This right here is complete cookie heaven; a soft and chewy Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie baked in a cast iron pan and served warm with ice cream on top. No rolling or chilling the dough makes this a quick and easy dessert and it’s always a crowd pleaser.

I love taking a traditional dessert like chocolate chip cookies and adding a little twist that makes it even easier to bake (like cooking it in a skillet).  I did something similar when I  took this chocolate cake recipe and turned it into a mug cake, and turned my favorite sugar cookies into bars.

Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie | tastesbetterfromscratch.comA skillet cookie baked in a cast iron skillet with three scoops of vanilla ice cream on top.

On nights when my sweet tooth kicks in (ok, who am I kidding, that happens every night) one of my FAVORITE easy dessert recipes is this skillet cookie.

What I LOVE about this recipe:

  • Bake it in any oven-safe pan.  If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, no problem. The cookie dough can be baked in a regular oven-safe skillet (they just wont have the same crisp exterior that the cast iron pan bakes).
  • EASY! No scooping, no rolling out 2 dozen cookies, and no waiting to bake multiple batches. Just one giant cookie, that you can dig right into or cut into wedges and serve. How easy is that?
  • Crispy and chewy.  The heavy cast iron skillet bakes the cookies into total “crispy on the outside, soft on the inside” perfection.

How to Make a Skillet Cookie:

1. Make the cookie dough.

2. Press dough into a cast iron skillet. You could also use a regular, oven-safe skillet if you don’t own a cast iron.

Four process photos for making chocolate chip cookie dough and then pressing it into a cast iron skillet.3. Bake at 325 degrees F.

4. Serve. If you ordered a skillet cookie from a restaurant they would bring it out in the skillet, with ice cream scoops on top, and spoons for everyone to dig in! If you’re not comfortable all digging into the same pan, you can cut the cookie and serve individual portions with ice cream on top (and a swirl of chocolate or caramel sauce, if you’re feeling really fancy). You may never go back to plain chocolate chip cookies ever again!

Overhead photo of a chocolate chip skillet cookie baked in a cast iron pan.

Adaptations:

Mini skillet cookie:  Use a smaller, oven-safe pan or ramekins to make mini skillet cookies.  Reduce the bake time.

Vary the chips:  Substitute white chocolate or butterscotch chocolate chips. I like to add a little milk chocolate AND semi-sweet chocolate chips to my cookie dough. Sometimes I’ll add them in different sizes too, like mini chocolate chips or chocolate chunks.

Add nuts.  Add chopped walnuts or pecans.

Blondie skillet cookies: Use my triple chip blondie cookie dough.

Peanut butter skillet cookies  Add a big spoonful of peanut butter into your cookie dough or make peanut butter cooke dough.

Chocolate skillet cookies.  Use my chocolate cookie dough.

A spoon scooping a bite of warm cookie from a cast iron skillet.

MAKE AHEAD AND FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS:

To make ahead:  The cookie dough can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days or frozen for 2-3 months.

To freeze:  Allow the skillet cookie to cool completely and slice into wedges.  Store wedges in air-tight freezer container for 2-3 months.

Consider trying these popular desserts:

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Recipe

A skillet cookie baked in a cast iron skillet with three scoops of vanilla ice cream on top.
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 25 minutes
Total 35 minutes
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Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Heat oven to 325 degrees F.
  • Add butter to a microwave safe bowl and microwave for about 45 seconds, or until most of it has melted. Allow it to cool for a few minutes.
  • Add melted butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar to a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer until well blended. 
  • Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix until combined. 
  • Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt, just until combined. Gently stir in the chocolate chips.
  • Press the cookie dough into a 10’’ or 12’’ cast iron skillet (or a regular, oven-safe skillet would work). 
  • Bake for 28-35 minutes or until it looks just barely golden. Don’t over-bake it, especially since it will continue to cook in the hot skillet when you take it out of the oven. 
  • Allow to cool in the skillet for at least 20-30 minutes before cutting.
  • Slice cookie into pieces and serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Notes

Make ahead Instructions:  The cookie dough can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days or frozen for 2-3 months.
Freezing Instructions: Allow the skillet cookie to cool completely and slice into wedges.  Store wedges in air-tight freezer container for 2-3 months. 
Other Variations:
  • Mini skillet cookie:  Use a smaller, oven-safe pan or ramekins to make mini skillet cookies.  Reduce the bake time. 
  • Vary the chips:  Substitute white chocolate or butterscotch chocolate chips. I like to add a little milk chocolate AND semi-sweet chocolate chips to my cookie dough. Sometimes I'll add them in different sizes too, like mini chocolate chips or chocolate chunks.
  • Add nuts.  Add chopped walnuts or pecans.
  • Blondie skillet cookies: Use my triple chip blondie cookie dough.
  • Peanut butter skillet cookies  Add a big spoonful of peanut butter into your cookie dough or make peanut butter cooke dough.
  • Chocolate skillet cookies.  Use my chocolate cookie dough.

Nutrition

Calories: 399kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 5gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 207mgPotassium: 165mgFiber: 2gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 327IUCalcium: 35mgIron: 3mg

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*I originally shared this recipe August 2017. Updated February 2020 with process photos and adaptation ideas. 

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About The Author

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Comments

  1. 2 stars
    I’ve made this twice now and want to love it but both times I’ve had trouble getting the time right so that it’s not raw inside. The second time I baked the full 35 minutes, let it sit the full 20 minutes and it was like raw cookie dough inside, what a bummer! I’m surprised few others have mentioned this but I think the one reviewer who said it takes closer to 50 minutes is right.

  2. 5 stars
    AMAZING! I made mine in a mini skillet and filled it about halfway with the cookie dough. I also used Heath toffee bits and mini semi sweet chocolate chips. I baked it for 24 minutes and it was baked all the way through. Topped with ice cream and homemade hot fudge. My husband and I ate it in probably less than 5 minutes!!

  3. 4 stars
    I have a 7 inch skillet, so I made this recipe with 3/4th measurement for all ingredients. While it turned out fantastic (crispy on the edges, chewy and great overall) – the cook time was 50 mins. I think for a beginner baker, if they go with 325 for 35 mins, the cookie would be doughy.

  4. 5 stars
    Just made it and it exceeded my expectations. So good! I did one small change and browned the butter. This recipe is a keeper, thank you!

  5. Made this recently while my eldest daughter was away at camp. It was devoured so quickly, that none was left for her! I’m making it again now that she’s home so she can try it, too.

    This recipe is so great because it comes together quickly and turns out amazing. I like that the dough doesn’t need to be chilled and since it all gets spread into skillet, there’s no fussing with scooping individual cookies.

    It might be dangerous to know this recipe exists. It’s so easy and so good! The only tricky part is being patient enough to let it cool before eating. Still worth it! Thanks for a great recipe!

  6. 5 stars
    This was so easy to make and SO yummy! I was worried that I’d underbaked because it was only the slightest bit browned but it was perfect once it set for 20 minutes. I cooked for 32 minutes. I really liked the fact that you microwaved the butter first so no need to remember to let butter rest on the counter for hours in order to come to room temp before making!

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