📖 Instructions

1. First things first, get that oven ready! Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). While it's heating, grab a 9-inch round cake pan or a cast-iron skillet. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper, making sure to leave a little overhang on two opposite sides. This 'sling' will make it super easy to lift your giant cookie out later. Lightly grease the sides of the pan too, just for good measure.
2. In your large mixing bowl, either with an electric mixer or some good old arm power (I prefer the mixer, honestly!), beat together the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and looks pale yellow. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes. Don't rush this step; it's what gives your cookies their lovely texture.
3. Crack in the large egg and add the vanilla extract. Beat these into the butter and sugar mixture until everything is just combined. Be careful not to overmix here. The mixture should still be creamy but not separated.
4. In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Make sure there are no lumps in your baking soda; nobody wants a salty surprise!
5. With your mixer on low speed (or using a rubber spatula), gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix *just* until combined. As soon as you see no more streaks of flour, stop! Overmixing at this stage can lead to tough cookies, and we're aiming for gooey perfection, right?
6. Now for the best part! Gently fold in about 1 1/2 cups of your chocolate chips using your rubber spatula. Make sure they're evenly distributed throughout the dough. Reserve the remaining 1/2 cup for sprinkling on top later.
7. Take your glorious cookie dough and press it evenly into the prepared 9-inch round cake pan or cast-iron skillet. Use your hands or the back of your spatula to make sure it's spread from edge to edge.
8. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips over the top of the dough. This ensures you get beautiful melted chocolate puddles on the surface.
9. Carefully place the pan into your preheated oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes. The edges should look set and lightly golden brown, but the center should still look a little soft and slightly gooey—this is KEY! If it looks completely firm, it might be overbaked for that signature gooeyness.
10. Once baked, carefully remove the pan from the oven. This is where patience comes in! Let the giant cookie cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 15-20 minutes. It's tempting to dive right in, I know, but cooling allows it to set up enough to be sliced cleanly and keeps that gooey center intact.
11. Use the parchment paper sling to lift the entire cookie out of the pan and onto a cutting board. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, slice the warm cookie into 8-12 wedges, just like you would a pie. Serve warm, perhaps with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of caramel sauce for an extra special treat. Enjoy every single gooey bite!