Busy Budget Foodie: Chocolate Macadamia Nut Clusters

Ok, I think it's time for...a cookie recipe! I've tried to keep all you blog followers healthy by not posting too many tasty treats so far this month, but that trend stops today. Because these cookies are sinfully chocolatey, rich, and delicious. While these are technically not Christmas cookies, my family always makes them around the holiday season, so in my mind they've become synonymous with December festivities.

Originally from a 2003 issue of S unset magazine, we've been faithfully making these chocolate macadamia nut cookies for many years. The messiest part is adding the melted chocolate to the sugar/egg mixture, but the messy hands are well worth it (plus side: you can just lick your fingers clean!). I hope you make these soon - they are decadent and perfect for holiday parties, gifts, co-workers...just keep them away from your dog, since chocolate will make dogs very ill!

Ingredients:

8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped (can use chocolate chips)

1/4 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (yes you read correctly, that’s tablespoons!)

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 cups unsalted roasted macadamia nuts

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup sweetened flaked dried coconut (4 oz.)

Directions:

1. In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water (bottom of bowl should not touch water), stir chopped chocolate and butter often until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from over water and let cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed, beat sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Add chocolate mixture and beat until well blended. Stir in flour and baking powder, then beat just until moistened. Stir in macadamia nuts, chocolate chips, and coconut.

3. Drop dough in 1-tablespoon portions, about 2 inches apart, onto buttered or cooking parchment-lined baking sheets.

4. Bake cookies in a 350° oven just until firm on the edges but still soft when pressed in the middle, 8 to 10 minutes; if baking more than one pan at a time, switch pan positions halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then use a spatula to transfer to racks to cool completely.