GIANT Sugar Cookies! Easy and Delicious! It is so nice to have really good treats on hand!

These are truly the biggest cookie I have ever made!  So big one is for sure enough!  I am making a second batch today and dropping to a tablespoon as a scoop rather than a 2" ice cream scoop the recipe calls for.  I found this recipe in the Martha Stewart Cookie Cookbook and adapted it by leaving out the lemon zest and lemon juice and using vanilla to flavor.  I also used the natural dark granulated sugar on the tops instead of sanding sugar.  The recipe yielded 1 1/2 dozen gigantic 6" cookies and I am trying for 3-4" cookies this go round!  I left 2 sticks of butter out last night and I am ready to spend this stormy, rainy, dismal day catching up the laundry and baking these delicious cookies!  They have a crunch on the outside and chewy inside.....puuurrrrfect to my taste!

Ingredients for Giant Sugar Cookies:

3 C. flour
1 t. soda
1/4 t. kosher salt
1 3/4 C. sugar
1/4 C. packed brown sugar
2 sticks (1 C.)  soft butter
2 large eggs
1 1/2 t. pure vanilla extract
2-3 T. dark natural sugar or your choice of sugar for tops

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line cookie sheets with parchment or use silpat mats. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, soda, and salt and set aside. 

Place the butter, and sugars, and vanilla in a mixer bowl and beat until fluffy.  Brat in eggs one at a time until pale.  Reduce the mixer speed to lowest setting and add the dry ingredients.

Drop dough onto prepare pans using a 2" ice cream scoop leaving 3" between the cookies.  Flatten slightly and sprinkle with sugar.  Use a pastry brush dipped in water and brush the cookie tops.  Sprinkle a second time with sugar.  Bake until golden about 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pans a few minutes before removing to cooling racks.  Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.  Trust me they will not be around that long!