GIANT Chocolate Sugar Cookies

At the library a few days ago was a Martha Stewart Cookie baking handbook sitting on the shelf as if it was begging me to take it home. I gladly obliged. Any book focused on just cookie recipes galore is going to fire me right up with excitement. And serious baking motivation too.

This post isn't a book review, but I have to just put it out there because I tend to be opinionated when dealing with cookbooks: this cookie cookbook wasn't as holy-cow awesome, blow-me-away, stun me to pieces-neat as I had wanted or expected it to be. It was a bit of a let down not to see a lot of practical and daily-type cookies within- so many seemed to be very specialized or very inconvenient- i.e. homemade peppermint cigar-rolled-style cookies???? Get what I mean?

Having that said, there ARE some recipes I'm excited to try and I've doggy-earred plenty of pages to keep my butter and sugar busy. This first I one attempted, of course it being chocolate, didn't disappoint whatsoever! The cookies are quite large, which isn't a problem for me:), and the texture is sensationally soft, sugary, fudgy, and really delicious! My husband, who isn't much of a chocolate aficionado, was about ready to give me an arm wrestle for the last one.

Giant Chocolate Sugar Cookies

{Martha Stewart}

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup good-quality unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup vegetable shortening, substitute 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in shortening (or additional butter). Add egg and vanilla; mix until creamy. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add flour mixture, and mix until just combined.

Using a 2 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing about 4 inches apart. Bake until edges are firm, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container up to 2 days.