When you hear Big Island Cookies, what do you imagine?
If you had Hawaiian cookies before, you know what we are talking about.
Let us give you an idea:
Imagine the finest quality of dough made with 100% real ingredients, splattered with nuts, cookies, cocoa, and chocolate, baked to perfection. With every bite of the Big Island cookies, you will taste the signature crunch and flavor of Hawaiian soil.
Perhaps the distinct Hawaiian flavor makes the Big Island cookies a favorite throughout the world. Or maybe it is a special recipe that is native to Hawaii.
Whatever the reason is, Hawaiian cookies have established a unique identity among thousands of other cookies available throughout the country.
But how did it come to this?
Well..to start it off, cookies from Hawaii have a distinguishable size and shape. The local Hawaiian cookies are smaller in size compared to their counterparts. Not to mention, Hawaiian cookies come in a range of unmistakable flavors that are native to the island.
So, once you have tasted them, you remember them.
And this distinct Hawaiian flavor was introduced around the 1930s, when cookies were sold in general stores out of the 5-gallon crack seed jar.
In 1965, these Hawaiian cookies garnered the visitors’ attention, and they became a part of the omiyage (souvenir gifts) in the travel market.
Fast forward to 1978, and Mrs. Barry participates in the Macadamia Nut Festival with her unique recipe for Hawaiian cookies.
Her cookies not only won the first prize in the festival but also gave the world a taste of one of the crunchiest and juiciest cookies in the world.
Mrs. Barry opened her first store in 1980 and has since been baking and serving scrumptious Kona Cookies all over the island.
Today, Mrs. Barry’s Kona Cookies are one of the most famous Hawaiian treats. There’s more flavor and more range, but the taste remains just as authentic and delightful as it was 40 years ago.
The philosophy behind Kona Cookies has always been to be wholesome and serve the best quality cookies.
Here’s how Mrs. Barry herself puts it:
“Just imagine the gentle trade-winds… a conch cell blowing in the distance…. the magnificent Kona sunset about to paint the sky with brilliance….all of nature calling you to visit Hawaii also known as e komo mai. We make our cookies with the concept of e komo mai. This all means’ welcome, come-in to our place – please have a taste of our finest’.”
Here’s a Little Something About Mrs. Barry
Mrs. Barry (Han Sung) always had a passion for baking.
Even before meeting her partner in crime, Mr. Jim “The Coach” Barry, she used to practice baking a variety of cookies straight out of her special recipe book.
When Mr. Barry met and tasted Mrs. Barry’s cookies, he was delighted and decided to put her baking skills in front of the world. Mrs. Barry participated in the Honokaa Cookie Festival in 1978 and won the first prize for her Macadamia Nut Cookies.
The secret was finally out, and now it was time for Mrs. Barry to bring her special cookies to the world.
Soon, the Kona Cookies store opened in Kailua-Kona, and Mrs. Barry has since been serving the best quality cookies throughout Hawaii and the world.
Now, let’s not take a look at the best Big Island Cookies that come from Mrs. Barry’s Kona Cookies:
#1. Award-winning Macadamia Nut Cookies
The cookie that started it all, the Macadamia Nut Cookies, won Mrs. Barry the first prize in Honokaa. And since then, this special cookie has remained one of the best sellers out of Mrs. Barry’s bakery.
As to why this particular cookie won the Macadamia Nut Festival, there are several reasons. But the most undisputed reason has to be Mrs. Barry’s love for cookies and her endeavor to serve the spirit of Hawaii to her guests and customers.
Btw, Macadamia Nuts are native to Australia. How Macadamia Nuts came to be a Hawaiian specialty is an interesting tale, which we will discuss in another article.
What makes it so special: A lot of love and care goes into the baking (pun intended) of Macadamian Nut cookies. However, what makes it so special is the handpicked collection of crunchiest macadamia nuts that are roasted to perfection.
When these nuts are mixed with the cookie dough, the cookie comes out chewy and juicy. Not to mention, macadamia nuts also possess a range of health benefits, which further improved the top rankings of the Macadamian Nut Cookies.
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#2. Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies
Did we say we have a variation of the original Macadamia Nut Cookies in chocolate? That’s right. At Kona Cookies, we strive to serve the best to our customers in different varieties.
Want more out of your nut cookies? Let’s put some chocolate chips in there too! The chocolate chip macadamia nut cookie is a mouthful, both in terms of the name and the size.
Chocolate chips made from premium chocolate and handpicked macadamia nuts fuse together to bring a unique flavor that will surely tantalize your tastebuds.
Imagine these fudgy cookies filled with chocolate chips and macadamia nuts melting in your mouth and giving you a fair share of crunch.
We suggest you take your time when you chew into the chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies. With each bite, you will sink your teeth into chewy dough filled to the brim with crunchy and sweet goodness, leaving a lasting flavor in your mouth.
What makes it so special: Definitely the chocolate chips and a lasting taste of premium, rich chocolate. At first, it might seem a bit much to add both chocolate chips and nuts in cookies, especially given the size. But when you bite into it, and it fills your mouth with special Mrs. Barry’s flavor, you will find it worth it.
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#3. Chocolate Dipped Macadamia Nut Shortbread Cookies
Alright. Let us tell you a secret. The longer the name of the cookie, the more flavor there is to it. That makes the Chocolate Dipped Macadamia Nut Shortbread cookies one of the best offerings from Mrs. Barry’s Kona Cookies.
If you ask us, it is everything you could want in a cookie. And it’s shortbread: the wafer-like cookies that everyone loves.
Dipped in rich chocolate and mixed with macadamia nuts, this shortbread cookie is purely experimental. When you taste it, you will know because you have never tasted anything like this. The crumbly shortbread structure breaks down with the slightest pressure from your lips, and the chocolate-soaked macadamia nuts appease your thirst for the crunch.
As you chew on it, you will realize the mixture of shortbread, chocolate, and macadamia nuts do indeed make for a great cookie.
What’s makes it so special: The combination of shortbread and premium chocolate makes it for us. Add to that the best-quality macadamia nuts, and you have yourself the finest collection of cookies for your private jar.
P.S: We say private cookie jar because once you taste it, you would want to save some for yourself.
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#4. White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Here’s a combo for those who want a change of pace, a different take, a great alternative—the White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies.
If you have had white chocolate and macadamia nut cookies before, you know a combo of these two would be a blast. And that’s exactly what the white chocolate macadamia nut cookie is.
Filled to the brim with the crunchiest macadamia nuts and put together with sweet, warm white chocolate, this cookie is a blast from Mrs. Barry’s book of special recipes.
The white chocolate macadamia nut cookies are baked soft and left with the center extra chewy. It offers a delicious creamy flavor as you slowly chew into it. And the salted macadamia nuts keep your mouth company with extra crunch.
The roasted, salty flavor of macadamia nuts perfectly balances the extra sweetness of white chocolate morsels, and you get a cookie that is truly unique on its own.
What’s so special about it: If we had to pick something, it is the contrasting taste of nuts and white chocolate and the perfectly warm and creamy feel it leaves behind. However, most people like the white chocolate macadamia nut cookies for their chewy and soft texture and the surprise of nutty goodness in between.
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#5. Chocolate Chip Kona Cookies
We are now introducing one of our finest and a signature of our brand, the Chocolate Chip Kona Cookies. This Hawaiian version of the classic chocolate chip cookie has everything that you could ask from a chocolate chip cookie along with the unique Kona flavor.
Made with 100% real and pure local ingredients and a lot of love, Mrs. Barry’s Kona Cookies sets a new standard for the iconic cookie. These delicious cookies are perfectly soft at the center, crisp in the corner, and filled with chocolate chips in the middle. Need we say more?
Crunchy chocolate chips mixed with caramelized dough and baked into bite-sized cookies, these delicacies will be flying off the serving tray.
What’s so special about it: Here, the specialty lies in Mrs. Barry’s hands and the personal care and dedication she puts in each of her cookies. Mrs. Barry herself likes baking these delicious cookies, and she makes sure whoever tastes them also tastes the distinct Hawaiian flavor that she is famous for.
Mrs. Barry’s little spin on the classic chocolate chip formula makes for a cookie that is a crowd pleasure and delicious addition to any function.
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#6. Hawaiian Wedding Cookies
One of the Hawaiian specialties, the Hawaiian Wedding Cookies, are cousins to other cookies with ‘wedding’ in their name. Inspired by the Italian wedding cake cookie and Mexican wedding cookie, this Hawaiian variation is a delicacy for every occasion.
With added macadamia nuts and pineapple, the Hawaiian wedding cookie gets a unique tropical flavor. The texture, feel, and taste are similar to buttery shortbread cookies.
Macadamian nuts, coconuts, lime, pineapple, and other tropical ingredients provide a tangy taste that sets this cookie apart from its cousins.
These delicious cookies are like snowballs, powdery, mouthful, and with a tendency to disappear quickly. Once you start eating, you won’t rest until you have finished them all. You have been warned.
What’s so special about it: Well…the name itself signifies that these cookies are made for a special occasion. And sure enough, they carry a soft and sweet taste that reminds you of a special occasion. Or rather, when you open up the Hawaiian Wedding Cookies box, the moment will automatically become special.
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To Be Continued…
That’s all, folks…at least for this blog. We will talk about more best Big Island cookies in the next blog. We hope this piece of content helped you better understand the Hawaiian culture and flavor and how Mrs. Barry’s Kona Cookies incorporates these elements into the cookies.
Mrs. Barry has been baking a variety of cookies for 40 years and has served and delighted her customers throughout the island and the world.
Her special cookie recipe has been passed on to three generations, and her cookies still retain the same original taste that won her the first prize in the Honokaa Cookie Festival.
Whether you are buying these cookies for your private jar or sharing them with your friends, you can feel the love and care that has been put into each cookie with every bite.
If you are in Hawaii, nothing will delight us more than your visit to our store in Kaulia-Kona. We are ever welcoming for new guests to treat with the spirit of Aloha.
If you are not in Hawaii, you can always order these cookies online. Go check out our collection of the best Big Island cookies and find and order your favorites.
