I originally published this recipe in 2012 and have since added new photos and more success tips.
The only thing better than a batch of classic cut-out sugar cookies or drop sugar cookies is a giant sugar cookie. Like, practically-the-size-of-your-head sugar cookie filled with sprinkles.
One reader, Emma, commented: “This was very easy and quick to make and it was delicious! Love these 1-serving batches as sometimes I just want a small dessert for myself without any leftovers. ★★★★★”
This recipe makes 1 big, soft, and fluffy sugar cookie. It’s oh-so-buttery and the process is so simple. Just mix reduced amounts of sugar cookie ingredients into a small bowl. The only tricky part, if you can even call it that, is the egg. 1 full egg is too much for this cookie, so only use SOME of the egg. Crack 1 egg, beat it, then use 2 Tablespoons of the beaten egg. Don’t use just the egg yolk or just the egg white in this cookie—you need a little of both.
Keep it for yourself or it makes a great gift. Maybe even as part of your Mother’s Day recipe lineup so mom does not have to share (even if that mom is you!).
The cookie dough is sticky, so do your best to form it into a mound on a lined cookie sheet. A silicone spatula or spoon helps.
Don’t miss out on my other giant cookies either! Like one giant oatmeal creme pie cookie, one giant monster cookie, one giant double chocolate cookie, and one giant Reese’s peanut butter cookie.
Print
XXL Buttery Soft Sugar Cookie
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 1 giant cookie
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This scaled down recipe yields just 1 giant sugar cookie!
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 Tablespoons (38g) granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) beaten egg (crack the egg, beat it, and use 2 tbsp)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 6 Tablespoons (49g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons (about 20g) sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray cookie sheet with nonstick spray or use a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir the butter and sugar together until creamed. Mix in the egg and vanilla.
- Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, and sprinkles until just combined.
- Place the dough in the center of the prepared cookie sheet into a tall ball (see picture above). Bake for 18-20 minutes until the edges are browned. The center may appear undone but that’s what you want. It will firm up. Allow to cool completely ON the baking sheet. Enjoy!
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Glass Mixing Bowl | Silicone Spatula
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking success tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi Sally, Love this recipe, but would like to make it with writing on it with the words “Eat Me” for an Alice in Wonderland prop. Would you suggest I just use icing for the writing on it, or do you think I could arrange choc-chips to make the words?
Hi Hannah, that sounds fun! You could pipe with buttercream (you can use gel food coloring if you’d like) or chocolate chips or M&Ms would be fun, too. We’d love to know what you try!
I doubled the recipe and made two big cookies then ate them both!
My go to sugar cookie recipe for 3yrs!! Now I’m tryna modify it for smaller batches that fit in my gourmia air fryer/toaster oven! Any advice is appreciated! TIA
Hi SB, we haven’t tested this recipe in an air fryer or toaster oven, so we can’t offer any advice here. If you try it and have success you’ll have to let us know! So glad you enjoy these.
This recipe gave me such a fluffy, big, crunchy, and delicious cookie, I will most definitely be using it again!!
Hi!
I would like to make an egg shaped sugar cookie to decorate for Easter. The recipe I saw online uses refrigerated dough you can buy in the grocery store and a tub of vanilla frosting. I would prefer to make the cookie and frosting from scratch. What recipe(s) would you recommend?
Thank you, Lisa
Hi Lisa, this particular dough is best as a drop style cookie. Here are our decorated Easter cookies.
Is it supposed to be 1/4th tsp baking powder? since 3/4th tsp of baking powder for that quantity of flour seems a lot. Also your cupcake recipe has 3/4th tsp baking powder for 7 times more flour than this.
Hi Zee, that is correct—you’ll want 3/4 tsp. baking powder for this cookie.
This was very easy and quick to make and it was delicious! Love these one-serving batches as sometimes I just want a small dessert for myself without any leftovers.
I wad really craving something sweet but not feeling up to making a whole batch of something and then this recipe came to the rescue. I had everything on hand to make it and the recipe did not disappoint. My giant cookie was delicious and absolute perfection! I’m gonna try adding pumpkin and white chocolate chips next time I make it.
The recipe itself was very good, but my cookie turned more into a cake cookie. Which isn’t bad, but just not what I had in mind. I will definitely use it again another time if I want a cake cookie.
If I wanted to double this to make a cookie twice as big, would I need to make any adjustments to cook time?
Hi Wendy, yes, you’ll need to increase the bake time for an even larger cookie. We’re unsure of the exact bake time, but keep a close eye on it.
I am a perfectionist and an excellent baker. I do NOT burn baked goods. However, this is my second time making these and the edges are burnt to a crisp! I follow the directions exactly as written. I start checking it before the stated bake time to make sure it doesn’t burn. These big cookies are the only cookies I’ve burnt (and I make a lot of cookies). Any ideas?
Hi Nimi! You can try moving the cookie sheet to a lower position in you oven, or pulling it out before the edges start to burn. With a large cookie like this, it’s easy to bake too long!
I love this recipe SO much, I could eat these cookies all day
I made this vegan & gf with all purpose gf flour, olive oil and pumpkin as a sub for egg- added a 1/2 tsp of arrowroot & psyllium – turned out fluffy and PERFECT. I wanted a cake like pumpkin spice cookie.
So excited for this I thought I followed the instructions to the T but my cookie didn’t spread as much as in the image. It’s still cooling but it’s less spread out. What did I do wrong? Nevertheless, I’m stoked to have it for our vday midnight snack!
I figured it out thanks to FAQ!! I think my egg measurement was off and I confess I scooped my flour rather than spoon it into the tbsp.
Nice little treat without being overly sweet. Crispy edges with a nice soft middle. Made one yesterday, making one today and there may be one tomorrow too!
Tasty recipe! Not as crunchy she as I expected, but I still really liked it!
So delicious! I doubled the recipe for 3 people to share and it turned out amazing. Crispy coating and soft chewy middle.
I want to make these for a friend who is gluten intolerant, would gluten free flour majorly affect the end results?
I love your giant cookie recipes. I’d like to give some of them to my mom so she can bake them herself. Can the dough be frozen then thawed and baked? Baked from frozen? Or would it be better to bake the cookies then freeze?
Hi SJS, Honestly either way works! She can bake the dough from frozen without thawing and simply add an extra minute or two to the bake time, or you can freeze the fully baked cookie for her.
I helped my granddaughter make this recipe today. We doubled it so she could take one home and my husband and I could share one. It was a good math exercise for her! She decided to put M&M’s in the cookie batter. I just finished my half and it was so delicious! Thank you for a great recipe that’s just enough
I LOVED the flavor but my cookie had a mile-high rise to it!!! I measured and weighed the ingredients carefully but the cookie rise was nearly an inch thick in the middle — it looked like a muffin top!! (It spread beautifully but began to plump-up as it baked.)
Could I have over creamed the butter/sugar perhaps? I used my stand mixer as I don’t have a hand mixer. I welcome your thoughts.
These are the best damn cookies I ever had. I just ate one that I dropped on the ground. Without hesitation. Make these cookies. Don’t hesitate.
can i use self raising flour instead of all-purpose flour?
Hi Jane, we don’t recommend using self rising flour in this recipe. It would take additional recipe testing to ensure accurate results.
When do you add the sprinkles? Don’t see it listed in steps. Used m and ms and worked okay, though they sunk in.
Hi Lesley, see step 3, you add the sprinkles with the dry ingredients. Thanks for giving this recipe a try!
hi , can i make smaller cookies with the batter of the one big cookie; I’ve looked at your other recipe for sugar cookies but the servings is to much I only need half of the serving shown
Hi Angelina, yes, you can make smaller cookies with this dough. Enjoy!
oh ty but how many cookies would I be able to make and would it taste nice?
There seems to be several people mentioning cream of tarter for the giant sugar cookie recipe but it’s not listed as one of the ingredients. Can you please help to clarify?
Thanks kathy
If you don’t have baking powder, you can use a substitute of baking soda + cream of tartar.
This cookie was soooooooo good. I doubled the ingredients to accommodate 4, but it was so good that my and husband and I ate a cookie apiece. This will definitely be my new treat when I’m in the mood for something sweet. The flavor and texture where spot on.
Hi Sally
Do you still have the original recipe with the shortening? I can’t find it !
This recipe used to be with shortening!! The cookies are not as soft with just butter!! Thank You
This is my son’s favorite cookie!
Hi Angela! This recipe never called for shortening and hasn’t been changed– I’ve always used butter.
Sally, thanks so much for recipe advise: I doubled recipe 5x – cookies were beautiful and a huge hit!!
Hi Sally! I’m attempting to continue an Easter tradition of my husband’s late grandmother – she gifted all the grandkids a giant homemade cookie every year. I love your recipes – my question: I need to make 10 giant cookies – should I just use this recipe x 10? Would that work? Not sure why this is tripping me up!!
Hi Nicole! For the BEST results, I recommend doubling the recipe 5x instead of 10x-ing it all in one batch.
This cookie is so dangeroulsy delicious! I just wanted a sugar cookie so bad but didnt want a whole dozen around the house. This cookie was the perfect treat! 16 minutes in the oven gave me a moist, chewy cookie! I topped mine with icing but it honestly was perfect on its own. I will be trying all of your other single serve cookies, too! You are a rockstar baker, Sally!
Note: I did add a tiny bittle of almond extract because I love that flavor in my sugar cookies.