Ooey, Gooey Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie

If you’re looking for the perfect homemade treat to satisfy your sweet tooth, look no further than this ooey, gooey chocolate chip skillet cookie recipe. It’s rich and indulgent and totally decadent (not gonna lie, there’s a cup of butter and two cups of sugar in this recipe!), but if you’re gonna indulge, you may as well indulge in homemade, from-scratch goodness, right?

Don’t waste those calories on store-bought candy bars and other processed foods that are full of high-fructose corn syrup and artificial ingredients. Eat this. Not that;)

What is a skillet cookie?

Simply put, a skillet cookie is a giant cookie that’s baked in a cast-iron skillet. Instead of a few dozen individual cookies, you get one large, warm cookie that can be cut into wedges and served like slices of pie.

Aside from the novelty of baking a giant cookie in a cast-iron skillet, I find that skillet cookies have a gooey center and are moist throughout since less surface area is exposed to the oven. This results in an ooey, gooey, perfect dessert that will have you drooling.

I first decided to try this recipe when I got my first cast-iron skillet, a number of years ago now. I had a yummy chocolate chip cookie recipe that I’d been using used for years (and still use!), but once I got my first piece of cast iron, I started cooking pretty much anything and everything I could in that skillet, including desserts like this rustic apple crumble recipe, or this skillet peach cobbler. So I took my chocolate chip cookie recipe, and instead of spooning the dough onto a baking sheet and baking a couple dozen individual cookies, I spread the dough in my cast iron pan and baked it into one giant cookie. Needless to say, it was delicious. Like, somehow more delicious than regular chocolate chip cookies (even the best ones!). 

It has since become one of our family’s favourite treats, and while I try to keep the indulgences to a minimum, when you’re in the mood for something chocolatey, NOTHING satisfies quite like this chocolate chip skillet cookie recipe.

Everything’s better in cast iron

First of all, I truly believe everything tastes better when it’s cooked in a cast iron pan. I’m not sure quite why that is or if it’s just all in my head, but there’s something rustic and homey about food that’s been cooked (or baked) in cast iron, and I can totally sense that in the food that comes out of it.

Second, cast iron is a much safer, healthier way to cook (or bake!) Not that this is exactly a health-conscious recipe, but my philosophy is that even if you’re going to eat something unhealthy, you may as well do it in the healthiest way possible! This typically means homemade, from-scratch, quality ingredients, and cooked in safe, healthy cookware.

When it comes to baking, cookie sheets are often made from either aluminum or sheet steel covered in non-stick coating (aka. Teflon).  While most professional bakers prefer aluminum, it can still leach into food over time and a build-up of aluminum in the body can pose some negative health risks. Teflon is made from synthetic chemicals and is a known carcinogen, so it’s definitely a no-go in our house. 

Cast iron, on the other hand, poses no known health risks, and in fact, cooking in cast iron is considered beneficial for our health because it adds iron to our diet, which is a crucial mineral that our bodies use to make red blood cells. 

Again, I won’t go to deep into any sort of “health benefits” in this indulgent skillet cookie recipe, but here’s some more info on the benefits of cooking with cast iron, if you’re interested:)

Finally, if you’re visiting my site then you may very well just be a homesteader like me, and it’s my strong opinion that every homesteader should have at least one cast-iron skillet in their arsenal. If nothing else, it’s an easy way to channel the spirit of Ma Ingalls even if you live in an apartment downtown!

I’ve collected many different brands and sizes of cast-iron skillets over the years. My favourites are my Lagostina cast-iron skillet from Canadian Tire, and my American-made Lodge cast-iron skillet (the most widely recommended brand in North America). Of course, if you happen to inherit a cast-iron skillet or two, or find one at a thrift store or garage sale, they’re easy to clean up and re-season.

How do you serve a skillet cookie?

I already mentioned that you’ll want to slice your giant skillet cookie into “pie wedges” and serve individual slices, but here are a few more tips for serving and enjoying this perfect dessert!

Tip #1: Serve it warm. While it’s still delicious once fully cooled, there’s nothing like a warm cookie fresh out of the oven when the chocolate’s still melted and the inside is still melt-in-your-mouth soft! Pick it up like a pizza slice and eat it with your hands. Or use a fork to eat it like a cake. There really is no bad way to eat a chocolate chip skillet cookie, I assure you. It’s just as delicious no matter how you slice it. Get it? Ha!

Tip #2: Serve it with ice cream. Again, this part is optional, but if you want to take it to the next level, top your warm skillet cookie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and let it melt over top as you eat it. O.M.G. Best thing ever.

Tip #3: Let the rest of the cookie cool and wrap individual slices for later. The best way to store your leftover skillet cookie is to wait until it’s cooled completely and then slice it all into wedges. Then wrap each slice in plastic wrap and store in the fridge to enjoy within about a week, or pop them in a freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to a year!

When is a good occasion for a skillet cookie?

Obviously, any time is a good time for cookies! But since I try not to indulge in this one too often, I find that I tend to save it for special occasions like birthdays and Valentine’s Day. As a mom of two, I do try to control the sugar intake at home, but if you’ve got grandkids coming to visit, this is definitely a special treat they’ll look forward to! It would also make for a delicious bake sale treat when left to cool and packaged in slices, as explained above.

At the end of the day, there’s no “wrong” time to enjoy a skillet cookie, so whether it’s a special occasion or you’re just indulging in the chocolate chip cookie cravings, you’ll never regret making a skillet cookie – so long as you enjoy it in moderation;) Happy baking!

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Ooey, Gooey Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie

Yield: 12 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Satisfy your sweet tooth with this ooey, gooey chocolate chip skillet cookie recipe, baked in cast iron and served warm out of oven!

4.3 Stars (3 Reviews)

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Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks (1 cup) butter (plus extra for greasing skillet)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and grease a 12-inch* cast iron skillet with a little butter.
2. Mix the flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.
3. Combine butter with white and brown sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer (or any other mixing bowl) and beat on medium-low until soft and creamy.
4. Add eggs and vanilla and continue to beat. Then add the flour with the salt and baking soda and beat until a consistent cookie dough forms.
5. Add chocolate chips and mix until all ingredients are well combined.
6. Spread cookie dough in greased skillet, forming an even layer that fills the pan.
7. Bake at 350ºF for 30 minutes, then let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
8. Slice into wedges and serve warm with a fork and an optional (but recommended) scoop of vanilla ice-cream!

Notes

* You can use a 10-inch skillet instead of a 12-inch skillet if that's all you have, but you'll probably need to add around 5 minutes to your baking time.

Wishing you homemade, homegrown, homestead happiness 🙂

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• 7 Benefits of Cooking with Cast Iron
• How to Season Cast Iron Cookware
• Vanilla & Brown Butter Peach Cobbler
• Whipped Shortbread Cookies
• Heart-Shaped Shortbread Cookies

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