Big Yum: Supersized Cookies for Over-the-Top Cravings, written by Chloe Joy Sexton, features a fun assortment of indulgent cookies with a variety of flavors. A few highlights include Pistachio Dark Chocolate, Tiramisu Giant Cookies, Cookies ‘n’ Dream, Marshmallow-Stuffed Fruity Funfetti, and Caramel Apple Pie Cookies. I will also be sharing her recipe for Giant Gingersnap Cookies following the review.
Disclosure: I received this book from Page Street Publishing in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and statements are my own. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.
Chloe Joy Sexton
Chloe Joy Sexton is the owner of BluffCakes Confections and the TikTok account @chloebluffcakes. Her work has been featured on Buzzfeed, the Memphis Flyer, and Action 5 News.
She is currently based in Memphis, Tennessee with her family. This is her first cookbook.
Big Yum
Chloe begins Big Yum with a short introduction before jumping right into the recipes. She developed a love for baking through her mother and Martha Stewart.
This passion turned into a hobby, then custom orders, and now a brick-and-mortar store in Germantown, Tennessee.
Chapters are divided according to type of cookie: Chocolate & Chunky; Piece of Cake; Family Heirlooms; Bits & Pieces; All About Butter; Packed with Pie; Coffee, Spice & Everything Nice; Fruity Flavor; and What’s the Tea. The contents have a list of included recipes and page numbers for easy reference.
The photography is provided by Alison Stukenborg. Every single cookie is paired with a full-page, vibrant photo of the finished treat.
Measurements are listed in US Customary and Metric. Each recipe has a headnote with personal memories, background information, and yield.
Giant Gingersnap Cookies
The Giant Gingersnap Cookies in the Family Heirlooms chapter are such a wonderful treat for the holidays.
A bigger variation of the first Christmas cookie Chloe ever baked, this classic is flavored with a warming combination of molasses, cinnamon, and ginger.
After forming the dough and chilling for 30 minutes, the dough is divided into large 6 ounce (170 gram) pieces. Each ball is rolled in turbinado sugar for a notable crisp texture and baked until set, about 12-14 minutes. I kept mine in the oven for closer to 14 minutes.
Allow to rest on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before serving.
These Giant Gingersnap Cookies are best the day they are baked, especially while still warm. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
More Cookies
I also made the Giant Ube Cookies, Edible Cookie Dough, Crème Brûlée Cookies, and Browned Butter Crinkle Cookies.
The Giant Ube Cookies have a soft, crinkly texture and are packed with both ube extract and ube jam. They were a hit with the whole family.
The Edible Cookie Dough is a fun option if you have a cookie craving, but don’t want to turn on the oven. Heat-treated flour is combined with butter, brown and granulated sugar, and mini chocolate chips to get that chocolate chip cookie flavor in every bite.
The Crème Brûlée Cookies were my personal favorite. Vanilla-scented cookies are topped with a rich cream cheese frosting. Before serving, the frosting is topped with a layer of sugar and toasted to create a crisp, caramelized layer.
The Browned Butter Crinkle Cookies are another delicious treat. To add more flavor, butter is melted until golden and fragrant before cooling and mixing with the other ingredients. It pairs so well with the cinnamon-infused dough and brown sugar coating.
Big Yum is a great pick for those looking for exciting and oversized cookie recipes. Most involve a 30 minute resting time in the refrigerator, but overall come together quickly and fairly easily. Some have an additional topping and/or filling.
Most of the ingredients are readily available in larger American grocery stores. A few items that may require further searching include bourbon emulsion, pistachio extract, specialty candies and snacks, red velvet emulsion, banana extract, ube jam, cake batter extract, caramel emulsion, and Key lime extract.
Giant Gingersnap Cookies Recipe
Excerpt from Big Yum
Giant Gingersnap Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Dough:
- 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks, 170 grams) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) molasses
- 3 1/2 cups (438 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (32 grams) cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ionized salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons (5 grams) ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon (6 grams) ground ginger
For Rolling:
- 1 cup (200 grams) turbinado sugar
Instructions
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large bowl using a handheld mixer, combine the granulated sugar and butter. Mix at medium-high speed until creamed, about 2 minutes.
- Scrape the mixture from the sides and paddle/beaters with a rubber spatula, then mix until fully incorporated. This is complete when your mixture is light, fluffy and off-white.
- Add the eggs, egg yolk and molasses, then mix until just combined.
- Into a separate bowl, sift together your flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and ginger, and add the flour mixture to your wet mixture in three parts, making sure to scrape the bowl before each dry addition to clear the butter from the sides of the bowl.
- Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, or until the dough is cold but still shapeable.
- While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 375˚F (190˚C).
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place the turbinado sugar in a shallow bowl.
- You can separate the chilled dough into eight equal-sized balls or use a kitchen scale and weigh them all to about 6 ounces (170 grams) each.
- Roll in the turbinado sugar and place 3 inches (8 centimeters) apart on the prepared pans. I like to give each cookie a gently push with my palm so they're secured to the parchment.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until they reach your ideal firmness.
- Remove from the oven. Let your cookies rest on the pans for 5-10 minutes, then serve.
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