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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I haven’t had a skillet cookie in so long but clearly I need to change that asap! This looks so delish!
Thanks for the pinnage, too!
Looove this.
That skillet is just so lovely, and that ooozing skillet cookie is pretty easy on the eyes as well… ooey and gooey, just like we like it! :)
Girl it was SO BIG to photograph. Normally I shoot with my 50 mm f/1.2 and also my 24-70mm for tighter in shots. Anyway though, so I am standing on a chair, then I am standing on the TABLE to get the whole thing in the frame. What a monster! In the best possible way :)
Oh yes! I just happen to have a cast iron skillet just that size! Yours may be a bit prettier, however! :-)
That looks like the best dessert ever – SERIOUSLY. True comfort food at its finest! I love that you combined all 3 cookies into one, because, how could you choose between those? And that Scott added some ice cream the next day…what else are leftovers for?! ;-)
Michele it was totally the best cookie I’ve made in ages…and b/c I know how you like those two bar recipes of mine with the flood technique, you would love this. Same concept and I was thinking of you when I was flooding it…thinking you and boys would love this. Two teenage boys and friends need to be around when you make this. It’s not a single-girl’s dessert :)
I have been meaning to get a cast iron skillet and this recipe is the perfect reason to get one. I don’ think I can go another day without making this chocolate chip peanut butter oatmeal cookie. It looks to die for!
You would love it and that pumpkin pie of yours is gorgeous!
So funny, I’ve been thinking the same thing for the past 3 weeks! Think I may have to make one this weekend, and just hand everyone who comes over to watch football a spoon as they walk in the door!
You have to have a crowd before you make this thing…not really a single girl’s dessert :)
What a beautiful skillet cookie!
Holy. Wow. This is amazing Averie!!!!
Thanks Dorothy – your Fruity Pebbles cookies caught my eye, too :)
Oh my dear lord… That is one heavenly dessert! Or breakfast, let’s be honest.
Oh yes, let’s tell ourselves this is breakfast :)
Holy flipping deliciousness
OMG, you KILLED the pour-shot! Totally gorgeous. And this cookie is amazeballs. I don’t know why I’ve never made a gigantic skillet cookie before but I’m definitely going to start. And never stop eating them.
It has all the flavor elements going on and textures that I know you like!
The pouring shot totally melted me. I NEED this cookie! Now! :)
It was worth the shaky hands then. Lol I took like 10 pics in 10 secs and at least got one keeper :)
I have to say that looks like the best cookie every made in the word…freaking genius to make it in the skillet! I am going to do that next time we back for sure…if I was at home I would print this recipe right away!
If you make it, please LMK! It comes together very easily & fast!
Will do, I will be excited for the results!
A big cookie pie–looks incredible with that gooey surprise inside!!!! I’ve only made cornbread in my cast iron skillet. I think it’s time to bake a dessert in it. Hope your bread making went well–I bet your kitchen smelled sooo good. I love the smell of freshly baked bread, and cookies, and cakes….!
The bread making went to well and although I was going to hold off on the post for a bit, it’s coming out sooner rather than later! I hope you try this cookie, too! So easy!
Ohhhhhhh myyyyyyy wooooooooord.
Hey girl! I came over to print out the bundt cake recipe and saw this COOKIE! It looks amazing and I love your pretty blue skillet. These cookies are truly a party cookie. I brought in one of these to a party at Zoe’s school and got plenty of Ohhh’s and Ahhh’s. Kids get a kick out of seeing a huge cookie. Skillet cookies remind me of those mall cookie shops they had around when we were kids.
Ok, I will email you of photo of the finished bundt cake later!
Jackie :)
Glad you’re already hard at work cake-making at 630am! Life of a busy mama, right! It starts EARLY! And that’s right, I remember seeing your skillet cookie. I so want to make this for Skylar’s bday or events but the school has a no-sugar, no-desserts rule. Seriously the kids are allowed to bring in fruit cups, trail mix, or air-popped popcorn for bdays and events. It’s a blessing and a curse…I wish they could have a little fun :) They’re kids!
This is one reason not to simply mainline peanut butter with a spoon.
I’m all about mainlining :)