One Giant Sugar Cookie
This recipe makes one giant, thick, soft sugar cookie topped with buttercream frosting – perfect for one or two people. One bowl, no mixer, and no chilling required, and ready in 20 minutes! Can also be made as two or three smaller cookies.
Every time I make one of these giant cookie recipes, I struggle with what to call it. I struggled even more than usual with this giant sugar cookie recipe, and had tons of different names I had to choose from:
- One Giant Sugar Cookie
- Big Sugar Cookie
- Big Thick Sugar Cookie
- Single Serve Sugar Cookie
- Sugar Cookie for One
But really, it doesn't matter. Just know that you're going to be making a big, 5″, thick, sweet, easily customizable sugar cookie.
Reasons to make one big sugar cookie
- You want to do some holiday baking, but don't want to make full batches of Christmas cookies
- You have a cookie craving and just need one or two cookies to scratch the itch
- You’re trying to exercise some restraint so you’re not tempted to stress-eat a dozen cookies (no, I’m not speaking from experience – why do you ask?!)
- You don’t have enough ingredients on hand for a full batch of cookies
- The dough doesn’t need to be chilled
- It can be made in one bowl
- You don’t need a mixer – just a whisk and a wooden spoon
- It’s a great excuse to use a giant spatula like this one
Ingredients for 1 sugar cookie
For the sugar cookie itself, you'll need:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 3 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ⅓ cup + 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
And for the buttercream frosting:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft
- ½ cup powdered sugar, up to 3/4 cup
- ⅛ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 teaspoons heavy cream or milk
- pinch salt, if needed, to cut sweetness
Tips for making a single serve sugar cookie
- You could add in chopped nuts, white chocolate chips, M&Ms, sprinkles or dried fruit like cranberries if you want to mix things up. I’d recommend adding no more than 2 Tablespoons of add ins.
- Use a quarter sheet pan and quarter sheet silicone mat – they’re the perfect size for a small batch recipe like this!
- When the cookie comes out of the oven, use a spatula to gently shape the edges of the cookie to make it more of a perfect circle.
Making a few smaller cookies instead of one big cookie
While this is written as one giant 5″ cookie, it's not necessarily one serving :) For me, this is 3-4 servings.
If you’d rather have two cookies instead of one big cookie, you can split the dough in half and bake them for a bit shorter time. You could also make three smaller cookies.
Space your cookies a couple inches apart to give them room to spread, and bake for around 7-8 minutes or until they’re set on top and starting to turn golden around the edges.
Variations
Rainbow Sprinkles Sugar Cookie
Add a little extra almond extract and 2 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles for a colorful, fun sugar cookie! Add some gel food coloring (aff link) paste to the frosting for even more fun (and of course, top with yet even more sprinkles).
Toffee Sugar Cookie
Add two tablespoons Health English Toffee Baking Bits for an English toffee spin.
They make “Bits o' Brickle” that doesn't have chocolate (what I used in the photos you see) and another that has milk chocolate. They both taste great in this sugar cookie!
How to store a giant sugar cookie
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Let it set out at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before you dig in to allow it to soften a bit.
Want more cookie for one recipes?
More sugar cookie recipes
- Soft Maple Sugar Cookies
- No Chill Sugar Cookie Cutouts
- Maple Sugar Cookies (No Chill Cookie Cutter)
- Chocolate Sugar Cookie Cut-Outs
Helpful Tips
- Add ins: You could add in chopped nuts, white chocolate chips, M&Ms, sprinkles or dried fruit like cranberries if you want to mix things up. I’d recommend adding no more than 2 Tablespoons of add ins.
- Quarter sheet pan (aff link): Use a quarter sheet pan and quarter sheet silicone mat – they’re the perfect size for a small batch recipe like this!
- Shaping: When the cookie comes out of the oven, use a spatula to gently shape the edges of the cookie to make it more of a perfect circle.
FAQs
It will be approximately 5″ in diameter after it's done baking.
You can omit the almond extract or substitute it for more vanilla extract – but the almond extract is what gives the sugar cookie it's signature flavor.
Definitely! While this is written as one giant 5″ cookie, it's not necessarily one serving :) For me, this is 3-4 servings. If you’d rather have two cookies instead of one big cookie, you can split the dough in half and bake them for a bit shorter time. You could also make three smaller cookies. Space your cookies a couple inches apart to give them room to spread, and bake for around 7-8 minutes or until they’re set on top and starting to turn golden around the edges.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Let it set out at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before you dig in to allow it to soften a bit.
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One Giant Sugar Cookie
Ingredients
Sugar cookie
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 3 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ⅓ cup + 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- pinch salt
Buttercream Frosting
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar), up to 3/4 cup
- ⅛ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 teaspoons heavy cream or milk
- pinch salt, if needed, to cut sweetness
- Gel food coloring paste, optional
- Sprinkles, optional
Instructions
Sugar cookie
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a quarter sized baking sheet with nonstick silicone baking mat (aff link) or parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk to combine butter, and granulated sugar.2 tablespoons unsalted butter3 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- Add egg, almond extract and vanilla and whisk again to thoroughly combine.1 egg yolk1/4 teaspoon almond extract1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add flour, baking powder and salt and stir to combine. Dough will be sticky.1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon baking powderpinch salt
- Place dough onto center of prepared baking sheet and use your fingers or a spatula to shape into a mound (as even as possible).
- Bake for 12-13 minutes, or until the edges are set and just starting to turn golden.
- Allow to cool completely on baking sheet (around 10 minutes). While it's cooling, make your frosting!
Buttercream Frosting
- In a small bowl, combine butter, powdered sugar and extracts and mix to combine (either with a hand mixer or a large fork, by hand).2 tablespoons unsalted butter1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract1/8 teaspoon almond extract
- Add cream a little at a time until the frosting if the desired consistency. If you wish to add food coloring, do so at this point.Taste test, and if you find it sweeter than you'd like, add a tiny pinch of salt, and mix again to combine.
- Use an icing spatula to frost the cooled cookie, or transfer to a piping bag fitted with your desired piping tip to decorate with a fun design. Top with sprinkles, and enjoy!Sprinkles
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is generated by an automatic API and does not take variations across specific brands into account. This information is provided as a general guideline and should not be treated as official calculations. Learn more here.