Indulge in Super Small Batch Giant Chocolate Chunk Cookies: The Ultimate Recipe for Two (or Three!)
There’s nothing quite like the comforting scent and taste of freshly baked cookies, especially when they’re large, chewy, and loaded with generous chunks of chocolate. For those moments when you crave a decadent treat but don’t want a whole batch, this overlooked recipe from my archives is an absolute gem. Initially developed with a singular focus on replicating Disney World’s iconic Selma’s cookies – a quest for super thick, impossibly large delights – this recipe, though a slight detour from that original mission, quickly became a beloved classic in its own right. While I was perhaps too fixated on the “Selma’s clone” aspect back then, hindsight has shown me just how special these cookies truly are. My neighbors certainly agreed, showering them with praise!
These cookies share a delightful resemblance to the popular offerings at Crumbl, but with a few distinct differences that truly set them apart. Unlike Crumbl’s creations, which typically omit powdered sugar and lean towards milk chocolate, this recipe thrives on the unique texture that powdered sugar brings, and truly shines with the depth of semisweet or bittersweet chocolate – or even a thoughtful blend of various chocolate types. The interplay of sugars and the robust chocolate profile creates a cookie experience that’s both familiar and uniquely satisfying. While I’ve since developed a Crumbl copycat recipe, this original small batch, giant chocolate chunk cookie stands firmly on its own as a must-try.
The Quest for the Ultimate Chocolate Chunk Cookie: An Origin Story from 2008
Looking back, I can admit my deep obsession with cloning Selma’s giant chocolate chip cookies. For those unfamiliar, Selma’s were legendary – enormous, unbelievably thick cookies bursting with chocolate chunks and candy. They were available directly from Selma’s website and at select locations in Las Vegas and Orlando. Disney World’s sweets shops, in particular, carried them, though I noticed a branding shift to “distributed by Lake Buena Vista” during a later visit. My mind, however, held a vivid picture of their grandeur and the memory of their ingredient list, meticulously captured from Selma’s old website. This initial fixation, while narrowly focused on replication, inadvertently led to the development of this truly exceptional cookie recipe, showcasing the serendipitous nature of culinary experimentation.
What makes this particular recipe so enjoyable is its incredible versatility. It’s designed to be a canvas for your creativity, allowing you to pack it with as many chocolate chunks and candies as your heart desires. Think of the dough as merely a delightful wrapper around a treasure trove of your favorite sweet additions. I encourage you to be generous with your mix-ins; the more, the merrier! This approach ensures that every single bite is an adventure, a symphony of textures and flavors. Whether it’s extra chocolate, crunchy nuts, or chewy sandwich cookie pieces, this recipe can handle it all, delivering a truly personalized cookie experience. This adaptability is part of what makes these cookies so special and a true joy to bake.
Simplicity in Baking: One Bowl and a Spoon is All You Need
One of the most appealing aspects of this small batch chocolate chunk cookie recipe is its sheer simplicity. Forget about hauling out multiple bowls, electric mixers, or a mountain of kitchen tools. All you truly need is one mixing bowl and a sturdy spoon. This minimal equipment requirement makes cleanup a breeze and the baking process genuinely enjoyable, even on the busiest days. It’s the perfect recipe for impromptu cookie cravings, for college students in dorms, or anyone who appreciates efficiency without sacrificing flavor. This “one bowl and a spoon” philosophy is a testament to how fuss-free and accessible truly incredible cookies can be, proving that gourmet results don’t always require an elaborate setup.
Why a Small Batch Giant Cookie Recipe?
In a world of oversized recipes yielding dozens of cookies, a small batch recipe for just two or three giant chocolate chunk cookies might seem unconventional, but it serves a wonderful purpose. Sometimes, you don’t need a whole army of cookies. Perhaps you’re baking for just yourself and a loved one, or simply want to satisfy a craving without the temptation of an entire cookie jar. This recipe perfectly addresses that need, providing a manageable quantity of truly epic cookies. It minimizes waste, ensures freshness, and allows you to enjoy warm, gooey cookies without the commitment of a full baking session. Plus, the sheer size of these cookies makes them feel extra special and indulgent – a dessert experience in themselves! It’s about quality over quantity, delivering maximum satisfaction with minimal effort.
The Magic Behind the Ingredients: Crafting Thick, Chewy Cookies
Let’s dive into the core ingredients that make these giant chocolate chunk cookies so extraordinary. Each component plays a vital role in achieving their signature thick, chewy texture and rich flavor profile:
- **Very Hot Melted Unsalted Butter (58 grams):** Using hot melted butter, rather than softened butter, is a crucial step for achieving the desired chewy texture. The heat helps to fully dissolve the sugars, leading to a more consistent and dense crumb. Unsalted butter provides precise control over the salt content, ensuring a perfectly balanced flavor.
- **Powdered Sugar (55 grams):** This is one of the recipe’s unique secrets! Powdered sugar, also known as confectioners’ sugar, contributes to a softer, more tender cookie crumb and a distinct melt-in-your-mouth quality that sets these cookies apart from many traditional recipes using only granulated sugar.
- **Lightly Packed Light Brown Sugar (50 grams):** Brown sugar is essential for both moisture and flavor. Its molasses content imparts a rich, caramel-like sweetness and helps keep the cookies wonderfully chewy. Lightly packing it ensures accurate measurement without over-compressing.
- **Beaten Egg (26 grams):** In a small batch recipe, precise measurement of the egg (approximately 2 tablespoons of a fork-beaten egg) is critical. The egg acts as a powerful binder, adds richness, moisture, and contributes significantly to the cookie’s structure, ensuring it holds its giant shape.
- **Vanilla Extract (¼ teaspoon):** A small but mighty addition, vanilla extract deepens and enhances all the other flavors, especially the complex notes of the chocolate, adding a warm, aromatic dimension to each bite.
- **Baking Soda (¼ teaspoon):** This leavening agent reacts with the acidic brown sugar to help the cookies spread just enough while still maintaining their impressive thickness, contributing to a slight lift and a tender interior.
- **Salt (¼ teaspoon):** A pinch of salt is vital for balancing the sweetness and intensifying the chocolate flavor. If you opt for salted butter, remember to reduce the added salt slightly to avoid an overly salty taste.
- **All-Purpose Flour (105 grams):** The structural foundation of our cookie dough. Employing the “spoon and sweep” method for measuring flour (lightly spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling off with a knife) prevents over-measuring, which can result in dry, dense, and tough cookies.
- **Water (1 teaspoon – optional):** This is a clever troubleshoot! If, after mixing the flour, your dough appears too dry or crumbly and struggles to come together, a single teaspoon of water can adjust the consistency to perfect pliancy without altering the flavor or texture.
- **White Chips (2-3 tablespoons):** Incorporating white chips adds a lovely contrast in flavor and color, providing an extra layer of sweetness and a different chocolate experience within the cookie.
- **Bittersweet Chocolate Chips or Chunks (½ cup):** The true heart of these cookies! Bittersweet chocolate delivers a profound, intense chocolate flavor that beautifully cuts through the richness and sweetness of the dough. Using chunks ensures magnificent, melty pockets of chocolate in every bite.
- **Sandwich Cookies (2 ½ – broken into chunks) (Can use nuts instead):** This is where personalized customization truly shines. Broken sandwich cookies introduce a fantastic textural contrast and an additional layer of sweet, creamy flavor. For those who prefer a nutty crunch, chopped nuts (like walnuts or pecans) make an excellent alternative.
- **Broken Milk Chocolate Bar, Milk Chocolate Chips, M&M’s, Candies of Choice:** The possibilities for mix-ins are virtually limitless! Feel empowered to mix and match with various chocolates and your favorite candies to craft your ultimate cookie creation. This recipe is incredibly forgiving and truly encourages experimental bakers.
Related Sweet Treats You Might Love
If you’re a fan of delicious baked goods and desserts, explore some of these other fantastic recipes from our collection. Each offers a unique and delightful culinary adventure, perfect for expanding your baking repertoire or simply finding your next favorite treat!
- Carrot Cake Cookies with Pineapple Cream Cheese Filling
- Super Red Velvet Cake With Cream Cheese Icing
- Super Lemon Meringue Pie
- Disney Sunshine Seasons Strawberry Shortcake
- Cinnamon Roll Biscotti
Recipe: Super Small Batch Extra Large Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Super Small Batch Extra Large Chunk Cookies
Pin Recipe
10 minutes
23 minutes
1 hour
1 hour
33 minutes
Dessert
American
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons very hot melted unsalted butter (58 grams)
- ½ cup powdered sugar (55 grams)
- ¼ cup lightly packed light brown sugar (50 grams)
- 2 tablespoons beaten egg break egg, mix it with fork, measure (26 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt (reduce slightly if using salted butter
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour spooned and swept (105 grams)
- 1 teaspoon water optional
- 2-3 tablespoons white chips
- ½ cup bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks
- 2 ½ sandwich cookies broken into chunks (can use nuts instead)
- Broken up milk chocolate bar milk chocolate chips, M&M’s, candies of choice
Instructions
-
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the very hot melted butter, powdered sugar, and light brown sugar. Stir vigorously with a spoon until the mixture is completely smooth and uniform. If the mixture is still extremely hot, allow it to cool for about a minute to prevent scrambling the egg. Then, stir in the pre-beaten egg. Continue to beat with your spoon until the egg is fully incorporated into the mixture. Next, stir in the vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt, ensuring they are well distributed. Finally, add the all-purpose flour and mix until *just* combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough cookies. If your dough appears too dry or crumbly and isn’t coming together, add the optional teaspoon of water and mix briefly until it forms a cohesive dough.
-
Gently fold in the white chips, bittersweet chocolate chips (or chunks), and your broken sandwich cookies (or nuts, if preferred). Mix just enough to distribute the add-ins evenly throughout the dough. Once mixed, gather the dough and shape it into a thick, uniform log, approximately 5 inches in length. This log will form the base for your giant cookies. Place the log on a plate or small sheet of parchment paper and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Chilling is a critical step; it prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking, resulting in that desirable thick texture. Once chilled, carefully cut the log into 3 or 4 equal pieces (each piece should weigh approximately 3 ½ ounces if making 4 cookies). Don’t worry if some chunks of cookies or chocolate fall out during cutting; simply press them back onto the cut surfaces of the dough pieces.
-
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C). Prepare an ungreased cookie sheet (an insulated one is recommended for even baking). Arrange the cut dough pieces on the prepared cookie sheet, ensuring they are spaced generously, about 4 inches apart, as these are indeed giant cookies and will spread. Typically, 3 to 4 cookies will fit comfortably on a standard sheet.
-
Bake the cookies in your preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes. For even baking and a perfectly golden finish, rotate the pan halfway through the baking time. The cookies are done when the edges are lightly golden-brown and set, but the centers still look slightly soft and gooey. Immediately upon removing the cookies from the oven, gently press a few more semi-sweet chocolate chunks and some milk chocolate chunks onto the tops of the warm cookies. The residual heat will melt them beautifully, creating those irresistible pools of chocolate that make homemade cookies so appealing. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 3 minutes. This crucial step helps them set up and prevents them from falling apart when transferred. After 3 minutes, carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
-
While it’s tempting to devour them immediately, allowing the cookies to sit and cool further on the wire rack is beneficial. This setting time allows the flavors to meld and the texture to firm up to that perfect chewy consistency. Once fully set, these magnificent giant chocolate chunk cookies are ready to be enjoyed! They make a fantastic personal treat or a thoughtful gift. If you plan to share them, wrap each cookie individually in plastic wrap to maintain their freshness.
Chocolate Chunk, Giant Cookie, Small Batch Cookies, Cookie Recipe for Two
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
Tips for Perfectly Thick and Chewy Giant Cookies
Achieving that ideal thick and chewy texture in these giant chocolate chunk cookies is easily done by following a few simple tips, ensuring every bake is a success:
- **Don’t Skimp on Chilling:** The 1-hour chilling period is absolutely non-negotiable for producing thick cookies. It allows the butter to solidify, which significantly prevents the cookies from spreading too rapidly and excessively in the oven, thus enabling them to bake up taller, chewier, and with a more desirable texture. If time is a constraint, you can place the dough log in the freezer for a quicker chill of approximately 20-30 minutes, but be very vigilant not to freeze it solid.
- **Measure Ingredients Accurately:** In any baking, but especially for a small batch where ratios are more sensitive, precision in measuring ingredients is paramount. Whenever possible, use a kitchen scale for butter and flour measurements, and always ensure your egg is accurately measured (the 2 tablespoons of beaten egg is precise). The “spoon and sweep” method for flour is crucial to avoid over-measuring and consequently, dry, dense cookies.
- **Hot Melted Butter is a Game Changer:** As highlighted, using very hot melted butter (then slightly cooled) is fundamental to creating that wonderfully chewy texture. The process of melting and cooling helps break down starches and sugars in a way that contributes to chewiness. Just remember to let it cool sufficiently (to lukewarm) before incorporating the egg to prevent inadvertently cooking the egg.
- **Don’t Overbake:** These cookies are at their absolute best when they are slightly underbaked in the very center. The edges should be set, firm, and a lovely golden-brown, but the middle should still appear a little soft and gooey. This is because the cookies will continue to cook and set from the residual heat on the hot cookie sheet after they are removed from the oven. Overbaking is the quickest route to dry, crumbly, and less satisfying cookies.
- **Quality Chocolate Makes a Difference:** Given that chocolate is the primary flavor hero in these cookies, investing in high-quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate will profoundly elevate your baking results. Using robust chocolate chunks rather than just smaller chips also provides a superior melt and creates those glorious, deeply satisfying pockets of intensely rich, molten chocolate throughout the cookie.
- **Customize Your Mix-Ins:** While the recipe thoughtfully suggests white chips and broken sandwich cookies, feel completely free to experiment with your favorite additions. Chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds), colorful M&M’s, salty pretzel bits, or even pieces of other candy bars can all be truly fantastic and inventive additions, allowing you to tailor each batch to your specific craving.
Storage and Serving Suggestions
Once your magnificent giant chocolate chunk cookies have cooled to perfection, they are ready to be savored! Here are a few tips to maximize their freshness and enhance your enjoyment:
- **Freshness is Key:** These cookies truly shine brightest and offer the most exquisite experience when enjoyed warm, ideally within a few hours of baking. The combination of perfectly melted chocolate and a soft, chewy center is simply unparalleled at this stage.
- **Room Temperature Storage:** Should you find yourself with any rare leftovers (which is often a challenge with such a tempting small batch!), store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They will maintain their deliciousness for up to 2-3 days. To rekindle their fresh-baked glory, you can gently warm them in the microwave for a brief 10-15 seconds before serving.
- **Freezing Dough for Future Cravings:** For proactive bakers or those anticipating future cookie emergencies, you can prepare the dough log and freeze it. You can either freeze it whole or pre-cut it into individual cookie portions before freezing. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap, then place it inside a freezer-safe bag or container to protect it. Frozen dough can be stored for up to 1 month. When you’re ready to bake, you can often bake the cookies directly from frozen (adding a few extra minutes to the baking time), or allow the dough to thaw slightly in the refrigerator first for best results.
- **Creative Serving Ideas:** These impressive giant cookies are undoubtedly a complete and satisfying dessert all on their own, perhaps perfectly paired with a tall, frosty glass of cold milk. For an extra layer of decadence and an indulgent treat, consider serving them warm alongside a generous scoop of premium vanilla bean ice cream, finished with a luscious drizzle of caramel sauce or rich hot fudge.
Conclusion: Your New Favorite Small Batch Cookie Recipe
This recipe for super small batch extra large chocolate chunk cookies might have initially begun as a dedicated quest to replicate a beloved classic, but through careful development and a touch of serendipity, it evolved into something uniquely special and utterly irresistible. It masterfully offers the best of both worlds: the unparalleled convenience and mindful portioning of a small yield, perfectly combined with the sheer, unadulterated indulgence of a generously sized, impressively thick, and wonderfully chewy cookie. Whether you consider yourself a seasoned baking enthusiast or are just embarking on your culinary journey, the straightforward “one bowl and a spoon” method, coupled with our detailed ingredient explanations and practical baking tips, makes this recipe incredibly approachable and foolproof. So go ahead, treat yourself (or a very lucky friend) to these magnificent, deeply satisfying chocolate chunk cookies. You absolutely won’t regret rediscovering this delicious secret from the past, which promises to become a cherished staple in your baking repertoire!