Skip the baking sheets and grab your skillet for a crowd-friendly recipe for The Ultimate Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie.
Skillet cookie, cookie sundae, pizookie—no matter what you call it, one thing is certain: warm cookie + ice cream = dessert perfection!
It’s hard to beat that view below. The vanilla bean ice cream slowly melting into every nook and cranny of melted chocolate, chewy cookie dough and crunchy sea salt.
Don’t forget that last part! The addition of the sea salt is what takes this family favorite skillet chocolate chip cookie from amazing to oh-so-spectacular.
I’ve opted for chopped semisweet chocolate in this variation, but you can let your imagination run wild when it comes to chocolate varieties. I love a combo of semisweet and dark chocolate chunks so you get that duo of cacao flavors.
Chocolate aside, more is more when it comes to mix-ins. Opt for one cup (plus a bit more for topping) of any of the below:
- Chopped nuts, such as pecans or macadamia nuts
- Crushed pretzels
- Crispy cereal
- Crushed potato chips (trust me!)
All of the above add a touch of crunch to your cookie but are totally optional.
The real beauty behind this 5-star dessert is that it can be prepped ahead of time. Mix up your dough, get it into a greased skillet, then pop it into the fridge.
About 45 minutes before you want to serve it, pop the skillet into the oven while you and your buddies enjoy dinner and drinks.
Remove it from the oven, grab your ice cream of choice (hello, vanilla bean!) then skip the plates and just grab the spoons for a crowd-friendly cookie sundae that’s the ultimate marriage of warm, chewy cookie and ice cream.
Craving more? Subscribe to Just a Taste to get new recipes, meal plans and a newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! And stay in touch on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp, plus more for greasing skillet
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temp
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunks
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 12-inch cast iron skillet with butter.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set the bowl aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter with the sugar and light brown sugar.
- Add eggs, one at a time, until mixed in, then add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- Add the flour mixture into the stand mixer and mix just until the dough comes together then beat in the chocolate until combined.
- Scrape the dough into the skillet, then sprinkle it with the sea salt.
- Bake the cookie for 30 to 35 minutes until it’s barely cooked in the center.
- Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes before serving topped with ice cream (optional).
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
Did you try this recipe?
Leave a comment below with your star rating!
This post may contain affiliate links.
Recipe by Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
Perfect, I made them tonight and I’ll do it again.
So glad you enjoyed them, Carol!
I’ve been making this skillet cookie every year for four years for my partner’s birthday (his favorite cake is cookie cake). I bake it a bit longer than the instructions say because I ice and decorate it, so I need it to be a little more cooked through. It always turns out great!
Thrilled you have been enjoying the recipe for years, Paige!
I have eight 3.5″ Lodge Cast Iron skillets. How much cookie dough should I put in each skillet and how long should I cook them? Thanks!
Hi Susan! It’s hard to give a specific amount but I’d say enough dough to leave a minimum of 1-inch for rising.
I’m guessing the answer is no, but do you add the butter to the skillet and then put that in the oven while it’s heating up? I ask as it has been taking 40-45 minutes for the cookie to cook through and I was wondering if the skillet needs to be preheated while the oven warms up and whether butter would be added before or after if so. This recipe still comes out AMAZING, just trying to figure out how to be more efficient with time. Thanks!
No need to add the butter or preheat the skillet! Doing so can actually cause the bottom layer to overcook. Just make sure your oven is at the right temp!
So, your recipe says to butter the skillet but your comment says no need to add the butter. Could you clarify?
Hi Kathy! If it’s a nonstick skillet, you don’t need to grease it, but if you use cast-iron, you should definitely grease it. Hope that helps!
Can you use salted butter? That’s all I have on hand.
Hi Meghan – Yes but just omit the other salt!
Amazing stuff, we made it just because. We loved every bite.
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, William!
Is this really supposed to be one tablespoon of baking powder or is that a typo
That’s correct as written, Vickie!
Fantastic. Served this for my wife’s friends. The hugs I got for the fantastic chocolatey desert served warm with ice cream. They all had to have the recipe.
Love this! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed the recipe, Tony!
This is such a great recipe !!! (-_-)
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Henry!
This is such a great recipe !!! (-_-)
We really enjoyed this recipe! I have four boys who are all picky about new things I make, but this one left them speechless. I have a 12 in cast iron but it is 10 on the bottom as others have mentioned. I put the whole thing of batter in there and baked for 35 minutes. Came out perfect! We will definitely be making this again.
We really enjoyed this recipe! I have four boys who are all picky about new things I make, but this one left them speechless. I have a 12 in cast iron but it is 10 on the bottom as others have mentioned. I put the whole thing of batter in there and baked for 35 minutes. Came out perfect! We will definitely be making this again.
Amazing! I’m so happy your family enjoyed the recipe, Jeff!
loved the recipe! good work!!!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
This will be my go to chocolate chip cookie bar recipe. Used my 10 inch skillet , filled just past half full. Had about a cup or so left over. Saved it for some cookies later. Made dough ahead and put it in the skillet then in fridge. Put it in oven before dinner. Baked it for 45 min and it was ready for dessert. Perfection especially topped with butter pecan ice cream.
AMAZING! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Hanh!