The Best Giant Funfetti Cookies: Crispy Edges, Chewy Centers, and Endless Sprinkles
Are you on an endless quest for the ultimate cookie? Your search ends here! Prepare yourself for an extraordinary baking adventure that culminates in the most delicious giant funfetti cookies you’ve ever tasted. These aren’t just any cookies; they’re a masterclass in texture, boasting delightfully crispy edges that give way to a soft, gooey, and irresistibly chewy center. Loaded with vibrant sprinkles and rich chocolate, these cookies are truly the best of both worlds, offering a perfect balance of crunch and melt-in-your-mouth goodness. Get ready to impress everyone with these homemade masterpieces!
Experience the Magic of Crispy & Chewy Giant Cookies
For those who dream of a cookie that delivers both a satisfying crisp bite and a wonderfully soft chew, you’ve absolutely stumbled upon a treasure. These magnificent creations are not just any homemade cookies; they are truly giant, often compared to the size of your face, making every single one a truly indulgent experience. Imagine sinking your teeth into a warm, fresh-from-the-oven cookie, where the outside offers a delicate snap, and the inside yields a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture brimming with delicious chocolate and playful sprinkles. This harmonious combination is what defines the perfect cookie, and it’s achieved through a fascinating technique we’ll explore next: the pan-banging method.
What Exactly is the Pan-Banging Method?
The pan-banging technique is a culinary innovation that took the baking world by storm, largely popularized by the brilliant Sarah Kieffer. Her original cookie recipe, featuring this unique method, quickly became an internet sensation. You couldn’t scroll through social media platforms like Instagram without seeing countless posts showcasing these distinctively crinkled, ripple-edged cookies. And for good reason! This technique is a true gift to cookie lovers, creating an unparalleled texture and visual appeal.
I vividly remember first encountering Sarah’s recipe instructions. The idea of opening the oven and banging a hot baking sheet every two minutes after an initial baking period seemed counterintuitive to everything I’d learned about baking. Conventional wisdom dictates that you never open the oven door too early, especially with delicate desserts, to prevent them from deflating. But then, a lightbulb moment! The deflation is the point, the genius behind these crispy and chewy giant cookies.
How the Pan-Banging Method Works its Magic
At its core, the pan-banging method is designed to manipulate the baking process to achieve a specific texture profile. Here’s the breakdown:
- **Initial Bake:** The cookies begin baking normally, allowing the edges to set and the centers to puff up as they cook.
- **The First Bang:** After an initial 10-minute baking period, you gently (but firmly!) lift the baking sheet and drop it on the oven rack or counter. This action causes the puffed-up centers of the cookies to deflate.
- **Ripples Form:** As the cookies deflate, the edges continue to set, creating the characteristic ripples or “Shar Pei” folds around the perimeter.
- **Repeat the Process:** You then return the cookies to the oven for another two minutes, allowing the centers to puff up again, though less dramatically. Another bang, another deflation, more ripples. This is repeated several times until the cookies are fully baked.
The repeated deflation prevents the cookies from rising too much, resulting in a flatter, wider cookie with beautifully browned, crispy edges and a wonderfully dense, chewy, and gooey interior. It’s a simple technique that yields truly extraordinary results, transforming a standard cookie into a textured masterpiece. This unique approach is what makes these giant funfetti cookies stand out from the crowd.
My Journey to Crafting This Giant Funfetti Cookie Recipe
Inspired by Sarah Kieffer’s innovative method, I embarked on a mission to create my own definitive recipe for these crispy and chewy giant funfetti cookies. The process involved extensive experimentation and a lot of trial and error. Initially, despite repeated banging, I wasn’t achieving the desired amount of ripples. This led to meticulous adjustments in the recipe’s core elements.
I carefully decreased the egg content, finding the right balance to prevent excessive puffiness that resisted rippling. Similarly, I fine-tuned the flour amount, understanding its critical role in cookie structure and spread. Freezing time also proved crucial; I discovered that a quick 15-minute chill was optimal—too long or too short, and the cookies wouldn’t perform as expected. I also experimented with different cookie sizes, ultimately settling on the ‘giant’ dimension that makes these so satisfying. A particular challenge was incorporating a generous amount of sprinkles and chocolate without their weight negatively impacting the delicate ripple formation.
After numerous batches, rigorous testing, and the invaluable feedback of many selfless friends who bravely taste-tested every iteration (even the less-than-perfect ones!), I’m thrilled to report that I cracked the code! The result is a giant funfetti cookie recipe that consistently delivers on its promise of crispy edges, chewy centers, and those signature ripples. My heartfelt thanks go to Sarah Kieffer for introducing me to this revolutionary technique, and to my wonderful friends for their unwavering support and taste buds—I promise I’m not just keeping you around for the baked goods (mostly)!
Key Ingredients for These Spectacular Giant Funfetti Cookies
Don’t let the festive rainbow sprinkles fool you into thinking this cookie recipe is complicated. The magic behind these incredibly chewy and crispy cookies lies in a surprisingly simple list of pantry staples. I’ve carefully selected each component to contribute to the ultimate texture and flavor profile. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Creamy unsalted butter
- Rich brown sugar for moisture and chewiness
- Classic granulated sugar for spread and crispness
- All-purpose flour, the foundation of our cookie structure
- Pure vanilla extract for that essential warm flavor
- A large egg to bind it all together
- Baking powder and baking soda for the perfect rise (before banging!)
- A touch of kosher salt to balance the sweetness
In a slightly unconventional twist, I also incorporated a small amount of orange juice into the dough. Trust me on this one; it doesn’t make the cookies taste like oranges, but rather subtly enhances the other flavors, adding a bright note that elevates the overall profile and creates an even more incredible giant cookie experience.
To make these cookies truly spectacular and achieve those desirable pools of melted chocolate, I insist on using quality chocolate chunks – not standard chocolate chips. There’s a significant difference! I highly recommend chopping your own chocolate from a good quality baking bar. This method ensures that you get a variety of chocolate pieces: tiny flecks that disperse throughout the dough for consistent flavor, and larger chunks that create those dreamy molten puddles on top of your cookies. Chocolate chips often contain stabilizers that prevent them from spreading beautifully, yielding a less satisfying texture. For the funfetti element, classic jimmie sprinkles are perfect for their vibrant color and slight crunch.
When these simple yet effective ingredients come together, they create a chewy cookie dough that transforms into the most irresistible giant funfetti cookies – crispy on the outside, wonderfully chewy and chocolatey on the inside.
How to Bake the Perfect Giant Funfetti Cookies
Creating these delicious giant cookies is a straightforward process, but a few key steps ensure perfection. Begin by creaming your softened butter and sugars together until they’re light and fluffy – this incorporates air and contributes to the cookie’s texture. Next, incorporate your wet ingredients, including the egg, vanilla, and that secret splash of orange juice. When adding the dry ingredients, start your mixer on low speed to prevent a “flour explosion” – a common baking mishap!
Once your dough comes together, turn off the mixer. This is crucial for adding the chocolate chunks and sprinkles. Always fold these in by hand with a spatula to prevent them from breaking apart and discoloring your beautiful funfetti dough. Scoop generously-sized balls of dough onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, making sure to leave ample space between them, as these giant cookies love to spread.
Before baking, a quick 15-minute freeze is essential. This brief chill helps the cookies hold their shape better and contributes to the delightful crispy-chewy texture. Then, the pan-banging magic begins! Bake the cookies for an initial 10 minutes. After this, open the oven door, lift the cookie sheet, and gently but firmly bang it against the oven rack. Close the door, bake for another 2 minutes, then repeat the banging. Do this one more time, baking for another 2 minutes, followed by a final bang. This sequence ensures those signature ripples and the perfect texture. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. The longer they cool, the chewier they become! Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for up to three days to maintain their freshness.
Can You Freeze These Delicious Giant Cookies? Absolutely!
One of the best things about these giant funfetti cookies is how perfectly they freeze, both baked and as raw dough! This makes them ideal for meal prep, spontaneous cravings, or having fresh-baked treats on demand. To freeze baked cookies, simply allow them to cool completely. Then, arrange them in a single layer in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container, removing as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. They’ll stay fresh for up to two months, ready for a quick thaw and reheat whenever a cookie emergency strikes!
How to Freeze Cookie Dough for Future Indulgences:
Freezing the cookie dough is incredibly convenient and ensures you can enjoy a fresh, warm giant cookie whenever the mood strikes, without having to make an entire batch from scratch. Follow the recipe instructions for making the dough, right up until the point where you would normally scoop the cookies onto baking sheets for immediate baking. Instead of just placing 5 scoops, scoop all of your cookie dough into uniform balls. Line these dough balls up on a parchment paper-lined half sheet or a standard cookie sheet, leaving about half an inch between each ball. While it’s okay if they slightly touch, giving them a little space will make them easier to release once frozen.
Place the entire sheet of dough balls into the freezer for about one hour, or until they are solid. Once firm, transfer the frozen dough balls into a large freezer-safe ziplock bag or an airtight container. Make sure to squeeze out any excess air before sealing. These frozen dough balls can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. When you’re ready for a fresh cookie, simply take out the desired number of frozen dough balls and bake them straight from the freezer – no need to defrost! You might need to add an extra minute or two to the baking time, but the pan-banging method will still work its magic, delivering a perfect crispy and chewy giant cookie every time.
Need more irresistible cookie recipes?
- Chocolate Chunk Coffee Cookies
- Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cherry Pistachio Oatmeal Cookies
- Chewy White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
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Giant Funfetti Cookies
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Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg, large
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup chocolate chunks*
- ½ cup sprinkles, classic jimmies
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and both sugars together on medium speed until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes.
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Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the large egg, orange juice, and vanilla extract. Mix until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
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In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, kosher salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
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Turn off the mixer. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Start the mixer on very low speed and mix until the cookie dough just comes together. Be careful not to overmix; the dough will be somewhat sticky.
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Remove the bowl from the mixer. Fold in the chocolate chunks and sprinkles by hand using a sturdy spatula. This prevents the inclusions from breaking up too much.
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Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
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Using a large ice cream scoop (about ¼ cup capacity), scoop out uniform balls of dough. Place 5 scoops on each prepared baking sheet, ensuring they are well-separated to allow for significant spreading during baking. These are giant cookies, so they need space!
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Place one cookie sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill the dough. While one sheet chills, you can prepare the second. After chilling, transfer the first sheet to the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes.
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After 10 minutes, open the oven door. Carefully lift the cookie sheet about 4-6 inches and bang it down hard on the oven rack. This will cause the cookies to deflate. You can repeat this banging action once or twice if you desire more ripples.
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Bake for 2 more minutes, then repeat the banging process.
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Bake for another 2 minutes, and repeat the banging process one final time.
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Bake for the last two minutes (for a total of 16 minutes baking time including the initial 10 mins). The edges should be golden brown and set, while the centers still look slightly underbaked and gooey. Remove the cookies from the oven.
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Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10-15 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. They will continue to set and develop their chewy texture as they cool. Enjoy your perfectly crispy and chewy giant funfetti cookies!