The secret to making a perfect giant cookie

Last Updated on March 13, 2024 by Michelle

This one is a big one, y’all. A giant accomplishment. And a giant cookie.

Note from Michelle: Hey guys… I’m kinda shocked how little Facebook is sharing this post… even though it’s about the yummiest cookie known to man. (Okay, sure, I guess that could be an exaggeration… but it’s the yummiest thing I’ve made this week, for sure.) Or maybe I’m not shocked about the facebook thing, I’ve noticed they aren’t too crazy about homesteading-related issues. Readers have mentioned that they’re not seeing my content in their newsfeed lately.

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I try to avoid the bakery section of the local supermarket; you know the area? That place where the giant cookies are sold? And lots of other goodies that deceitfully look so all-natural, so just-baked-in-grandma’s kitchen yummy?

Nothing like Grandma’s kitchen

Fact is, there’s often nothing all-natural or genuinely the-way-grandma-made-it about the grocery store baked goods.

Those giant cookies that call my name if I steer my shopping cart in their direction? You’d think they were just made with regular old things like flour, butter, and sugar, right? But you’d be wrong. More likely high fructose corn syrup and imitation vanilla extract, just for starters.

That last one doesn’t sound so bad, I admit, until you think about how much better actual vanilla is for you over some that was synthesized in a science lab. In fact, if you actually google “how is imitation vanilla extract made” you may not ever buy it again.

I’ll make it myself, thank you

So, yes, I’d much rather make my giant cookie and know exactly what’s in it, thank you. And today I’m gonna share this crazy-yummy recipe with you. So you too can know exactly what’s in your cookie. And together we can join willpower forces and steer clear of the pseudo bakeries in our supermarket.

This cookie is so yummy, it even served as Hayley’s birthday cake. Well, one of her cakes. We celebrated double. Since we pulled off a big-barn-sweet-16-surprize party a few weeks after her birthday, the giant cookie served as her cake on her actual birthday. And, no, she had no idea another big shindig was in the works.

I shared the make-you-cry highlight moment when she realized even her best-friend-for-life was at the party over in my stories on instagram last week. If you didn’t see it, you can scroll through here. . . . if you like sweet, sappy moments caught on tape, it’s worth the click.

This post contains affiliate links. See my full disclosure here.

The cake we had for the barn shindig was big-time legit.

Thank you, my friend, Carole–you pulled off an amazing feat with that star-stopping camera-themed cake for my photographer extraordinaire.

 

My secret?

So, my secret? The secret that will possibly make this the best giant cookie you will ever eat? I mean, besides the fact that it’s not loaded with artificial flavorings or high fructose corn syrup? The secret is the most perfect all-natural sugar you will find anywhere. Yep, you guessed it, this amazing giant cookie is made with maple syrup. Mmmmmmmm.

If I didn’t make my own maple syrup, btw, and I seriously go through a lot of it for baking–and for making maple sugar (go here to know how to make your own maple sugar)– I’d purchase bulk sizes of syrup right here–snag the XXL size for the best price I’ve seen anywhere on maple syrup.

Wanna have a chat about why maple is so doggone wonderful? You’ll want to listen to this episode of my Simple Doesn’t Mean Easy podcast:

 

Don’t have syrup on hand and need to make this cookie now? I can relate, well, thankfully not to the not-having-maple-syrup issue, but to the gotta-have-that-chocolate-now issue… I gotcha covered. A recipe for this cookie without syrup is right here.

My giant pan?

My giant cast iron pan was a sweet find that I’ve used so many times for a perfect pizza. See my pizza crust recipe right here.

I love it that now I have another sweet use for this piece of cast iron wonderfulness, which is one of the many things I can’t imagine living without these days in my farmhouse kitchen. Want to see my list of the best items I recommend for any kitchen? That’s right here.

And we have mini cast iron skillets on hand at all times too, for those nights when we all want our own personal-size, warm-out-of-the-oven cookie. Topped with maple ice cream, of course. For these personal sized pans I dish out a large ball of dough right in the middle of each pan (about 3-4″ in diameter) and bake the pans at 350 for 12-15 minutes. Then I place each hot skillet on its own pottery plate, so no one gets burned. (Warning, these are big cookies. You might want to share.)

To make the extra-large cookie , you need the serving size below at 12 servings (and bake an extra 5-10 minutes).

For a 10 1/2″ skillet, set the serving size to 8.

But without further “pan”fare, on to the recipe…

 

Other Articles You’ll Love:

How to Make Maple Peanut Butter

How to 100% Maple Candy

How to Bake with Maple Syrup

The Tools I Insist on Having in my Farmhouse Kitchen

 

 

 

 

 

Follow my Maple Syrup pinterest board right here. Everything I ever write about maple gets added to that one board.

 

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You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. Psalm 4:7

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