More Small Batch Baking: Giant Chocolate Chunk Cookies

It's Monday and the last thing anyone wants to hear is a little whining. But can I indulge? I'll keep it short. Last week was just one of "those weeks." A stressful, pull your hair out kind of 7 day string. My mind has stopped racing and so has my blood pressure. It's times like this that we turn to the good things in life: huge, chocolate laden cookies to take the edge off. Ok, ok. I know stress eating is not recommended and will never solve your problems (blah, blah, blah), but at least it makes you feel better for awhile :)

I posted awhile back about one of my favorite cookbooks, Small Batch Baking. It's wonderful for portion control, and especially small families like ours (just hubby & me) who don't need to scarf down a dozen cookies, even if we're stressed. Since my cookbook discovery, I've also found great small batch baking recipes at one of my favorite blogs, Cookie Madness. In the height of my stress, I perused Cookie Madness, a blog which literally has a cookie recipe for every type of cookie imaginable (lucky for hubby, baking has been my stress reliever of late-not shopping). These giant chunk cookies are customizable in that you could use any type of add-in you have on hand - cookies, candy, chips. Anna uses crushed oreo cookies, but I added Thin Mints to a few of mine and used mini chocolate chips for all 5 decadent cookies. I added M&M's to another and left the last one plain. The consensus was that the Thin Mint cookie was the best. Be adventurous and have fun making these cookies!

I absolutely love this recipe for so many reasons, but most of all because it only requires one mixing bowl, and no mixer. Easy cleanup is good when you're partaking in stressed out baking.

Giant Chocolate Chunk Cookies
from Cookie Madness' recipe
Yield: 4-5 cookies

4 tablespoons very hot melted unsalted butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons beaten egg (break egg, mix it with fork, measure)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon water (optional)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used mini chips)
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

In a bowl, stir together hot butter, powdered sugar and brown sugar until smooth. If still very hot, let cool for about a minute, then stir in egg. Beat with a spoon until egg is fully mixed then stir in vanilla, baking soda and salt. Add flour and stir just until mixed. If dough seems too dry (falling apart), add the water. Stir in chocolate chips and broken cookies. Shape dough into a fat log of about 5 inches log. Chill for 1 hour. Carefully cut log into 4-5 equal pieces. If chunks of cookies and chips fall out, just stick them back onto the cut pieces.

Place cut pieces, spaced about 4 inches away from each other, 4-5 to a sheet, on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees F for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Cool on cookie sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.