This recipe is simply to die for. I was pregnant with my first child a few years ago and visiting a friend in Seattle. She had made cookies that were simply irresistible…granted I was 7 months pregnant, but I ate and ate and ate them while staying at her house. Then I couldn’t stop thinking about them. When I asked for the recipe she told me you just melt the butter in the cookie recipe. Genius. So I tried that hours after landing back home. I literally felt like I would not make it if I couldn’t get my hands on some more of those cookies. Blaming this on the baby, of course. I literally became the cookie monster. So I tried the melted butter. nope. not. the. same. cookie. I was heartbroken. So, about 10 separate batches of chocolate chip cookies later I had something I loved. Adding eggs, subtracting eggs. Adding lots brown sugar, adding too much brown sugar. Cooking on high temps, cooking on low temps. More dough less dough. More butter, less butter. You get the picture. I was dreaming cookie ingredients. Luckily for me this crazed behavior is totally normal to my husband. He is very used to being a “taster”. Baking is the hardest because it is so technical. So, there is always LOTS of tasting. He usually doesn’t mind, and he actually has a great pallet and helps me a lot. I posted this recipe at Anthologydestination.com about a year ago and really wanted to get it up on here before Christmas, but just did’t quite make it happen. But, lets be honest people…we eat cookies year round. These especially. So rest assured that you can make them anytime of year, and feel comforted that Colossal Claus cookies are Santa’s favorite, too!

1. Place rack in middle of oven and preheated to 325 degrees convection. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

2. Measure out sugars in mixing bowl.

3. Melt butter, and let cool for 5 minutes.

4. Beat melted butter and sugars in a mixer until light in color, about 3 minutes.

5. Add the eggs, and white one at at time. Scrape edges and add the vanilla. Slowly add the flour mixture until just combined.

6. Add the chocolate chips and let the mixer stir just a couple times, then remove and stir with spoon to fully incorporate the chocolate chips.

I usually put about 12 oz straight in the mixer and save the other two ounces to put on top of the scooped cookies by hand. Some don’t need any, but some could use a few extra chips right on top. This results in a perfect looking (and tasting) cookie, cookie.

7. Line your cookie sheet with parchment. Using a large ice-cream scoop start scooping onto the parchment, leaving space to grow.

8. Flatten mounds just slightly. Bake one sheet at at a time for about 9-12 minutes until golden brown.

9. Cool on cooling racks, lightly sprinkle with kosher or Maldon sea salt while still warm. Enjoy!

Best eaten within a couple days….if not hours! Keep in airtight container for about three to four days.

Colossal Claus Cookies:

3 c AP flour

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 c butter, (2 sticks) melted

1 1/2 c packed brown sugar

1 c sugar

2 eggs

1 egg white

2 tsp vanilla

14 oz cut or broken semi-sweet chocolate, or chips

kosher salt, for sprinkling (I prefer Maldon)

Directions:

1. Place rack in middle of oven and preheated to 325 degrees convection. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

2. Measure out sugars in mixing bowl.

3. Melt butter, and let cool for 5 minutes.

4. Beat melted butter and sugars in a mixer until light in color, about 3 minutes.

5. Add the eggs, and white one at at time. Scrape edges and add the vanilla. Slowly add the flour mixture until just combined.

6. Add the chocolate chips and let the mixer stir just a couple times, then remove and stir with spoon to fully incorporate the chocolate chips.

7. Line your cookie sheet with parchment. Using a large ice-cream scoop start scooping onto the parchment, leaving space to grow.

8. Flatten mounds just slightly. Bake one sheet at at a time for about 9-12 minutes until golden brown.

9. Cool on cooling racks, lightly sprinkle with kosher or Maldon sea salt while still warm. Enjoy!

Best eaten within a couple days….if not hours! Keep in airtight container for about three to four days.