Colossal Cookie

Makes 1 (12-inch cookie)

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
¾ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 to 1 ¼ cups semisweet chocolate chips (6 ounces equals about 1 cup)

In a small bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In a large mixer bowl at medium speed, beat butter or margarine, brown sugar and sugar until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla. At low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture until well blended. Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips. Place dough in refrigerator for 1 ½ hours or in freezer for 45 minutes or until well chilled, but not hard (chilling makes the dough less sticky and helps prevent excessive spreading during baking).

Grease a 12 –inch round foil baking pan. Place dough in center of pan. Press evenly to witing 1 ½ inches of edge of pan. If desired, sprinkle additional ¼ cup chocolate chips on top. Pressing down lightly. For easier handling, place foil pan on baking sheet. (You can also spread into 12 inch round on baking sheet if you don’t have a foil pan.)

Bake in center of a preheated 325 degree oven for 25 to 20 minutes or until edges are firm and no indentation remains in center of cookie when lightly touched. For a softer cookie, bake the minimum time. Place foil baking pan on a wire rack and cool cookie completely.

When cool, remove cookie from pan and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Overwrap with foil to retain freshness. Store in a cool place.