Joy the Baker

Giant Vanilla Sugar Cookies

by 150 Comments

Giant Sugar Cookies

You know what?  You deserve a break.  Seriously.  It’s Saturday.  Let’s take it easy.

I know… I know.  You have that whole list of things to do.  Sure, you need to get the car washed.  Yes, there’s that thing about going to the pet store, and getting a present for your mother-in-law’s church friend’s niece.  You’ve got a lot on your plate.  I know.  But… well what would happen, if for today, you kicked the list to the curb and kicked you feet up on the couch?

I’ll tell you what would happen.  The car would stay dirty, the pet store would miss you, and your mother-in-law’s church friend’s niece would have one less present at her party.  She’ll have enough presents.  Go on… take a break.

Now… if you’re anything like me, you have a list and you can’t stand not to start crossing tasks off.  Here’s my tip:  make a new list.  I’ll help.  On our new list are these things: go to the farmer’s market and buy the prettiest cherries you can get your hands on, treat yourself to frozen yogurt, call that friend you’ve been meaning to call, watch at least three hours of a Law and Order marathon, and have two glasses of wine with dinner… dinner out.

See?  Better list.  It’s the list you should be working on this Saturday.

Aaaaand, if you wanted to add the making of these sugar cookies to the list… forget about it.  These can go on your Sunday to-do list.  Yea.  Sunday.

Giant Sugar Cookies

Giant Sugar Cookies

These sugar cookies are superb.  Superb.  Why?  Their greatness is do, in part, to their giant size.  Who doesn’t love a super giant cookie?  There’s more cookie to love.  Simple fact.

Also… I know I’ve been using this doily a lot lately.  I’ll switch it up soon.

Giant Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies

from The Pastry Queen (I kinda looooove this book)

Print this Recipe!

makes 1 dozen 4-inch cookies or 2 dozen 2-inch cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup vegetable oil, such as canola or sunflower oil.  I used almond oil.

1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus additional for sugaring tops

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper, or foil, or grease generously with butter or cooking spray.

Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter in a large bowl on medium speed for about 1 minute.  Add the vegetable oil.  It may not fully incorporate with the butter, but that’s ok.  Add the granulated sugar, powdered sugar, egg and vanilla, beating on medium speed until each ingredient is completely incorporated.

Stir in the flour, baking soda and salt all at once using a wooden spoon or the mixer set on low.

The dough will be soft.

Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour or freeze for 15 minutes just so it’s easier to handle.

For large cookies, dollop 2 Tablespoons of cookie dough onto the cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.  For smaller cookies use 1 Tablespoon for each cookie.  Press the dough evenly with your fingers or palm to 1/4-inch thickness.  Generously sprinkle sugar on top of the cookie dough.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes for larger cookies or 8 to 10 minutes for smaller cookies.  Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring to racks to cool completely.  The cookies will keep for up to 3 days if stored in an airtight container.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Diana

    Just letting you know that Taylor Swift brought me here. On Tumblr she linked this recipe as one she has used in the past to make sugar cookies :). These look delicious and I am definitely going to try them!

    Reply

  3. Lindsey

    Hi I just want to let you know the actual Taylor Swift just mentioned that she loves your blog and these cookies and I am for sure making them. Thank you Taylor for introducing us to this blog it’s amazing!!!

    Reply

  7. Heather

    I am a sugar cookie snob and have searched forever for the right combination. I was a little sceptical at first with the dough consistency, crossed my fingers and baked on. OM goodness so glad I did FINALLY what I’ve been waiting for!! Thank you!

    Reply

  9. Caytlin

    I found this recipe after the TAYLOR SWIFT posted it on Tumblr. Making these tomorrow and I’ve never been this excited about a sugar cookie! They look delicious!

    Reply

  11. Anna

    Hi Joy! Can you freeze the dough for a few days before baking? I want to make them ahead of time for a cookie party on Friday!

    Reply

  16. SilviaJunca

    Taylor Swift herself shared your recipe on her Tumblr a few hours ago, thought you ought to know :) and that has obvioulsy turned around my to-do-list for the day! The bakers gonna bake bake bake bake bake!!

    Reply

  17. Julia

    Hi Joy and everybody! I have a cookie question – I want to make a cookbook recipe for giant cookies like these. It says to use a 1/4 cup scoop to make the cookies. If I use a smaller scoop, will the way the cookies spread out be ruined? Or is it just a matter of decreasing the cooking time?

    Reply

  20. Julia

    Hi- I really want to try these, but I have a question. Has anyone weighed the flour to confirm the best amount to use? I think the overly flat/spreading cookies are due to not enough flour or old baking soda. Since everyone measures flour differently, the weighing can really help. I have not been able to find such a well reviewed vanilla sugar cookie recipe that includes the weights.

    Reply

  22. Kris

    I made these and they turned out quite good. They bake quite flat and are moist and chewy. I dusted them with vanilla sugar. I still find it weird to put oil in cookies though.

    Reply

  23. Laura

    Made these last night for my roommates (and myself) and they were sooo good! Just the perfect texture and harmony of flavors. Thanks for another fab recipe!

    Reply

  24. Amelia

    I made these and they were delicious!

    Unfortunately, they spread like CRAZY when I baked them (i.e. they looked like tortillas when I removed them from the oven). I tried a number of things to reduce the spreading (e.g. refrigerating the dough longer, decreasing the oven temp, using more or less dough, and pressing them down less or not at all) and I still got the same results. Do you have any suggestions?

    Thanks!

    Reply

  25. Joyce

    I baked these tonight — wonderful! I used vanilla bean paste just to give them a good kick of vanilla.

    Thank you — love, love, love your blog.

    Reply

  26. Dorothy

    I have long said that sugar cookies are the one cookie that I cannot make. Everybody else’s have always turned out better than mine. I think my luck just changed with this recipe. Delicious. An absolutely wonderful cookie. I can’t believe that I just baked the sugar cookie of my dreams.

    That’s the good news.

    The bad news is that I have used my sugar cookie failure to guilt friends and relatives to bake and send me cookies. Those days may be over.

    Thank you for sharing this recipe.
    ~ Dorothy

    Reply

  27. Jenny

    I’m making these tonight with hazelnut oil and whole wheat pastry flour. I hope it still turns out well and is not too hard or dry.

    Reply

    • Jenny

      These cookies only turned out to be mildly sweet. Was it the whole wheat pastry flour’s fault or are these cookies just not very sweet to begin with? Thanks.

      Reply

      • Caroline

        Made these too! followed the recipe exactly, used regular vegetable oil and all-purpose flour. The cookies are delish and wonderfully soft and chewy, but they really aren’t very sweet to begin with! Still good, but not exactly what I was looking for…

        Reply

  28. jenny

    I tried this recipe a week ago and omg they were the best sugar cookies I’ve tried :D I’m a newbie baker so this recipe was very easy to do. I had all the ingredients at home, though I had to use cake flour, and the cookies turned out delicious, soft and chewy. I have a weakness for soft chewy cookies XD Thank you for sharing this recipe :) I will look on this site for a nice frosting recipe to put on the cookies :)

    Reply

  34. KSo

    These are fabulous. I’m making my second batch this week. I used the real vanilla bean, which made them especially delicious.

    Reply

  35. Megan

    I really love the idea of making a new to-do list.

    I get really caught up in Law and Order marathons too so It’s a good thing it’s on my to-do list.

    Reply

  36. Ann

    On this RAINY Saturday afternoon, my 3 year old and I just put our first batch in the oven. They smell awesome! Can’t wait to dig in, since I didn’t have a chance to try the dough or anything ;o)

    Reply

  38. Megan

    I just made these for house guests. The consensus is that they are super YUMMY! Thanks for another great recipe :-)

    Reply

  41. Emily

    Would this recipe work well for cut out cookies? I am on a mission to find a delicious cut out cookie recipe and most that I have tried turn out hard and tasteless.

    This is my first time on your blog and I am definitely enjoying your recipes!

    Reply

  42. Kirsten

    I love this cookbook, too. Some of the recipes haven’t worked out so well for me… maybe it’s a difference in pasty ideals or something. I haven’t tried these, though – I’ll have to give them a shot.
    I read an article about Rebecca Rather when I was a teenager, and I was inspired to become a baker. Does anyone know if her Christmas book is good?

    Reply

    • SoJo

      Kirsten, I don’t have her original book, but I do have her Christmas book and I love it. Joy’s sister made the chocolate dipped peanut butter cookies from the book, as did I, and they’re fantastic. I’ve made the cranberry margaritas too many times to count, or remember, if you know what I mean. You can get the book cheap through http://www.thegoodcook.com

      SoJo

      Reply

  43. Shawna

    Thanks for sharing the recipe. I made these two or three nights ago, and we just bake 4 a night. I noticed that they are even better when you undercook them (10 minutes cooking instead of 12 for the big ones). And then we dusted fleur de sel as well as sugar on top. Yum!

    Reply

  44. HM

    Made these a couple days ago and ate them right out of the oven with a scoop of icecream on top.
    I was very happy for the remainder of the day :)

    Reply

  45. Kim

    Yes! I put the dough in the refrigerator last night and baked the cookies when I got up this morning. Two thumbs up for this recipe.

    Reply

  47. Ally

    Hey Joy – I just got up early this morning before work and baked these for my team – they LOVE them! Thanks for another great recipe :)

    Reply

  49. jolynn@thedish

    Joy – you just inspired a major craving for sugar cookies – especially an over sized one. I just imagine dipping a cookie into a foamy chai tea latte.

    Question – How fragrant/strong is almond oil? Which flavor stands out more – almond or vanilla? Or do they kinda meld?

    Reply

  51. amanda

    Hey Joy-
    Just curious…how would you classify these? Soft and chewy, or more crisp? I am in perpetual search of nice chewy sugar cookie (even CI’s didn’t do it for me!) and I’m wondering if this is it. thanks!

    Reply

  52. Stacey

    Oh I need to make that kind of list! That is the kind of list I need every Saturday! I felt relaxed just reading it!

    Those cookies look super delicious.

    Reply

  56. Deanna

    I had a great weekend, especially since I can cross off a number of the items on your Saturday list! I will be adding these sugar cookies to my list for next weekend. Thanks :)

    Reply

  58. Chic

    This looks great! Thanks for the recipe!

    You know, I’ve only recently discovered your site while looking for a creamcheese frosting recipe… been hooked ever since! You’ve actually inspired me to revisit my baking tins and bowls.. thanks again!

    Reply

  59. When Pigs Fly

    It’s already Monday. I should have checked this out earlier in the weekend. Oh well, I may just need to make time to churn a few out this week. They look really yummy.

    Reply

  60. Millie

    Ooh, those look like fun! I’ve been looking for a good sugar cookie recipe as well! Gotta add these to my list of stuff to make.

    Reply

  61. Lucia

    Gee I wish I had read this on Saturday morning. I would have rewritten my list just like you said. But alas it is Sunday and I have all but one item checked off on my list… maybe next week.

    Reply

  62. Jo

    I made some of these this morning and W-O-W, these sure are GIANT!!
    Great recipe Joy and I love your idea for the weekend to-do list.

    Reply

  63. Beth

    OK Joy……..you did it. You totally made me blow off the rest of the day and go to my kitchen where I’ll make these cookies. This is just plain old love bundled up in a cookie….I can tell….that’s the truth isn’t it? Hopefully I don’t eat all the dough before I get it on the cookie sheet and into the oven. Thanks for the recipe!! :) Beth (Long time reader, first time commenter)

    Reply

  67. Deb

    I plan to make these cookies but had to tell you I made the Glazed Lime Cake and it was heavenly! I’ve never made a cake without regular sugar in it and this one was so light and refreshing and perfect for these hot days in Alabama. Even my husband said: “Man, that’s good cake” (said repeatedly while eating 3 pieces!)

    Reply

  70. Nicole

    Joy the Baker, you are the best! I wish I’d seen your list before I spent the day doing Saturday chores. However, my Sunday list is pretty similar. I will be visiting the FM, and an Italian market/deli for the first time. I’m just a bit giddy. I think I’ll have to add these cookies to my Sunday list for a fabulous ending. p.s. I do love the Pastry Queen.

    Reply

  71. Jeanna

    Oh my goodness these are AMAZING!!! I made these this afternoon to soothe my battered nerves (thanks to my toddler’s very public tantrum at a local festival). They are delicate and lovely and oh-so-wonderful. :) Only change I made was I sprinkled the tops with super-fine vanilla sugar. Joy, you totally saved my day today!

    Reply

  74. HM

    Goodbye studying,
    hello vanilla cookies!

    I don’t know what it is about each of your recipe entries…
    but every time I read one I have to go make it the same day.

    Off to the kitchen!

    Reply

  77. Heather

    Yum. Cookies look delicious. Unfortunately it’s over 90 with 90 percent humidity. . . .No oven for me. . . One of the things I hate about summer. . . However, I am all over that new list of yours. Definitely liking it better than the one I made, which includes weeding the garden. . . ;)

    Have a great weekend.

    Reply

  79. tj

    …Holy Moly girl, now you’re talkin’ my language! lol… Who doesn’t love a cookie that equals eating two cookies in one and then kidding yourself into saying that you only ate one cookie while telling yourself I believe I’ll have another?! Ha! ;o) (read that sentence really fast…lol)

    …Anyway, I’ve been following you for quite some time and am a first time commenter but I just wanna say “thank you” for having a great site and also for this recipe. I’ll def’ be giving this one a try! :o)

    …Have a great weekend and blessings too…

    Reply

  80. Sara

    I love your site. Absolutely love it! And I am at this moment imaging these cookies with some creamy cold vanilla bean ice cream in between. The ultimate ice cream sandwich. Yum! Thank you for doing what you do!

    Reply

  82. Emily

    Joy, my to-do-list for today really does include going to my local farmers’ market to find yummy cherries! Also these cookies look delicious. I love sugar cookies.

    Reply

  86. Kati

    These look lovely and I’d say they look quite delcious as is, unadorned, naked-don’t need any icing-nada–perfect!!

    Reply

  87. Melynda

    My next cookie, I love vanilla and sugar cookies are the best. I don’t make rolled out cookies however and this was a lucky find! thanks.

    Reply

  88. Alya

    Now if only someone would make these for me, and I could continue lying around the house doing nothing and everything at the same time.

    By the way, I’ve got a Perricone MD product to give away over at my blog. Come check it out :)

    Reply

  90. Linda

    Oh Joy, you’re a mind reader. My car is realllllly awful and needs a HUGE clean. I need to blog too. I envy you and your many posts! :)

    Reply

  91. Laura (Alwaysroom4dessert)

    How did you know I was planning to wash my car today… I just got my farmers market email saying its the first week of cherries, FM sounds like a much better plan than washing the car!
    Your sugar cookies look fantastic, crispy on the edge and a bit chewy in the middle, just the way I like em!

    Reply

  92. Rebecca

    Ooh, giant, simple, but delicious looking cookies. That’s definitely worth starting a new list for. I think the list would go something like:

    1. bake cookies
    2. eat cookies
    3. rest.

    Roll on a lazy cookie-filled Sunday.

    Reply

  93. Julia @ Mélanger

    These look just lovely. I just made some simple raspberry cream cookies that were the result of an urge to bake something simple. I am always searching for a new sugar cookie recipe so I must give this one a go!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  31. […] 2. Cookies & cream kiss cookies. We substituted the hershey kiss with their hugs brand. 3. Vanilla sugar cookies. Joy the baker is fabulous. So are these cookies!! We added sprinkles for holiday flair. 4. Peanut […]

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  38. […] Sugar cookies turned out quite nice though. Have a batch of dough in the fridge in case we get visited. I had hoped to find some red and green sugar for the tops but haven’t yet. I did find some stuff you dust onto icing but I figure that might be killed when baking. I am starting to think we are pretty remiss when it comes to having good crafting stuff here in the UK… […]

    Reply

  45. […] drool over pretty much everything that Joy the Baker makes, but these sugar cookies look totally do-able! I think I may even have all of the ingredients […]

    Reply

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