This giant Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie is warm and gooey with a glorious golden brown chewy edge!
Chocolate chip cookies are the perfect dessert but making them in a big cast-iron skillet makes them quick and easy
You can make individual chocolate chip cookies or bars with this recipe, as well, but it’s amazing how excited people get over this warm ooey-gooey skillet cookie with a scrumptious crispy edge!
This is a one-bowl recipe with simple ingredients. Bake for 30 minutes and you’ve got a giant warm cookie that is impossible to resist!
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Ingredient for Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie:
See the recipe card below for exact quantities and ingredients
- Butter – we use room temperature unsalted butter but salted will work too
- Brown Sugar – we use light brown sugar. Dark brown sugar is fine but will result in a slightly darker finished cookie
- Sugar – plain white sugar
- Vanilla Extract – we make homemade pure vanilla extract with just 2 ingredients
- Eggs – you’ll need 2 room temperature eggs
- Flour – use all-purpose flour stirred to remove any lumps
- Salt – don’t skip this important balancing ingredient
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda – this gives your cookie a lift
- Chocolate Chips – choose your favorite type but semisweet chocolate chips are traditional. Chocolate chunks, white chocolate, or dark chocolate chips also work
How to make a Skillet Cookie:
These big skillet cookies are also called “Pizookie” because they’re a cookie that looks like a pizza! The traditional Pizookie is eaten warm, straight out of the skillet, with a spoon and scoops of vanilla ice cream melting on top. Whether you slice it like a pie or grab a spoon and eat it straight out of the pan, here are the easy steps to preparing your own.
- Preheat the oven to 350˚ F and make sure the oven rack is in the middle position of the oven for best baking results
- Cream the room temperature butter in the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer.
- Beat the butter until smooth
- Add both sugars and beat for about 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Beating for at least 3 minutes helps lighten the butter and ensures the sugar is dissolved, so don’t skip this step
- Add the vanilla extract and one of the eggs and gently mix on low speed until just combined
- Add the second egg and mix on low for about 15 seconds or until no egg yolk is showing
- Over the bowl, sift in the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt
- Mix in dry ingredients by hand, until just combined, being careful not to over-mix
- Add 1-1/4 cup of the chocolate chips and lightly mix by hand until combined
- Press the cookie dough in an even layer into a 12″ skillet and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips over the top of the dough
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until light brown. The edges should be slightly more brown. Be careful not to overcook because the cookie will continue cooking in the skillet after you remove it from the oven
- Let the cookie rest for 5 minutes
- Grab a spoon, add some ice cream, and eat while warm!
- Or, if you are planning to slice the cookie instead, allow it to cool for 30 minutes in the pan to set up, then slice it into wedges, like a pie
Variations on a Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie:
This recipe is a classic but you can switch up the ingredients to customize it.
- White chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, or a mixture of good quality white and dark chocolate chips
- Use roughly cut dark chocolate chunks instead of chips. (The chocolate will melt a little differently than chips because chips have less cocoa butter, which allows them to retain their shape during baking)
- Try a combination of regular and mini chocolate chips
- Add your favorite chopped nuts such as toasted walnuts, toasted pecans, and macadamia nuts
- Sprinkle flaky salt or sea salt over the warm cookie – this is one of my favorite ways to eat it because the sea salt contrasts so beautifully with the sweet cookie
- Make Mini Skillet Cookies: follow the same instructions using mini pans but reduce the baking time. Start checking around the 15-minute mark.
- Make it a la mode with scoops of ice cream along with our Hot Fudge Sauce or drizzled with our Easy Salted Caramel Sauce
Storage and Leftovers
- Store leftovers, loosely wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- If the cookie is already cut store in an airtight container
Types of pans to use for a giant skillet cookie
Cast-Iron Skillet:
I’m a huge fan of using cast iron for this cookie and here’s why:
- Baking in cast iron gives the cookie a caramelized bottom layer and golden brown sides, while keeping the gooey center soft
- Easy clean-up! If the pan is seasoned nothing sticks to it. In fact, you don’t even need to grease the pan before putting the dough in to bake
- We used a 12-inch Lodge brand pan, which is affordable and available everywhere, but any seasoned cast iron pan will work
Regular Skillet:
- If you don’t have a cast iron pan you can use a large heavy-duty oven-proof 12 inch skillet. Do not use a non-stick pan.
- In the past, when I’ve needed to make a few skillet cookies at a time I’ve used my All-Clad 12-inch skillet, but I sprayed the bottom with non-stick cooking spray to make sure the cookie didn’t stick.
- Your bake time may be shorter with this type of pan so start checking after about 20 minutes of cooking. Cast iron retains more heat than a regular pan.
Round Cake Pan:
- A deep cake pan will also work for this cookie, but be sure to spray the pan well with non-stick cooking spray or use parchment on the bottom so it doesn’t stick
- Baking time may vary so start checking after about 20 minutes of cooking
Making original individual chocolate chip cookies:
This recipe is adapted from my original chocolate chip cookie recipe. If you decide to make individual cookies here’s the adaptation.
- Scoop cookies and cook for about 10 minutes until lightly golden
- Leave on the sheet pan for 1 minute and then remove to a rack to cool for a few minutes
Other delicious desserts to try:
- Looking for a cookie bar? Try our easy Blondie Recipe or Sugar Cookie Bars
- Mixed Berry Cobbler is chocked full of plump berries and a buttermilk biscuit topping
- Easy Apple Crisp is also made in a cast iron pan!
Grab a spoon and dig in!
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Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Oven Proof 12-inch Skillet
Ingredients
- 8 ounces butter (2 sticks), room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups chocolate chips, semi-sweet, milk, or dark
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- With an electric mixer cream the butter until soft. Add brown sugar and sugar and mix well for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla extract and one egg. Mix well. Add second egg and gently mix until completely combined.
- Sift in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gently stir until just combined.
- Gently stir in 1 ¼ cup chocolate chips and mix lightly.
- Press the cookie dough into a 10" or 12" cast-iron (or regular) skillet in an even layer. Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips on top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until light golden brown. Do not over bake as cookie will continue cooking in the hot skillet. Remove from the oven and let cool. If cutting into pie shaped wedges let the cookie cool for about 30-minutes before cutting.
Optional
- Serve topped with scoops of vanilla ice cream
Notes
- This cookie can be made in a cast-iron skillet, oven-proof heavy-bottomed skillet, round cake pan, or mini cast-iron skillets
- Store leftovers, loosely wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, at room temperature for up to 3 days
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
This looks amazing and so easy too! Can’t wait to make this and watch everyone fighting over it!
Mairead
I too am a big fan of cast iron cooking and baking. My son always asks for a chocolate chip cookie cake for his birthday. This is a perfect recipe for him. Thank you.
Jac
Gosh looks amazing! Always wanted to bake one of these giant cookies. And I have a cast iron pan that hasn’t been used yet so going to try this cookie as my kids will love it!
Nart at Cooking with Nart
OMG, this looks so good. I love skillet cookies! It seems to go so well with the ice cream as well. I’m definitely going to try it this weekend.
Beth
This is such a great idea and looks so yummy! I can’t wait to bring my skillet out and try this! The kids and hubby are going to be all over this!