ʻOno at Home: Papaya Macadamia Nut Shortbread Cookies

It was New Year’s Eve. I was in Scotland meeting my stepmom’s family for the first time when I came to understand the appeal of shortbread—a cultural staple of that country, traditionally eaten during the holidays.

Later I learned of some surprising connections between Scotland and Hawai‘i. The last heir to the throne of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Princess Victoria Ka‘iulani, was half Scottish, and the country was a significant stop in King Kalākaua’s famous 281-day journey around the world in 1881. And every spring, Waikīkī hosts the Scottish Festival and Highland Games, celebrating Hawai‘i’s relationship with Scotland.

This recipe also celebrates that connection—buttery shortbread cookies studded with local flavors like macadamia nuts and tropical papaya.

Papaya Macadamia Nut Shortbread Cookie Recipe

Yield: 14 cookies  

Ingredients:  

• 1 fresh papaya (about 1 pound) 
• 1¾ cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour  
• ¼ cup (30 grams) cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup (227 grams) Kerrygold butter, unsalted, room temperature
• ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
• Zest of 1 lime  
• ½ cup (50 grams) unsweetened coconut shredded
• ½ cup (65 grams) macadamia nuts, chopped 

Special equipment:  

• Papaya-shaped cookie cutter (You can find one at bakerlogy.com)   

For decorating:  

• 1 egg white, beaten with a splash of water
• Orange sugar sprinkles
• Green sugar sprinkles
• Black sugar pearls

Directions:

1. Peel, deseed and dice the papaya. Reserve 1 cup (140 grams) for this recipe and save the rest to enjoy later. Lay the reserved papaya between several paper towels and press lightly to soak up excess juice. Dry out the papaya on a plate in the refrigerator, uncovered, while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour,cornstarchand salt.

3. With a handheld mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butteronmedium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and continue mixing on medium speed for 4 minutes until pale yellow and fluffy. Add the flour mixture and mix on low until just incorporated, about 20 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the lime zest, coconut, macadamia nuts and papaya. Mix on low for about 15 seconds until combined. Be careful not to overmix the dough.

4. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper. Divide the dough evenly between each sheet pan, place a piece of parchment paper on top of the dough and roll the dough (you can use a rolling pin or a wine bottle) into an even layer on each pan, until it is 5 mm thick (about ¼ inch). Refrigerate at least 1 hour but for the best results, refrigerate overnight.

5. Slide the sheets of dough from each sheet pan onto the counter and reline each sheet pan with fresh parchment paper. Dust the top of the dough and the papaya-shaped cookie cutter with all-purpose flour (so the dough does not stick). Stamp out the dough with the cookie cutter and transfer each cut cookie to the sheet pans with fresh parchment paper. Cover each pan with plastic wrap andrefrigerateat least one hour to preserve the shape of the cookies.

6. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly brush the surface of each cookie with egg white and decorate with sprinkles.

7. Bake cookies for 21-24 minutes, rotating once halfway through baking, until the cookies are golden brown at the bottom edges. Remove from oven and leave the cookies on the pan for a minute before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

This story was originally published in our FALL/WINTER 2025 issue, which you can buy here. Better yet, subscribe and get HAWAIʻI Magazine delivered to right to your mailbox.

Sarah Burchard is a frequent contributor to HAWAIʻI Magazine.

ʻOno at Home is HAWAIʻI Magazine’s recipe series that brings the flavors of the Islands to you, wherever you are in the world.