Macadamia Nut Crunchies

These cookies taste like a Hawaiian vacation. Mashed banana and pineapple fruit spread replace refined sugar entirely, giving each cookie a natural tropical sweetness. Flaked coconut and chopped macadamia nuts add crunch and richness, making these feel indulgent even though they’re lighter than most drop cookies.

The ripe bananas do double duty here. They sweeten the dough and add moisture that keeps the centers soft while the edges crisp up. Use bananas that are heavily spotted, almost overripe. The riper the banana, the sweeter and more flavorful the cookies will be. Underripe bananas won’t mash smoothly and taste starchy.

Pineapple fruit spread is an unexpected ingredient that adds a subtle tang and acidity to balance the sweetness. It also helps the cookies brown evenly in the oven.

Chef Tips

• Use unsweetened flaked coconut, not the sweetened shredded kind. Sweetened coconut would make these too sugary since the banana and fruit spread are already providing sweetness.
• Mash the bananas thoroughly. Lumpy banana creates uneven pockets of moisture in the cookies.
• These spread a bit, so keep spacing at 2 inches apart on the sheet.
• Store in a tightly covered container. The banana makes them soften quickly if left exposed to air.

Variations

• Swap the macadamia nuts for cashews if macadamias aren’t available. Similar buttery flavor at a lower price.
• Add a pinch of ground ginger or cardamom for a spicier tropical twist.
• Use mango fruit spread instead of pineapple for a different tropical flavor.