Macadamia Nut Cookies

These favorite bush nuts add richness and crunch to these easy to make cookies. Recipe makes 30 cookies.

Ingredients:

4 ounces (125 g) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
4 teaspoons coffee and chicory essence
1 1/4 cups self-rising (raising) flour
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease 2 large baking trays with melted butter.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and creamy in texture.
3. Add the macadamia nuts and coffee and chicory essence and stir to combine. Sift the flour and ginger over the mixture; mix well until evenly combined.
4. Roll the mixture into pieces the size of a walnut with clean cold hands. Place the pieces 2 inches (5 cm) apart on prepared trays. Press each piece down with the tines of a fork to flatten into a neat round.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden. Stand the baking trays on wire cooling racks for a few minutes until the cookies are firm, then transfer them to the rack with a palette knife, to cool completely.

Tip: Store macadamia nuts in the refrigerator to keep them fresh. Their oil content will turn stale and rancid if the nuts are stored at room temperature.