Skillet Cookie โ This cast iron skillet cookie combines three of my favorite cookies into one! Chocolate chips, peanut butter, and oatmeal are combined to make the best cookie I’ve eaten in a long time!
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!
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Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Skillet Cookie
Ingredients
- ยฝ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ยพ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ยพ cup all-purpose flour
- ยฝ teaspoon baking soda
- ยฝ teaspoon salt, optional and to taste
- 1 ยฝ cups old-fashioned whole rolled oats, not quick cook or instant
- one 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- ยฝ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ice cream, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F, spray oven-safe skillet with cooking spray (mine is a Le Creuset enameled cast iron and I sprayed liberally with Pam for Baking and it released like a charm; if skillet is well-seasoned cast iron, you may wish to butter or grease it slightly); set skillet aside.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power (you may microwave butter to a browned-butter state, which makes this cookie especially delicious, by cooking butter for about 3 to 4 minutes; watch it closely so it doesn't burn.
- To the melted butter, add sugar, egg, vanilla, and whisk or stir vigorously to combine, for about 1 minute, slightly fluffing up the batter.
- Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and stir until just incorporated. Add the oats and stir to combine.
- Pour slightly less than three-quarters of the dough into the skillet, reserving about 1ยผ cups (just eyeball it) to be crumbled on at the end; set skillet and large mixing bowl with reserved dough aside.
- In a small bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter and stir until smooth. Pour mixture over the dough in the skillet.
- Evenly sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top.
- Drop tablespoon-sized chunks of the reserved dough into the skillet, dispersing then as uniformly as possible over the surface, which forms the crumble topping.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, or until edges begin to barely crisp up and most of the top surface of the cookie has set. The center may not be completely set; this is okay because cookie will continue to cook in the skillet after it's been pulled from the oven, noting that there is a fairly significant carryover cooking effect with cast iron; so don't overbake in the oven because cookie is meant to be very gooey.
- Cookie may be served immediately; optionally serve it with ice cream.
Notes
- Alternatively, cookie may be baked in a 9-by-9 inch square baking pan that has been lined with foil or sprayed with cooking spray; do not use a 9-inch circular pie dish because it will be too shallow.
- Cookie is best eaten fresh from the oven but due to its size, extra cookie may be sliced and stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, reheating gently in the microwave before serving leftovers if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Math and cookies. This is my kind of post!
These cookies will definitely be in my version of heaven.
Skillet cookies are my favorite ever! There is something about having one large cookie and not 12 little ones!
It’s always wayyyy easier than making individual cookies. It just comes together in one big pan! Love pan/bars/bar cookies for that reason: faster & less fussy!
Averie, You’ve outdone yourself! This looks wonderful! I am going to have to try to make a skillet cookie with that gooey center.
The gooey center is like…the best part ever!
Oh heavens this looks too freaking delicious! I’m dying!
And your site, the layout, the changes, sorry it’s been awhile, but it’s gorgeous! And so are all those pics of your Mayan Riv. Trip. Omg. I want to be there, like…right now!
What a fabulous looking treat! I think the center is where I’d go first ;-)
I’m all about it! Bypass everything and cut straight to the chase!
lol! Did you happen to read my post from Friday about getting my first cast iron pan and not knowing what to cook first?!? Forget cornbread!!! Holy cow that looks delicious!
No I didn’t see it. And yes, FORGET cornbread. No offense to humble cornbread but it’s usually dry and a bit…boring! This is neither :)
That is one impressive looking cookie pie!!! I have a skillet that has been begging for a cookie to be baked in it too…you have inspired me to try it out now!!!
Yes, your skillet is begging you. Hope you try it!
Ahhh, I’ve been wanting to try a skillet cookie forever! OK, well not really forever, but you know what I mean. I love that you combined three awesome cookies into one! I’m totally making one of these for Thanksgiving or Christmas!
That is a perfect time to make one…when there’s lots of people standing around that can wolf down a 10″ cookie warm from the oven. It’s a perfect party-cookie b/c it’s easy to make, makes a ton, and is best eaten right then and there with a crowd standing around the kitchen.
Woah. This is on my list for the next time I want to make an indulgent treat for the husband. This seriously looks incredible. It actually reminds me of the Pizzookie dessert we had on our first dinner date so maybe I’ll make it for our anniversary. :-)
This definitely has pizzookie qualities but it’s gooey-er and less dry/less true ‘cookie’ just because of the melted PB/sweet cond milk and I think is a pizookie improvement. I just didn’t want to bake up a dry rock in the cast iron and took steps to ensure I didn’t :)
I’m seriously tempted to make this today! I’m sending a package to my BIL and I already made him LOADS of muffins and planned on just making granola today. But how amazing does this look? I may have to use my le creuset for the first time in the oven!
I hope you try it! Josh would love it I bet…or a bite or too for K. She’d go nuts :)
Oh my! It looks so delish! I could totally eat a piece of that :)
Woah Averie, this looks incredible!
ohhhhhhmyygosh averie. you’ve outdone yourself. this is pretty much everything i love all neatly baked in a {beautiful blue} skillet! ahhhh. i need this in my life.
“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.” – haha, isn’t it amazing what a delicious cookie can do to us?? It makes us smarter! ;)
Only in the presence of chocolate & cookies does math really click :)
I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to stop