I have to make a chocolate chip cookie cake for a work function for Tuesday. The type where I’ll bake it in a large round pan (like a pizza pan but no holes) and then decorate with buttercream around the edges.
I can certainly just use the toll house recipe…but thought I’d ask out there - is there a recipe you prefer or a technique you do or ingredient you enhance to make a giant cookie come out well? Crispy on the edges and not too crispy (overdone) any where else??
I always just buy the refrigerated nestle toll house dough and press it into a large rectangle (I always use the rectangle because it feeds more) baking sheet. Turns out perfect every time!
^^ I have done that in a pinch. I’m looking for a little more effort and quality of cookie for this event. The refrigerated dough is awfully sweet.
I’ve just used the standard recipe on the back of the Ghiradelli choc chip package with good success. I use my paella pan and cook the whole batch like you would cook for bar cookies. As long as you don’t overbake, the edges should come out more crispy and it’ll be softer in the middle. Very easy and always well received.
I would upgrade on the chocolate chips to Guittard or Ghiradelli. I prefer Mexican vanilla.You don’t need to do much to make it a tad better.
@doschicos , can I borrow your paella pan?? Haha - I had to look up what it looks like! That’s the touch you have to get right - when it’s done in the middle - but not too done! I did just mix up some killer buttercreme so hopefully that will literally be the icing on the cake of flavor!!!
My philosophy with cookies is to err on the side of underbaked. It will continue to “bake” once you take it out of the oven and you can always stick it back in if needed. Overbaked isn’t fixable. 
If you have a large cast iron skillet, that works well also.
I need the flatter shape so it can serve more - also hauling in the cast iron to work would be a hassle - but I have done a skillet cookie at home!
@abasket - but think of all the calories you will burn by shlepping that skillet to work!
Ghirardelli chips all the way. IMO.
I like the chocolate chip cookie recipe with butter crisco. Purists be darned, it makes a really good cookie.
I went through a chocolate chip cookie phase a couple years ago and was fascinated by the science behind it. Different techniques and different ingredients obviously affect the outcome. Fortunately you don’t need to go solely by trial and error (which can be quite fun all by itself). Kenji over at Serious Eats has done his usual stellar hands-on research job for us, and has a fantastic write-up here:
https://sweets.seriouseats.com/2013/12/the-food-lab-the-best-chocolate-chip-cookies.html
You can use the information there to adjust any recipe in the desired direction. For example if you want a chewier cookie, go with bread flour for the higher gluten. Lighter and firmer texture use creamed butter, denser and chewier use melted butter. Extra egg whites for taller cookies, extra yolks for a fudgier texture. Brown sugar for moisture, or all white sugar for crispness…
“also hauling in the cast iron to work would be a hassle”
I always take mine out of whatever pan I use and put it on a tray/large platter.
Also another tip which Kenji touches upon at the end of the article above is letting the dough rest in the fridge for superior flavor. Some people recommend overnight but even several hours is good.
Hmm…maybe I’ll mix up the dough tonight - that would help me out tomorrow after work anyway - though I’d probably have to let it come to room temperature a bit so I can spread it on the pan.
You can smoosh it with your hands, your best kitchen tool. Wear a sandwich bag if you don’t want to do it bare handed. Or the bottom of a measuring cup works for smooshing, too.
I’ve made them from scratch, but find the easiest method is to buy the giant nestle cookie dough tub from Costco/Sams and spread it in large sheet cake pan–It’s foolproof and this way you can put all of your effort into decorating.
^^ Yeah, as I mentioned earlier that works in a pinch but I find the prepared cookie dough too sweet! And the decorating will be simple. I made some buttercream frosting and it’s already in my thingy shooter that I will put some floral “squirts” around the edge tomorrow - MAYBE a few sprinkles or sparkly sugar. DONE.
I just made one for a friend! I used the standard Nestle recipe with my usual changes (half butter, half butter flavored Crisco, and two teaspoons of Penzey’s Vanilla). I also only used 2 cups of flour due to comments on the Allrecipe site. I baked it on my Pampered Chef round stone. I put a piece of parchment paper under the dough, and to form the cookie, I put parchment paper on top and rolled it out with a roller.
Be sure to leave AT LEAST two inches from the edge of the pan if it does not have a lip (it spreads!). My first attempt made a mess in my oven. I cooked it for the minimum recommend time, if I remember correctly. The cookie is easy to trim when it’s warm if it comes out a little wonkie.
I got a pizza box from our local pizza joint to transport it.
I have a round stone too - but again, not easy to transport. I made the dough tonight. I compared the Ghiradelli recipe - it’s basically the same as Nestle’s except 1/2 the salt and twice the vanilla. So I made those changes. I at least feel good that most of the prep is out of the way. Thanks for the suggestions!!!