3-in-1 Skillet Cookie Recipe
I’ve been wanting to make a skillet cookie for oh, about 3 years, and finally did it. And boy, did I do it. This goes down as one of the best cookies I’ve ever made. It’s definitely the biggest cookie I’ve ever made. Ten and one-quarter inches in diameter and about 2 inches thick. But bigger doesn’t always mean better when it comes to taste. I’ve made cookies from various cookbooks that were big but they didn’t wow me. Fine, but nothing earth-shattering. This cast iron skillet cookie cookie, however, knocked my socks off. I couldn’t decide if I wanted to break in my Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 10-1/4-Inch Skillet with a skillet chocolate chip cookie, a peanut butter cookie, or an oatmeal cookie. I love all three and when each is done perfectly in their own right, they each have respective selling points that can’t be beat. Since I couldn’t decide which type of cookie to make, I made a 3-in-1-cookie. Necessity is the mother of invention.
If you like chewy edges, this cookie has your name on it. It has 32.185 inches of them to be exact. Circumference = Pi x Diameter 32.185″ = 3.14 x 10.25″ Determining the amount of chewy cookie edge is the only redeeming value of 9th grade math class. Math finally clicked for me. It just took cookies and twenty years time later. After eating my way around the skillet chocolate chip cookie, I ate my way right into the middle, which is my panacea. The soft, warm, squishy, gooey, happy place that my dreams are made of. Scott can have all the crispy edge he wants, but give me the barely done, super gooey, melty, middle.
While baking, the peanut butter and the sweetened condensed milk mixture thickens slightly and the creaminess of the sweetened condensed milk is intensified, and it takes on a caramel-cream quality. Combined with the slightly salty nature of the peanut butter, the soupy mixture is a creamy, caramely, hot wonderful mess. And of course, warm and melted chocolate chips make everything that’s good just that much better. Both texturally-speaking and from a flavor perspective, I couldn’t ask for more. My three favorite kinds of cookies in one, complete with chewiness, density, and creaminess. Dense walls of oatmeal cookie hunks, a smooth peanut butter and milky caramel center, and the satisfying quality of melted chocolate woven throughout each bite of this jumbo cookie pie makes it a new favorite. Although this skillet cookie was best hot and fresh from the oven, the leftovers weren’t too shabby. What we didn’t eat immediately, I slid out of the skillet onto a cutting board (and the whole thing released like a charm) and I chopped it into two-inch bar-sized pieces, and stored them in an airtight container, which we happily nibbled on over the next few days.
What’s in a Skillet Cookie?
To make this cast iron skillet chocolate chip cookie, you’ll need:
Unsalted butter Light brown sugar Egg Vanilla extract All-purpose flour Baking soda Salt Old-fashioned oats Sweetened condensed milk Creamy peanut butter Semi-sweet chocolate chips
How to Make a Skillet Cookie
The bulk of the cookie dough is largely that of an oatmeal cookie, with all its texture-filled chewy glory. I made the dough by hand, using melted butter, and stirred in the brown sugar, flour, and oats. I didn’t use any granulated sugar because exclusively using brown sugar keeps cookies softer, which is what I wanted. I also wanted to avoid dirtying my mixer and I succeeded. After mixing up the oatmeal cookie dough and pressing just shy of three-quarters of it into the base of the skillet, I mixed up the Elixir of the Gods, also known as one can of sweetened condensed milk and one half cup of creamy peanut butter that are stirred together. I poured the glistening, tan, creamy sauce over the oatmeal dough. I normally don’t do pour shots because frankly it’s challenging to steady a five-pound camera and lens setup in one hand and pour with the other, while not missing the action, and obtaining an image that’s remotely in focus.
Evidently though I became inspired in the presence of cookie dough, sweetened condensed milk, and peanut butter. I was tempted to save a little and pour it into my coffee but didn’t. Next time. After the tan flood, I turned the oatmeal-peanut butter cookie into a chocolate chip cookie by adding one cup of semi-sweet morsels on top of the floodwaters. Then, I took the reserved portion of the dough, a little over one-cup’s worth, and dropped it by the tablespoon over the top of the chocolate chip-laced flood. While baking, the oatmeal dough meshes with the creamy mixture, and forms a smooth wall, which was especially satisfying to puncture with my fork, knowing the sweet creaminess that awaited beneath.
Do I Have to Use a Cast Iron Skillet?
No, if you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you can bake this giant peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookie in an oven-safe skillet or in a 9-by-9-inch square baking pan. Don’t use a 9-inch round cake pan because it will likely be too small and the bottom of your oven may be wearing cookie dough.
Can I Use Instant Oats Instead of Old-Fashioned?
No, instant or quick cook oats are too powdery to use in this skillet cookie recipe and would result in a dry cookie.
Can I Use Another Nut Butter?
If you can’t have peanut butter or don’t have any on hand, I’m sure you could use another nut butter, like almond butter. I haven’t tested this recipe with another nut butter before though, so let me know if you make your skillet cookie this way!
How to Store Leftover Skillet Cookie
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also slice and freeze this skillet cookie and reheat individual servings whenever a cookie craving strikes.
Tips for Making a Skillet Cookie
You’re welcome to switch up the type of chocolate chips you use in this skillet cookie recipe. White or milk chocolate would make for a richer cookie, and I bet chocolate chunks could be substituted as well. I’ve never added other mix-ins to the cookie dough, but I want to try this recipe with chopped nuts. You may be able to add dried fruit as well to make this skillet cookie a fun twist on classic oatmeal raisin cookies. A few readers have asked about using oil instead of butter in this skillet chocolate chip cookie, but having never tried it myself I can’t say for sure if oil will work in place of the butter. I worry that using oil would make this skillet cookie greasy, but if you give it a go let me know how it turns out!
More Homemade Cookie Recipes:
Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Skillet Cookie — Bigger is better when it comes to cookies. Especially when they’re loaded with melted chocolate and gooey marshmallows! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes!
Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie — My family adored this biggie-sized cookie that’s soft, chewy, buttery, loaded with chocolate chips, and the hot fudge and ice cream on top doesn’t hurt.
Softbatch Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies — These soft batch cookies are made with a combination of butter and cream cheese, which makes them extra rich and delicious!
Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies — These cookies are soft, moist, and oh-so chewy. They taste like banana bread and chocolate chip cookies rolled into one dessert!
The Best Soft & Chewy M&M’s Cookies — These bakery-style M&M’s cookies are soft, chewy, buttery, and LOADED with M&M’s and chocolate chips. No one can resist these cookies!
One-Bowl, No-Mixer, No-Chill Oatmeal Cookies — An incredibly FAST and EASY recipe that produces perfectly thick cookies with chewy edges and soft centers!! One bowl to wash, no mixer to drag out, and no waiting around!!
Samoas Cookie Pie — This Samoa pie tastes even better than the Girl Scout cookies you grew up eating! It’s layered with caramel sauce, chocolate, and shredded coconut. YUM!
