category: Cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts

Beat the butter and cream cheese in a large mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the brown sugar and then the orange zest and vanilla extract. Sift the flour and baking powder together and stir into the butter mixture with a wooden spoon. Stir in the macadamia nuts. Refrigerate the dough at least 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 400. Lightly butter cookie sheets. Drop heaping tsp of the dough 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets and flatten slightly with the back of a spoon. Bake until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.