Great American Cookie Company Big Cookie Recipe
Alright, technically this recipe does not fit the usual fare for what I am establishing on this site. However, who doesn’t love those big old cookies we get in the mall? Southerners do, I’m sure!
Since I made one last night, why not post the tutorial?
This is the quick and easy version. You are welcome to draw it out and make it from scratch – but sometimes we all need a bit of a “wow” effect without the work. Forgive my shoddy decorating, ye olde hands aren’t what they used to be!
You need light corn syrup, Pilsbury Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (how many rolls depends on what size big cookie you want to make. I used three rolls on an 11×17 jelly roll pan). Two cans of store bought icing. Duncan Hines Classic Chocolate is right on the money for what the Great American Cookie Company uses.
Here is the formula, for every roll of cookie dough (16.5 ounce size), you add 1/4 cup of light corn syrup.
Mix well with stand or hand mixer until smooth.
Pat it out to fit the pan with your hand. Wet your hand and this will be a breeze! Keep wetting your hand, don’t worry about getting water on top of the dough as it will evaporate in no time once you stick it in the oven! Bake at 325 for 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of cookie you are making. If a little cooks up onto the sides, I just trim it off with a pizza cutter.
I decorated this entire thing with a small star tip. Start by making your puffs around the sides and then write your letters in white, a little thick. Normally, you make the white letters touch and much thicker than I did here but….I was in a hurry. Out of town guests are on their way to my house as we speak! I’ll post more pics of other cookies I’ve done one of these days but here ya go! You still have time to do this for the fourth!
Posted by Christy Jordan
on Jul 3 2008. Filed under Chocolate, Dessert.
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How do you make the white icing? Also, does the icing get firm or “crust” after you let it dry??
Well, I personally prefer to make homemade buttercream icing for the white icing. A neat thing about this is that it keeps at room temp for a very long time so you can use it for multiple purposes if you make a double batch.
However, for this cookie I just used Duncan Hines. Still, if you want that wonderful taste and smell of buttercream and that wee but of a “crust” to form on it, nothing beats the homemade.
Here is my recipe:
1 cup solid vegetable shortening
(get Crisco brand if you want it to be really white)
2 tsp clear butter flavoring
4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon meringue powder
Mix it all together in your mixing bowl with a stand or hand mixer until well blended. You can add more water but only do it a tablespoon at a time. Be sure you get meringue powder for this. Without meringue powder the icing is “greasy” and seems to stick to your tongue rather than dissolve and melt like the buttercream we all known and love.
Was that what you were looking for? You could also use a cream cheese icing for this and I’d be happy to give you that recipe as well! Let me know if you have any more questions!
You can get the best meringue in the cake decorating isle at Walmart.
I would love your cream cheese frosting recipe because I love your buttercream one I always use it now and a chocolate version would make my day as well!
I went to wal-mart and food world and could not find the meringue powder. Is there anything else I can use.
Smiles!
Wow, thank you so much!! My only question now is: what about the chocolate icing and other colors that people like on their cookie cakes (pink,red,blue,green)? What recipes or store-bought items would you use for those? I’d love for it to taste just like the GACC’s cookie cakes. I was just scared about the transporting of the cake, & whether the choc. icing would “crust” or if it would get messed up when I’d cover it.
I have found that the Duncan Hines classic chocolate is right on the money in terms of duplicating the GACC chocolate icing. Also, homemade buttercream is the perfect substitute to their vanilla.
If you would like a colored icing, simply use homemade buttercream and tint it using gel or paste colors such as the Wilton brand that is sold in any craft store and most Wal Mart craft departments.
As long as you don’t leave it in a hot car, it will transport just fine. I made two of those cookies for the fourth and one traveled over two hours to its destination while another an hour.
.
I have a great pan that I bought just for making these cookies. It is a jelly roll pan that does have a cover on it and the brand name is Wilton. I believe I got it at Michaels.
Also, if you don’t have a cover, simply bake and decorate the cookie and put it in your oven (make sure it is cool and the light is off) until ready to transport.
Another fun and neat idea is to make it in a pizza pan and go to one of the pizza places and buy or have them give you an empty box to put it in. I’ve done that several times and it is always a hit at school
Thank you so much for the questions, please keep them coming if I can be of any further help!
Thank you for this. I am supposed to make a cake my husband to take to work for one of his employee’s birthdays, which of course is no big deal until he springs on me that the guy wants a cookie cake. I had no idea it was going to be so easy. *Bonus* I found your blog while doing a search for the recipe. I love your site and look forward to trying several of your recipes.
I have a problem with the outside of the cookie cooking too fast, while the inside is still practically raw…And it wants to stick to the pan, even though I sprayed it with non-stick spray!! Help!!
Roya: What type of pan are you using? Are you baking it at 325?
Let me know those two things and I will be able to help you more
Thanks!
Christy
Messeis: Thank you! I look forward to seeing you around! Welcome to Southern Plate!
Thank you. It was a huge hit. My husband took it in this morning and by 8:10 he called to tell me how much everyone was raving about it. They thought it was better than the Cookie place. The best part is that he told that I had worked really hard to make it. I am in desperate need of a new stand mixer so I had to mix it by hand (which was a chore) that, naturally is all he saw of the process, so he thinks that I really slaved over the recipe.
Thank you.
I can’t wait to make it again so that I can actually try it.
I used a disposable aluminum pizza pan–12″, I believe. Yes, I baked it at 325 but it this pan + my oven, it only took about 10 minutes! So, I’m having trouble perfecting it. I’d like to be able to remove it from the pan to put into a box to transport it, so I’m also having trouble w/that.
WOW, ten minutes? EEk. I would start by finding out what temperature your oven is actually cooking at. You can get a little oven thermometer that hangs on one of your racks at Wal Mart for a few dollars and that would be a great help. That alone would probably end your problems right there !:) also, decrease the corn syrup you are putting in by 1/4th of the amount you are using. That will make the cookie just a wee bit firmer and should help.
As for removing it from a pan, that is a toughie with a regular pan. Now if you had some type of springform where you could actually take the sides off the pan that would work. You can try lining your pan with parchment and making sure you have enough of an overhang to get a good grip to lift the cookie out, but be prepared to cover up any cracks with icing! Also, if you are going to try this, let it cool completely before you do. Make sure you use parchment paper, not freezer paper or wax paper.
One thing I like to do with these is find a pizza pan with a bit of a lip on it that will fit inside of a standard sized pizza box. usually a twelve inch works fine. You can go by most Pizza places and they will take pity on you and give you a clean box.
. That way you have a great presentation without having to remove it from the pan.
My pan is one I bought special for these cookies. It is a Wilton Jelly Roll pan with a lid that fits on it. The lid is domed so I have plenty of room for icing decorations without worrying about them getting touched when I cover the pan. Transports great!
Messeis I am so glad they liked it!!! Now make me proud and MILK HIM FOR A KITCHEN AID!! hehehehe!
My husband and kids love this cookie. I like to make them in pizza pans and package them in pizza boxes to surprise them with. I made one a few years ago and had it waiting when my son got home from his first day of Kindergarten, they have been a hit ever since! Sometimes I make them in eight or nine inch round cake pans and decorate them for my kids and their friends. Nothing like showing up to play at a friend’s house with a cookie that has their name on it!!!
I really appreciate you letting me know how it turned out!
Christy
I just made this yesterday for my son’s 7th birthday and it tasted SO good…just like the cookie cake company and a whole lot cheaper! The only thing I did was not give it enough room on the edges and it cooked over. I just gave it a little trim with a pizza cutter and all was well. Thanks again for another good one!
any idea what the actual recipe for the white icing is at GACC? It has a particular taste that I love much more than chocolate…
I made this big cookie today. It looks wonderful and I can’t wait to share it with my neighbors as they love chocolate chip. Thanks for sharing your recipes Christy.
Christy,
Can you do this with the peanut butter cookie dough also?
I have a friend that loves peanut butter.
I also forgot to ask how long you bake the round. I bought the wilton cookie pan. Haven’t attempted it yet.
Hey Everyone!!
Courtney! so glad it was a hit! My sons friends have always been very impressed, too! I think boys just love this recipe!!
azf – no, sorry I don’t have their icing recipe. I usually just make homemade buttercream if I want it to be special. GAC’s white icing doesn’t hold a candle to that!
Cherill- peanut butter dough would be awesome and should work just fine! I would lessen the corn syrup by a hair, say 1/4. What size is your round pan?
Just the Wilton cookie pan.
Oh, Wilton says 1 roll of dough for round pan.
I’m excited to try this recipe. I want to cut out heart shaped cookies for Valentine’s Day. Can I simply baked as directed and then cut out the hearts?
Thanks!
Hello ladies, I’m SO excited to find this website! I happen to have WORKED at Great American Cookie Co and by far, parchment paper is your best friend. The way the cakes were made was with a round plastic form, but you can basically shape the cookie into the size you want it (6, 10 or 12 inches round or large rectangle)and about a good half inch thick.
The dough was usually refrigerated and it didn’t stick to you’re hands.. we were using gloves of course. The trick to spreading it out is using the sides of your hands, molding the dough with the edge of your hands.
After the cake is baked, using a cardboard cake board, place on top of the cake and cut around the board. This gives a perfect edge with no crust. Then turn the baking sheet over onto the cake board, place another board on top and turn over to get it right side up.
That’s just the “professional” way to do it :p
REALLY wish I knew the icing recipe but I’ll sure give the buttercream a try!
Hello all!
I want to give this a try for my girlfriend’s birthday, though I have one or two questions before I do…
Any recommendations for a healthier alternative to the corn syrup? Also, I’m going to be using a 16in pizza pan. How much dough would that take? I’m thinking around 30oz or so, but please chime in if I’m wrong!
Thanks! =)
As far as the dough goes, pat it out like I did and bake sure it is about 1/3 high as the pan and goes just to the sides and you’ll be fine.
Every now and then mine rises to overlap on the sides a bit and I just let it cool and then cut it off with a pizza cutter before decorating.
Alternative to Corn syrup, not sure what you mean by healthier, I’m afraid. You could try honey but they have the same caloric value. If you have dietary issues with Corn syrup, I’d definitely experiment with the honey. You want a syrup to keep this soft after it has baked and cooled. I often use honey in my dishpan cookies for this very purpose. If you want to substitute, I would use a little less honey than the corn syrup just to stay on the safe side and make sure it still turns out.
Hope this helps but I’m afraid I may be too late! eeek!
Christy
I did this for Mother’s Day and it was a hit. It came out great and tasted awesome. Thanks.
I also did a a buttercream icing for the white icing. I found a recipe for buttercream for decorating so it was stiff and tasted great.
Here is the buttercream recipe
1 cup crisco
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
4 cups confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons cool milk
add vanilla and salt to crisco. Beat in sugar, 1 cup at a time blending well after each addition. Add milk and beat at high spped until light and fluffy. Refrigerate for at least a half hour before decorating. This taste just like the real icing at Cookie Co.
Adding one tbls of meringue powder keeps it from tasting greasy.
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There are two sizes for the chocolate chip cookie dough. I’m assuming you used three of the smaller rolls (16.5 oz each)? Please advise. Thank you.
Oops…just saw where you put the ounces. Thanks.
where do you find meringue powder.
In the cake decorating section at Wal Mart is where I get mine. Also Michael’s Arts and Crafts has it. Hope this helps!
No offense, but using refrigerated cookie dough – even by adding corn syrup – is not a recipe.
~hugs~
Aww, I’m not offended. I don’t take life that seriously. This is a recipe to me and the other folks who were glad to find it so that works for me!
Hope you have a wonderful weekend and thank you so much for stopping by.
Gratefully,
Christy
Christy,
You handled that with the grace if a true southern woman.
I use wilton’s chocolate fudge icing and it is great! Here is their recipe:
•2/3 cup butter or margarine
•1 1/3 cup cocoa
•6 cups confectioners’ sugar
•2/3 cup milk
•2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Makes: 4 cups of icing.
instructions
Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa and heat just until mixture begins to boil, stirring constantly until smooth. Pour into mixer bowl. Cool. Alternately add confectioners’ sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Blend in vanilla.
Is it really 1 1/3 c. cocoa?? I tried the recipe just now and there seemed to be too much!! It was so thick I couldn’t even stir it, then it burned. Thanks!!
Brandy
Thanks so much for this recipe! my kids love those cookies and I just can’t afford to pay 6 bucks for two little cookies everytime we go to the mall. They will be so excited to have a whole cake waiting for them!
It’s Wed now. Can I make tomorrow night and it still be good if refrigerated until noon Sat?
Also, what is a jelly roll pan?
My pan is 12 x 17 and has 3/4 inch lip. So I may buy one more tube of dough.
I have no clue on this, I am not a baker, but do you bake on top of parchment paper?
Thank you!
just read the parchment paper box, okay yes bake on top of the paper, guess you do not need to grease the pan then. Capt. Obvious.
Hi,
I have tried this recipe once and I was using a round pizza pan with 2 packages of the 16.5 of cookie dough! I cooked it for 30 minutes and it was way to hard! I went ahead and decorated it and both icings tasted great, the middle of the cookie was ok! I am trying it again tonight and cutting down the cooking time! Hope it comes out great, because everyone is counting on me to take this to my Momma’s Birthday party tomorrow!! Will update you once we have it tomorrow!! Thanks again for posting all the info for this recipe!!
Ok, I tried it again! It was a hit!! Thank you Christy for posting this!! It is awesome and so much cheaper! I know what I will be taking to family gatherings!! Thanks for the butter cream recipe, the meringue powder does wonders! Taste just like the icing from cookie co! THanks again!
Okay, so I want to make a heart-shaped cookie cake for my boyfriend for valentines day. Where would you recommend to find a big heart shaped pan and should I do the same instructions as listed?
any ideas on their delicious blonde brownie recipe?
I made this for a friend at work; she wanted a GACC cookie but our team fund was low. It was a big hit and really does taste just like the one from the mall. Use the appropriate pan size, put parchment on the bottom and if you use the white icing recipe at the beginning, you may want to add just a little more water. It makes A LOT of icing, so if you are only going to use it to write or plan to use the chocolate and the white, you may want to start with a half recipe. Thank you for the recipe; definitely saving to my favorites!
I make this recipe every year for my birthday– a treat to myself. I freeze the extras and eat them over time (tastes good frozen too!)
It is moist and delicious, reminds me (fondly) of childhood birthdays, with those cookie cakes from the mall. THANK YOU for coming up with this, and for sharing it!!!
I am going to try and make a 3 tiered cookie cake with this recipe for my husbands surprise party. Any suggestions?
I tried it with Nestle Toll House cookie dough because they didn’t have Pillsbury. It did NOT work. I am going to a different store tomorrow to try and find Pillsbury cookie dough. I want to make it for my daughters birthday…so glad I did a trial run.
Guess what I made for our Freedom Celebration? Yep, that big ole cookie. Thanks Christy for saving us folks a whole lot of money…. Happy 4th to Bountiful
I tried to make this cookie, I have one problem and I may have created it myself, but I cooked it for 20 minutes and it is very oily and the bottom is very crisp kinda candyishly crisp. How would you suggest i fix this problem?
What size pan were you using? My immediate thoughts are that the sides are getting done too quickly, I’d lower the temp twenty five degrees and cook a bit longer. Hope this helps!
I used a 15 x 10 cookie sheet lined with nonstick foil (becasue i forgot to pick up parchment paper) and I only used 2 rolls since it was a small pan. The sides were cooked the same as the rest of the cookie it was the bottom of the entire cookie that was sugar-crisp like.
Could you not use a disposable pan and simply cut the raised edges off for placement in a serving tray or box?
This is so super simple and so delicious. That corn syrup makes a big difference, and I suppose explains the wonderful chewiness
I love cookie cakes, but they are SO expensive. This is a great alternative and just as good, in my opinion.
I made one last night in my 12′ pizza pan. One roll was a perfect fit. It definitely works better when you line the pan with parchment.
It’s in the oven now. That was the quickest simple recipe I’ve done and I hope it turns out. Thanks for sharing!!! We love cookie cake and it just disappears.
12″ pizza foil pan with two rolls = disaster! it totally overflowed. next time 1 16oz package will be fine. who know’s how long to bake at 325? I tried 20mins and still jiggly.