An ooey-gooey, super chocolate-y, chewy chocolate chip skillet cookie – for when you’re craving the flavors of classic chocolate chip cookies but don’t want to wait. This easy and indulgent recipe requires no chilling or scooping, and is perfect for sharing. Dairy-free and gluten-free friendly.

A warm from the oven chocolate chip skillet cookie topped with vanilla ice cream on a wood table.

When chocolate chip cookie cravings strike, they should most certainly be indulged. At least as far as this baker is concerned. But, when time is of the essence, and there is little patience for the scooping or rolling or portioning of dough, nor… *gasp*… waiting any period of time for chilling, a skillet cookie is the hero we need.

This giant, warm and gooey cookie – laced with puddles of melted chocolate – is perfect for these last-minute hankerings. It comes together quickly with simple ingredients, and emerges from the oven in about 20 minutes, shiny and golden, with a chewy, gooey center, ready to be topped with big scoops of vanilla ice cream, and devoured with a spoon.

This skillet cookie is based off of my favorite chocolate chip cookie bars, with all the wonderfully nostalgic flavors of classic chocolate chip cookies, but it’s baked a smidge shorter and I add chopped chocolate in addition to chips to up the chocolate ante. Of course, it’s also nearly a requirement to serve this, à la mode, straight from the pan, so it’s a level or two up the indulgence scale as well. I hope you love it too!

Close up of dark chocolate chips
The ingredients to make a skillet chocolate chip cookie (flour, sugar, brown sugar, butter, egg, baking powder, salt, chocolate chips and a chocolate bar) in prep bowls on a baking sheet.

The ingredients you’ll need:

You’ll need just a handful of pantry staples to make this simple skillet cookie recipe.

  • butter: we’ll start with melted butter for the best chewy texture. If you have time, you can substitute browned butter for even more complex, nutty flavor. You can also swap in a plant based butter to make this dairy-free.
  • sugar: regular, granulated sugar adds sweetness and a shiny, crinkly top.
  • brown sugar: light brown sugar creates a wonderfully chewy texture and adds deep butterscotch notes.
  • vanilla: a splash of pure vanilla extract for that classic cookie flavor.
  • egg: you’ll need just one egg.
  • flour: regular all-purpose flour makes up the base of the cookie dough. See my recipe notes for making this gluten free!
  • baking powder: gives us the perfect amount of lift.
  • salt: do not skip this crucial ingredient, which enhances all the other flavors. I also love to add a sprinkle of flake sea salt (such as Maldon) to finish.
  • chocolate: of course! a mix of semisweet chocolate chips and a chopped dark chocolate bar gives this skillet cookie all of its melty chocolate goodness. You could also use chocolate chunks, white chocolate chips, or even peanut butter chips. If you love nuts in your chocolate chip cookies, you can certainly add those to the mix too!

Find all the exact measurements and recipe instructions below.

A warm from the oven chocolate chip skillet cookie topped with vanilla ice cream on a wood table.

How to make a chocolate chip cookie in a skillet

A skillet cookie comes together like most drop cookies, except that after mixing, the dough is spread into a cast-iron skillet, forming essentially one giant cookie instead of a dozen or two. Cast-iron conducts heat well, giving the cookie edges a perfect barely crisp texture, while the center stays soft and chewy and studded with bits of molten chocolate. Here’s how to make it:

  1. Start by melting the butter in your skillet and whisking together the dry ingredients.
  2. Next, mix together the butter, sugars, vanilla, and egg, until creamy, then mix in the flour mixture.
  3. After stirring the chocolate into the dough, it’s time to bake in your cast-iron skillet until golden.
  4. Top with scoops of vanilla ice cream and dive in!

Voila! You can grab a bunch of spoons and share with a group, or scoop into bowls. So easy, and so delicious. Happy baking!!

A close up of a dark chocolate baking bar from Theo Chocolate on top of a white wrapper.
How do I make a gluten-free chocolate chip skillet cookie?

Simply substitute equal parts (measured by weight) of an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend such as Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur Flour.

Can I make this skillet cookie dairy-free?

You can easily replace the butter with a plant-based alternative, such as Miyokos Cultured Vegan Butter (my top choice), or Earth Balance Buttery Baking Sticks (excellent texture, but a more noticeable flavor).

Can I make this skillet cookie in mini skillets?

Sure! You can bake this in a few mini skillets or ramekins, just be sure to reduce the baking time.

Don’t have a cast-iron skillet?

Not to worry, any oven safe baking pan (about 9 inches) will do.

Want more chocolate dessert recipes? Make these next:

If you make this skillet chocolate chip cookie, be sure to tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #forkknifeswoon and leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it! ★★★★★ Star ratings are especially helpful because they help others find my recipes too. xo, Laura

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A warm from the oven chocolate chip skillet cookie topped with vanilla ice cream on a wood table.

Easy Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie

★★★★★ 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Laura Bolton – Fork Knife Swoon
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 25 mins
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: One 9-inch Skillet Cookie 1x
  • Category: Baking, Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian
Print Recipe

Description

An ooey-gooey, super chocolate-y, chewy chocolate chip skillet cookie – for when you’re craving the flavors of classic chocolate chip cookies but don’t want to wait. This easy recipe requires no chilling or scooping, and is perfect for sharing. Dairy-free and gluten-free friendly.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 cup (113g or 1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup (150g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 1–1/4 cups (150g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 1.5 oz semisweet (60-70%) chocolate bar, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup (80g) semisweet chocolate chips, divided

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350℉. Prep your ingredients and chop your chocolate.
  2. Gently melt the butter in a 9-inch cast iron skillet over low heat. As it melts, swirl the melted butter around to lightly grease the edges of the skillet. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, until combined. Set aside.
  4. Add the granulated and brown sugars to the mixing bowl of a stand up mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Alternatively, you can use an electric hand mixer.
  5. Pour the warm melted butter over the sugars. Mix on medium speed for about 1 minute, until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, then mix in the vanilla.
  6. Add the egg and mix until completely combined and the mixture has slightly lightened in color, about 30 seconds.
  7. Turn the mixer down to low speed, and spoon in the flour mixture. Mix until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, as needed. Stir in the chopped chocolate and half of the chocolate chips.
  8. Transfer the cookie dough to the buttered skillet, and use an offset spatula to spread the batter into an even layer. The dough will be thick.
  9. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top.
  10. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until the cookie looks shiny and set, the edges are golden, and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out mostly clean (or with just melted chocolate).
  11. Remove from the oven (carefully!) and let the skillet cool for 5-10 minutes.
  12. Share straight from the pan, or dish up into bowls , topped with a light sprinkling of flake sea salt (such as Maldon) and scoops of vanilla ice cream. Best served warm. Enjoy!!

Equipment

Notes

Make it gluten-free: substitute a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend such as Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur Flour.

Make it dairy-free: replace the butter with a plant-based alternative, such as Miyokos Cultured Vegan Butter (my top choice), or Earth Balance Buttery Baking Sticks (excellent texture, but a more noticeable flavor). You may need to give the cookie an extra 1-2 mins of baking time.

If you’re a fan of nuts in your cookies, you can add 1-2 Tbsp of nuts in place of an equal amount of chocolate chips. Chopped walnuts, pecans, and macadamia nuts would all be lovely.

Keywords: chocolate chip skillet cookie, chocolate chip cookie, skillet cookie, pizookie, easy, sharing