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The dessert, Chic bistro

Giant skillet cookie to share

This giant skillet cookie is a dessert for 6 that bakes in an oven-safe skillet and gets served warm with scoops of vanilla ice cream. It takes 20 minutes of active work, the dough comes together ahead of time and chills in the fridge, then bakes right before your guests arrive. It's very easy, costs under €1.20 per person, and the trick is pulling it out while the center still looks underdone.

I'm bringing out a giant skillet cookie, warm, loaded with chocolate chips, with vanilla ice cream and spoons for everyone.

Giant skillet cookie to share
For
6 people
Work
20 min
Total time
55 min
Prep
Prepared the same day
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€1.20
Calories per person
640 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

A giant skillet cookie is the dessert that instantly loosens up a table. The edges turn crisp while the center stays gooey with melted chocolate, and everyone digs in with a spoon straight from the same warm skillet. It's the kind of dessert that gets people talking, no plating required, no fussy timing.

Bring it out for a relaxed dinner with friends or a family meal with kids at the table, any time of year. It pairs well with a simple menu ahead of it, a light starter and a main that doesn't need constant attention, since the cookie bakes quietly in the oven while you're all seated.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 3 steps
  3. Before the guests arrive 1 step, 18 min
  4. When it's time to serve 1 step

Make the dough in the morning, spread it in the skillet, and let it chill in the fridge until evening. Right before your guests arrive, bake the cookie for the same amount of time as your main course, so everything comes out of the oven together. At dessert time, bring the still warm skillet to the table with scoops of ice cream and spoons for everyone.

The ingredients

6 people

Dairy

  • Butter 150 g
  • Egg 1
  • Vanilla ice cream 6

Pantry

  • Brown sugaroften in the pantry 150 g
  • Sugaroften in the pantry 50 g
  • Flouroften in the pantry 250 g
  • Baking powderoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Chocolate chips 200 g
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Eggs

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Melt the butter, then whisk it with the brown sugar and sugar until smooth.

    Let the butter cool slightly, if it's too hot it will melt the chocolate chips.

  2. Add the egg, then the flour, baking powder and salt, and finally the chocolate chips.

    Mix just until combined, overworking the dough makes a tough cookie.

  3. Spread the dough into an oven-safe skillet and chill in the fridge.

    Let it rest at least an hour for a softer, gooier cookie.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Bake the cookie at 180°C for as long as your main course takes. 18 min

    The center should stay slightly soft, it keeps cooking as it cools.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Set the skillet on the table with scoops of vanilla ice cream and spoons.

    Serve it while still warm, that's when the chocolate is at its gooiest.

Our tips to get it right

  • Use a cast iron skillet or any other oven-safe pan, it holds heat and keeps the center gooey even after it comes out of the oven.
  • Don't press the dough down too firmly in the skillet, leave the surface slightly uneven so the edges brown naturally.
  • If you don't have a suitable skillet, a metal pie pan works just as well, the key is keeping the cookie thick.

The variations

  • Swap some of the dark chocolate chips for milk or white chocolate for a sweeter flavor kids tend to love.
  • Stir a handful of chopped pecans or hazelnuts into the dough for extra crunch.
  • For a quicker version, make the dough ahead and bake it the moment your guests arrive during drinks, it'll be ready by dessert.

What to serve it with

  • Extra scoops of vanilla ice cream
  • Coffee or tea after dessert
  • Caramel sauce for the extra indulgent

Storage

The cookie keeps for 2 to 3 days at room temperature under a towel or in a closed container. You can freeze it raw, still in the skillet or a dish, and bake it straight from frozen with a few extra minutes. To reheat, a few minutes in a 150°C oven brings back the gooey center.

Questions about this recipe

Can I make this without an oven-safe skillet?

Yes, a metal pie pan or cake pan works well too. The main thing is keeping the dough thick enough for a gooey center.

How do I know when the cookie is done?

The edges should look golden and set while the center still looks pale and slightly soft to the touch. It keeps baking as it cools in the skillet, so it's better to pull it out a touch early than too late.

Can I use white sugar instead of brown sugar?

Brown sugar adds moisture and a light caramel note, but you can use all white sugar if that's what you have. The cookie will be slightly less gooey but still good.

How do I serve the cookie?

There's no need to cut it neatly, the point is for everyone to dig in straight from the skillet with a spoon. If you'd rather slice it, cut it into wedges once it's cooled slightly.

Can a warm giant skillet cookie to share be made ahead?

Yes, during the day. The recipe needs 20 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 3 steps, before the guests arrive, 1 step, when it's time to serve, 1 step.

How long does it take to make a warm giant skillet cookie to share?

Allow 55 min in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 20 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "very easy".

How many calories are in a warm giant skillet cookie to share?

About 640 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a warm giant skillet cookie to share cost?

About €1.20 per person, that's €7.20 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, eggs. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

To round out your menu

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