Colossal Cookie

This recipe is equivalent to about 3 regular batches of cookie dough. You’ll only need 1/3 of the dough to make one giant cookie (12″ size). Since it was my first time making this recipe (and I was adapting it to boot), I didn’t cut it down. I split the dough into three equal portions. You can make the giant cookie out of 1/3 of the dough, and scoop the remainder into balls once the dough is chilled, then store the dough in the freezer, sealed in a Ziploc bag for up to 1 month (be sure to squeeze the air out before sealing the bag). So when that cookie craving strikes, you can pull out just as many cookies as you want and enjoy them freshly baked.

For 5 inch size cookies use a 4 ounce sized scoop and bake for about 20 minutes at 350 F; for 1 1/4″ cookies use a 1 ounce scoop and bake at 350 F for about 15 minutes.

For the chocolate chips, wafers or chunks: I recommend that you use a high quality chocolate such As Scharffen Berger, Valrhona, or Callebaut.

1. Prepare vanilla bean brown butter. Cut each stick of unsalted butter into quarters. Add butter, 1 vanilla bean and the seeds to a medium saucepan. Heat on medium, stirring occasionally, until the butter turns golden and smells nutty. It will foam and then begin to clear when it is almost ready. Remove butter from the heat and cool it slightly. Remove the vanilla bean, then cover the pan and place the butter in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes, until it’s the consistency of softened butter.

2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 12″ cast iron skillet with canola oil.

3. To make the monster cookie: In the bowl of your stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the vanilla bean brown butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well before adding each one.

4. Add vanilla to the egg mixture and beat until well blended. Set aside.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk all of the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended.

6. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture at a time to the batter, using an on/off pulsing motion to mix until just about incorporated. After you add the last 1/3 of the flour, stop mixing just before it’s all incorporated. Now add the chocolate, a little at a time, mixing on low speed just until it is incorporated.

7. Spread 1/3 of the dough into the prepared cast iron skillet. Bake for about 25-30 minutes on the center rack, just until golden on the edges but still soft in the center. Don’t over bake! It will continue to bake in the skillet when you remove it from the oven.

8. Cool on a baking rack for about 10 minutes, then drizzle with chocolate and caramel toppings if desired. For the topping: Place chopped semisweet chocolate in a loosely closed Ziploc bag, and microwave on medium power for about 1 1/2 minutes, just until melted. Snip a tiny piece off of one corner of the bag, and drizzle chocolate over the top of the cookie. Next, prepare the caramel by placing the unwrapped caramels and evaporated milk into a microwaveable bowl. Heat on high in the microwave for about 1 1/2 minutes, stopping every 30 seconds to stir, until the caramel is smooth. Drizzle the caramel over the top of the chocolate drizzles with a fork or spoon.

9. Enjoy the cookie warm, or once it’s cool, cover it with plastic wrap and keep it for up to 2 days at room temperature. You can also flip the cookie out of the skillet after it’s cooled about 20 minutes. To do this: place a plate upside down on top of the skillet, then turn the skillet over. The cookie should pop right out. Place another plate over the upside down cookie, and flip it over so it’s right side up again.

Recipe adapted from Jacques Torres’ Secret Chocolate Chip Cookie.