It’s difficult to conceive of how one of the most perfect treats ever, the chocolate chip cookie, can be improved, but making one in a skillet is a surefire way to do it. A cast iron skillet packed with cookie dough transforms this iconic treat into a crispy-edged, chewy-centered center-of-plate dessert.
A skillet cookie is a great way to make the most of your oven as it cools down at the end of your pizza party. In a cast iron skillet pan, the chocolate-loaded batter absorbs the residual heat from the oven as it bakes, infusing your backyard with irresistible sweet aromas. Give it a light lick of flame to melt the chocolate chips and gently caramelise the crust, and after 15 minutes of cooking, you’ll be rewarded with a perfect balance of gooey, salty chocolate and soft-baked cookie.
Fresh out of the oven, there’s nothing quite like spooning a serving of vanilla bean ice cream onto a warm slice, the refreshing chill of the ice cream mingling with the salty, rich, flavours of the cookie. For an indulgent teatime treat, or packed away for a gameday tailgate, let the cookie cool in the refrigerator first. The hardened texture will resemble that of a traditional soft chocolate chip cookie, but with a slightly gooey interior and crisp crust. Best of both worlds? We think so.
Ingredients
- 52 grams caster (superfine) sugar
- 80 grams unsalted butter
- 3 grams vanilla extract or 7 grams vanilla essence
- 1 large egg
- 130 grams flour
- 1 gram baking powder
- 100 grams chocolate chips
- 100 grams semi-sweet dark chocolate, roughly chopped
- 4.5 grams vegetable oil
- 4 grams flaky sea salt
Equipment
Directions
- Fire up your oven, turn the gas dial to low and preheat for 15 minutes, aiming for 190 °C on the stone baking board inside. Use an infrared thermometer to quickly and accurately check the temperature.
- In a large bowl, mix sugar, butter, and vanilla together until no lumps remain. Crack in the egg and stir to combine until the mixture resembles cake batter.
- Sift in the flour and baking powder and mix until no flour streaks remain. Add half the chocolate chips and all of the chopped dark chocolate. Mix everything together, combining with your hands if necessary.
- Lightly rub 1 teaspoon of oil into your pre-seasoned cast iron skillet pan (or butter, if you prefer a crispier edge). Spread the cookie dough into the skillet, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Use damp hands to gently pat the cookie dough down into the corners of the pan to create an even surface. Add the remaining chocolate chips and sprinkle with flaked sea salt. Set a timer. Turn off the oven and place the skillet inside to cook for 5 minutes. After 4 minutes, rotate the pan 180 degrees and turn on the oven to its lowest setting.
- Cook for another 5 minutes. At the 10-minute mark, turn the pan 90 degrees. After two minutes, turn the pan another 180 degrees. From here, turn the pan 90 degrees every minute for another 4 minutes until you reach 16 total minutes of cooking. By this point, the cookie will begin to smell delicious and puff up, turning medium golden brown. Remove the skillet from the oven to a safe surface and insert a toothpick or knife tip into the center; give or take some melted chocolate, the knife should come out clean.
- If serving warm, let the cookie rest for 5 minutes before slicing, then top with a scoop of ice cream. If you prefer a more solid cookie, let it reach room temperature, then slice (as it cools, the cookie will harden) and transfer to a container to refrigerate for at least one hour before slicing and serving.
