Macadamia, Brown Butter and Cashew Cookie Dough

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Spread the macadamia nuts on a half sheet pan. Bake the nuts until you begin to smell them and their color turns golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

3. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan often, until the butter starts to turn golden brown, sounds like a water faucet running and smells like rich caramel, 5 to 6 minutes. Once it reaches a certain temperature it will darken quickly, so be sure to watch it—you don’t want it to burn. Remove it from the heat and pour the butter into a dish to cool completely, leaving behind any burned bits at the bottom of the pan.

4. Drain the soaked cashews, add them to the bowl of a food processor or blender along with the brown butter and pulse until a smooth paste is formed, about 3 minutes.

5. Add the cashew butter paste to a large mixing bowl or stand mixer along with the brown sugar, vanilla and salt, and beat until combined. Add the flour and continue to mix until incorporated. Fold in the macadamia nuts and the white chocolate chips, if using. Transfer the mixture to a container and refrigerate until chilled and ready to serve. Scoop into ice-cream cones, if you like, and top with any of your other favorite toppings.