Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie

I like to bake all year long but especially in the Fall and Winter. It's cold and windy out and I like to heat things up in the kitchen. Quite literally since I will bake from October thru March. Thankfully my children each have a major sweet tooth so I'm not consuming all on my own but I do especially love to bake for others.

"It's in giving that we receive" - St. Francis

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, leave out on counter for about an hour before needing it
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 TBSP sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 TBSP Vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spread butter evenly on bottom of 12inch pizza pan.

In a large bowl, combine sugars and softened butter. Using a hand mixer on low speed, mix until just combined. And egg and mix and then add vanilla and mix until combined.  In a separate smaller bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.  Slowly add the flour mixture into the larger bowl and using the hand mixer on low speed incorporate together.

Using a wooden spoon, add chips to the larger bowl and mix well into the ingredients. Plop. Yes, plop the cookie dough into the center of the butter-coated pizza pan and using your clean hands (wink, wink) spread dough to edges of pan. Bake for 15-18 minutes, it will bake a little longer once you take it out of the oven so no worries if it looks under cooked.

I try to wait before serving. It's hard though. Eating it about 10 minutes after coming out of the oven is ideal for a plate and fork or plopped (yes, plopped again) onto a decent scoop of ice cream. Store slightly uncovered. If your house is anything like mine, it doesn't last more than 2 days.

Buon Appetito!