I need some giant cookies

[claire797]

I was nervous about baking with the shortening( I never do) so I decided to test.  I baked the giant ginger cookies from Sandra and I also baked Maida Heatter's sour cream ginger( with glaze).  Maida's are made with all butter. 

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Thanks for posting the picture? Did Sandra give you a ginger cookie too? I'm curious, because yours look just like mine :).

Glad you were okay with the shortening. I'm not a huge fan of it, but I found it works extremely well for big, huge, gigantic cookies.

[Patrick S]

These Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies always get rave reviews. They do have some shortening but I don't think it adversely effects the recipe. They are crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. People don't usually notice the oatmeal although it gives a great texture, they just think I used crunchy peanut butter. I've only made these as large as 2 oz so I don't know for sure how they'll turn out if made larger but they should be fine.

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I think I'll try these, CB. I've been looking for a more chewy PB cookie, and I'm thinking oatmeal may do the trick.

[CaliPoutine]

I was nervous about baking with the shortening( I never do) so I decided to test.  I baked the giant ginger cookies from Sandra and I also baked Maida Heatter's sour cream ginger( with glaze).  Maida's are made with all butter. 

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Thanks for posting the picture? Did Sandra give you a ginger cookie too? I'm curious, because yours look just like mine :).

Glad you were okay with the shortening. I'm not a huge fan of it, but I found it works extremely well for big, huge, gigantic cookies.

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Hi Claire,

Sorry, it was you, not Sandra. I was exhausted last night and I wanted to get that pic posted. I should have checked where the recipe came from.

Thanks again

[claire797]

Hi Claire,

Sorry, it was you, not Sandra.  I was exhausted last night and I wanted to get that pic posted.  I should have checked where the recipe came from.

Thanks again

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Well, I'm just very happy that you tried them and liked them :). I've given the recipe out to a few people, but you are the first person to actually make and review it.

[CaliPoutine]

Hi Claire,

Sorry, it was you, not Sandra.  I was exhausted last night and I wanted to get that pic posted.  I should have checked where the recipe came from.

Thanks again

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Well, I'm just very happy that you tried them and liked them :). I've given the recipe out to a few people, but you are the first person to actually make and review it.

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Hi again,

I was just reading back thru the thread and I notice you say the cookies are fat and puffy. Do yours look like mine, because they arent that puffy. They are flat, but have a nice "chew" to them. I used blackstrap molasses because thats all I had.

[claire797]

Hi again,

I was just reading back thru the thread and I notice you say the cookies are fat and puffy.  Do yours look like mine, because they arent that puffy.  They are flat, but have a nice "chew" to them.    I used blackstrap molasses because thats all I had.

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Mine look very similar, but are lighter (probably because I don't use blackstrap) and a little bit thicker.....not much thicker than yours, but a little bit. How long did you chill the dough? The key (at least I think -- I'm not an expert) is to form the dough mounds ahead of time and then chill the heck out of them. I'll try to find a picture.

[claire797]

Here's a picture of mine. I laid it against the prune juice can to scale....

[CaliPoutine]

Hi again,

I was just reading back thru the thread and I notice you say the cookies are fat and puffy.  Do yours look like mine, because they arent that puffy.  They are flat, but have a nice "chew" to them.    I used blackstrap molasses because thats all I had.

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Mine look very similar, but are lighter (probably because I don't use blackstrap) and a little bit thicker.....not much thicker than yours, but a little bit. How long did you chill the dough? The key (at least I think -- I'm not an expert) is to form the dough mounds ahead of time and then chill the heck out of them. I'll try to find a picture.

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I chilled it in the freezer for 1 hour. The cookies are still good, but they are flatter than yours. I'll see what the owner has to say, I go there this afternoon. Im bringing both cookies with me so he can try them. I also decided to make the kitchen sink cookies and the chewy pb cookies ( upthread) and a double chocolate chip( tollhouse recipe)

[claire797]

I chilled it in the freezer for 1 hour.  The cookies are still good, but they are flatter than yours.  I'll see what the owner has to say, I go there this afternoon.  Im bringing both cookies with me so he can try them.  I also decided to make the kitchen sink cookies and the chewy pb cookies ( upthread) and a double chocolate chip( tollhouse recipe)

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Wow! You've got a great variety. Good luck!

[CaliPoutine]

I wanted to give you all a re-cap of yesterday.

OMG, If I never see another cookie again, it wont be too soon. LOL.

I arrived at 1pm and went over my recipes with the owner. Clearly, this kitchen was not set up to do any pastry work. He didnt have many of the items I needed. I knew I was going to have to go to the store, but I wanted to complete the coconut cream pies first. This recipe is from Cook's illustrated.

The crusts use animal crackers, butter, unsweetened coconut and some sugar. Baked in the oven for 15 min, cool.

Filling is milk, coconut milk, sugar, unsweetened coconut, egg yolks, cornstarch, butter, vanilla. I made a double batch and I was pleased with the results. I filled the pies and covered the tops with saran( after explaining to the owner that a skin would form if the pie wasnt covered).

I got the stuff I needed at the store( brown sugar, oats, molasses, choc. chips, crisco and peanut butter).

Came back and started on the cookies. I brought my KA and a 1/4 cup measure, my small ice cream scoop, my cookie sheet and silpat and few other odds and ends. Thankfully I brought that stuff. There was nothing in that kitchen. I had to rig a cookie sheet out of a giant( well used) roast pan. I covered the inside with foil and buttered that. The ovens were off so everything took a lot longer. I burnt one big batch because a line cook turned up the oven without my knowledge. I made 12 batches of dough. 3 of each flavor. I baked off 8 batches and the owner asked me to freeze the rest. I was really happy with all the recipes. This time the ginger cookies came out looking more like yours claire because I used regular molasses. They didnt have any cayenne so I left it out.

My partner took the test batches into work and everyone raved about the ginger cookies too. Whoda thought butter flavored crisco would work so well. I always thought butter was better in everything.

They only served 8 covers the entire time I was there( 1-9pm), but 3 ppl ordered pie so I was happy. The owner seemed very happy with my work and told me that when things pick up( its a very seasonal town), he'd call me.

Thanks for all YOUR help!!

[Pam R]

Whoda thought butter flavored crisco would work so well.  I always thought butter was better in everything. 

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Me!! Good kosher alternative eh?

Can you send me a piece of coconut pie please?

[CaliPoutine]

Whoda thought butter flavored crisco would work so well.  I always thought butter was better in everything. 

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Me!! Good kosher alternative eh?

Can you send me a piece of coconut pie please?

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If it could fit in the envelope that I put the butter ruler in, I would!!

( Im mailing that today)

[claire797]

Hooray! Glad the cookies worked out and that the owner was pleased. Good for you!

Thanks for starting this thread. I've collected a few new giant cookie recipes, so thanks to everyone for posting recipes.

[RebeccaT]

Hi Anna! I am excited to try your ginger cookies! I love that they have cayenne in them, I think that will add a great bite. How do you think they will work as smaller cookies? I can't be trusted around gigantic cookies because I hate leaving anything behind - it's easier for me to eat 1 small cookie and stop there than eat 1/2 of a large cookie and no more... KWIM?

[claire797]

Hi Anna!  I am excited to try your ginger cookies!  I love that they have cayenne in them, I think that will add a great bite.  How do you think they will work as smaller cookies?  I can't be trusted around gigantic cookies because I hate leaving anything behind - it's easier for me to eat 1 small cookie and stop there than eat 1/2 of a large cookie and no more... KWIM?

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I think they'd be okay as smaller cookies. They're tasty enough with the spices and cocoa powder. You won't get the same wow factor by making them normal size, but I can see your point about wanting smaller ones.

If you want a really awesome normal sized ginger cookie, you might want to try these:

Gingersnaps Made With Lard

The lard cookies, which are adapted from the Ann Hodgeman book "Beat That!" aren't soft, but they have a crispy, tingly, ethereal texture and do not taste lardy at all. You can make them as small as you want and they are still excellent.

[claire797]

Here's another big, huge cookie I like. This one uses macadamias, so they are more expensive to make. Again, I made them huge by using melted cooled butter flavored shortening, so if you're not into the whole shortening thing, you might skip these. These have the same crispy outside, chewy inside texture of the jumbo ginger cookies. I added the coconut extract to give the cookies a little character and bring out the other flavors....they do not taste coconutty at all.

Huge White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 egg

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon coconut extract

3/4 cup butter flavored shortening -- melted and cooled

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

6 ounces white chocolate -- chopped

2/3 cup macadamia nut -- coarsely chopped

In a large bowl, beat both sugars and egg on high speed of electric mixer

until light. Reduce mixer speed to low and mix in extracts, melted

shortening and corn syrup.

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, salt, and baking soda.

By hand, stir flour mixture into sugar mixture until thoroughly combined.

Stir in white chocolate and macadamia nuts.

Using a 1/4 cup measure, scoop dough onto a dish to form neat mounds.

Place dish with dough scoops in refrigerator and chill thoroughly for at

least 3 hours. To hasten the process, you may chill dough in freezer for

1 hour.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 19-21 minutes or until cookies are set. Cover

loosely with a sheet of foil halfway through to prevent over browning.

Let cool on cookie sheet.

10 Big Cookies

[onehsancare]

Although a bit more than a big soft PB cookie, I think these sound divine.

I made these Awesome Blowouts for the office today, and they got many compliments.

(I made the the Herme chocolate sparklers last week, which were extremely well received. The consensus today was that the Blowouts were more exciting, but the Sparklers were more sophisticated.)

[Patrick S]

I have a suggestion for a PB cookie too -- prepare the Cook's Illustrated chewy chocolate chip recipe, add in about half a cup of peanut butter, replace the chocolate chips with peanut butter chips, chill the dough before portioning (otherwise the cookies will be too flat), then roll out balls of dough at about 70-90 grams a piece.

[DiH]

Although a bit more than a big soft PB cookie, I think  these sound divine. 

I made these Awesome Blowouts for the office today, and they got many compliments. 

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These have become my husbands favorites. Funny story... not looking forward to a 13-hour flight from Dallas to Saipan, he took some of these cookies with him. The guy seated next to him ate nearly all of them. When all the cookies were gone, he asked for the recipe!

Di

[zoe b]

I'm reviving this to comment on the use of butter flavored shortening in the ginger cookie recipe--I've had 2 sticks of it in the pantry since last winter--found them in the Shop Rite parking lot on my way out to the car--fell out of someone's bag, i guess--yes, disgusting, i picked them up, i admit it.

And I am prejudiced against regular shortening, so butter flavored is even more iffy for me.

But last week i was making chocolate chip cookies for a get together and realized I was low on butter--didn't feel like running to the store yet again--so I used the butter flavored shortening!!! the shame!!!

But, everyone raved --this stuff makes super good cookies! I'm making the ginger cookies today, and i bet they will be wonderful, too!

Zoe

[Lindacakes]

This is sketchy advice, but big cookie fans might look to Maida Heatter -- she often specifys that a cookie needs to be baked large.

On account of explicit cookie size instructions, I bought a set of graduated round cookie cutters!

[Pam R]

--I've had 2 sticks of it in the pantry since last winter--found them in the Shop Rite parking lot on my way out to the car--fell out of someone's bag, i guess--yes, disgusting, i picked them up, i admit it.

That's such a sad story

I'm pretty sure I'm on record up-thread about using shortening and non-dairy marg. instead of butter. I'm using Earth Balance Sticks for almost all my cookies (when butter is called for) and they are fantastic.