The Giant Cookie
A great alternative to a cake
This Giant Cookie is great as an afternoon treat, or it can be made more special for a birthday cake alternative. Make the cookie dough ahead and enjoy it freshly baked when you’re ready.
Why a Giant Cookie?
Now, this may sound slightly controversial, but did you know that not everyone likes cake. I know right? Mad, huh? But amazingly totally true!
So, what do you make for someone who’s not a fan of cake but wants a yummy, sweet treat to share. Well, why not a Giant Cookie?!
This is a great idea for either something special, or as a quick snack. Make the dough ahead and keep it chilled, then no need for faffing with lots of cookie dough balls. Just flatten in out on a baking sheet and slice it up when it’s ready.
Ingredient and Technique notes after the recipe.
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Giant Cookie Recipe
Makes 1 Giant Cookie on a baking sheet, or in a 9” Round Cake Tin
Giant Cookie Ingredients:
100gms (½ cup) Unsalted Butter at Room Temperature
100gms (½ cup) Light Brown Sugar
70gms (⅓ cup) White Sugar
1tbspn Milk
1tspn Vanilla Essence
1 egg
200gms (1½ cups) Plain Flour
¼tspn Salt
1¼tspn Bicarbonate of Soda
100gms (⅔ cup) Chocolate Chips
Giant Cookie Instructions:
Prepare a baking sheet, round pizza baking tray, or 8" cake tin with a large piece of greaseproof paper
Cream the butter, sugars, milk and vanilla in a large bowl
Add the egg and mix in fully
Mix together the flour, Bicarbonate of Soda and Salt and add to the butter, sugar and egg mix. Beat until well combined and a dough is formed.
Mix in the chocolate chips
Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 8 hours. I chilled mine overnight
Then pile it all up in the middle of your baking sheet. Pat it down till it’s about 1 to 1.5 inches thick
Pre-heat your oven to 160c, 150c fan, 350f, GM4
Place the chilled dough onto a lined baking sheet or cake tin and roll out to approx 1cm thick
Bake for 25-30 mins
When its baked, it will have crispy edges, be crunchy on top, but with a slight bounce to the middle. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes before transferring it (paper and all) onto a wire rack.
As it's baked slowly it should be crunchy on top and still gooey in the middle, which means in cuts perfectly into slices.
Notes on Ingredients
Sugar
A combination of white and light brown sugar will give crunch, sweetness and a caramelised flavour. If you don’t have one of the sugars, you can substitute for all one type. However, for the best texture and flavour a combination is recommended.
Butter
In cookies it’s always best to use a block butter. In this recipe you can use either a dairy or plant-based block butter. Either will work. I recommend a block butter over a baking spread as the fat to moisture content is higher and your cookies will spread less and get a much better texture.
Flour
You need plain flour for cookies. It’s best not to use self-raising as you don’t want a big fluffy rise. I add bicarbonate of soda to give just a little rise.
You can swap out a standard flour for a gluten free flour, but I would also recommend you add Xanthan Gum, so they don’t get too crumbly.
Chocolate Chips
I used dark chocolate chips; however, you can use whichever is your favourite, or a combination of different types. It’s really your choice and taste.
Seasoning
I always add both salt and vanilla to cookie dough as both season the mix. Seasoning means the flavours will be enhanced by these additions.
Giant Cookie Technique
The key to making a good cookie is to chill the dough for a minimum of 8 hours but 24 to 48 hours is better. When you mix all your ingredients together you will loosen the fat in the butter. If you bake the cookies straight away the fat, which is already at room temperature, will start to melt straight away and your cookies will spread. If you chill the dough the fat will be solid. This means the fat will take longer to melt when baked and the cookies will spread less.
If you are adding chocolate chips do so right at the end. This will help them to remain as chip shapes and they won’t be broken down within the dough.
Giant Cookie Pro Tip
If you want to make a slightly neater, more uniform Giant Cookie for decorating and selling, you can push this mix into a lined 9” round cake pan.
Once baked you can place on greaseproof paper, decorate with buttercream and package in either a cake box or a pizza box.
Alternatively, you can use the Giant Cookie and cover in chocolate ganache and toppings and make a Cookie Pizza.
How can I store my Giant Cookie?
Your Giant Cookie will remain fresh for up to 5 days in an airtight container. If you are wanting to refresh the crunchiness on the outside pop it into a hot oven for 5 minutes.
You can freeze your Giant Cookie once it’s baked. Wrap twice in cling film. To defrost keep the cookie wrapped and allow to come back to room temperature on a wire rack. Unwrap when fully defrosted.
You can also freeze the dough for up to 3 months. Chill the dough in the fridge for 24 hours before freezing for up to 3 months. Allow the dough to defrost in the fridge for a few hours before baking.
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