Extra Large Cookie

[yvegeny]

This is the basic sugar cookie recipe that I use for decorating:

5 1/2 cups ap flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 cups butter

2 1/4 cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

It makes perfect cookies that are normal sized - 2 1/2 to 6 inches in size. But now I need a cookie that will be about 12 inches high and 6 or 8 inches wide. Not quite sure on the width yet due to sizing difficulties of the pattern. My question is this: do I need to alter my recipe in any way, roll it out thicker or thinner, bake at a lower temperature, or any of the above? I would appreciate any help that you guys could give.

Thanks so much

[Wendy DeBord]

I'm confused. If it's 12" high does that mean 12" thick? Are you stacking many on top of each other to acheive that height?

[KarenS]

A cookie that is 12 inches high is a cake, not a cookie any more. You will need to reformulate your recipe entirely. To acheive a cookielike taste, you would have to bake a huge (very cold) pile of dough that had barely been mixed (combining almost frozen butter with the othe ingredients). Heat and friction produce spread.

[binkyboots]

12" high...

I think what I would do is make a lot of large cookies and stack them with some kind of frosting glue.

[chefpeon]

Yes, please tell us, yvegeny, you can't really mean you want a cookie that is a foot thick?!?

[yvegeny]

I'm sorry for the confusion. I don't mean 12" high, as in upright. I'm trying to make this cookie, only much larger, for a bridal shower.

http://www.bellaregalo.com/shop/catalog.mv...ingdresscookies

Obviously, it needs to be enlarged to feed multiple women, but I need to know if I should do anything different to make sure that the middle is done, but the edges aren't overcooked, etc. I guess I didn't word my question quite right, my husband laughed at me too. But then he's a carpenter, so you know the terminology has to be just right

[JFLinLA]

I'm just guessing but here's what I would do. I'd roll the dough thicker than usual as you will need the extra thickness to support the extra size. Not "cake" thick but you do want this to be a bit more substantial. Also, I might roll it directly onto my parchment lined baking sheet. You will want to move this as little as possible to avoid breakage. Then I would either chill it really well on the sheet or even freeze it. Place the chilled/frozen dough directly into your hot oven starting at regular temperature. You do want to get the outside cooked first to set the shape. Then lower your temp till it's baked all the way through. Put the cookie sheet onto a cooling rack and leave the thing alone till it's cooled and stiffened up.

[Wendy DeBord]

I'd like to talk you into making individual cookies per-person. One large cookie won't be as impressive or personal. I can't say that I've ever seen anyone do that.........one large cookie to share......... It will look more femine to have them on a smaller scale.

[RuthWells]

I'm sorry for the confusion. I don't mean 12" high, as in upright. I'm trying to make this cookie, only much larger, for a bridal shower.

http://www.bellaregalo.com/shop/catalog.mv...ingdresscookies

Obviously, it needs to be enlarged to feed multiple women, but I need to know if I should do anything different to make sure that the middle is done, but the edges aren't overcooked, etc. I guess I didn't word my question quite right, my husband laughed at me too. But then he's a carpenter, so you know the terminology has to be just right 

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If you're trying to feed "multiple women" from one cookie, I'd suggest that you rethink and make a sheetcake instead. You can borrow the design idea on the website (they're pretty cute cookies!) and carve your sheetcake into the shape of a wedding dress, and decorate accordingly. Much easier to execute and serve, I think, than one large cookie.

[racheld]

I got it the first time--the spatial part of my brain has a gray fuzzy spot like those things on cop shows to protect the faces of the innocent.

Anyway, I agree that you'll be much better off with smaller cookies, and even smaller than the indicated 5" ones would be OK for dessert after a luncheon or shower tea plate. Even 3x2 would be a good size, if that's feasible for working those small designs. It's HAAAAARD to cut a cookie, and breaking would entail someone's getting her fingers all over someone else's portion.

And perhaps one of the 12" ones for the bride's table, if you're really set on making a big one.

[phaelon56]

I'd like to talk you into making individual cookies per-person. One large cookie won't be as impressive or personal. I can't say that I've ever seen anyone do that.........one large cookie to share.........  It will look more femine to have them on a smaller scale.

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When I worked in Ithaca NY back in the early 1990's there was a local operation called Danz Cookies that started from a guy's kitchen and grew to be a decent sized commercial outfit. They made a killing selling giant chocolate chip, oatmeal-raisin and a few other varieties of cookies to Cornell students with a late night delivery program that included the option to get milk with it.

These cookies in some cases were as large as 12" to 14" in diameter and IIRC about .75" to 1" thick. On a few occasions a colleague ordered one or two with a birthday candle when we had a staff member birthday. Don't know how they pulled it off but the results were very consistent and impressive - good texture, good flavor and never overly dry or unevenly cooked.

[Eden]

there's a restaurant in my neighborhood whose signature dessert (The Orgasm) is a giant chocolate chip cookie freshly baked in an 8" round cake pan, delivered hot to the table, topped with vanilla IceCream - Yumm!

I've wondered if they had to modify the recipe at all to support the change in size...

Are you sold on the sugar cookie base? because a softer cookie like a gingerbread would be more likely to slice/break nicely when serving time came and it's covered with icing anyway so you get the bridal white look regardless...

[yvegeny]

I tried to convince them on the smaller cookies. The lady and her daughter are the ones who want the larger cookie. I have never made one of this size and am a little nervous. I have made hundreds of the smaller ones, though. Those are easy. I will suggest the larger for the bride's table and smaller ones for everyone else. The sugar cookie recipe is the one I use for all of my cookies, the girl doesn't eat gingerbread, and I wasn't sure if shortbread would hold up very well under the icing. I am supposed to speak with them again this evening, so I will let you guys know how it goes. Thanks....