Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie
I know, skillet cookies are so two years ago – like back from the days of cakes in jars – but can you hold that against them? It’s awesome that instead of the usual drop-and-bake you can press the dough into a skillet, bake it and cut wedges of cookie that a gaggle of little boys over to play are guaranteed to go gaga over. Or if you’re going for something fancier, top it (while it’s still warm, natch) with a scoop of ice cream (peppermint, in this case). And it’s one of those things to pull out of your back pocket when you have less than half an hour to pull something fancy-ish together, and it totally counts as a birthday cake.
And in a month, if you need something super stellar for Santa, this is it.
But wait! It gets better. I’ve further streamlined the process by blitzing the dough together in – get this! – the food processor. My friend Aimee tweeted about making cookies and not being organized, like months ago, and it somehow struck a chord with me. Turns out she’s right – dough in the food processor is totally boss. And here I would have made it in a plain old bowl, stirred it with a plain old spatula, then baked it on a plain old sheet.
You process the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until it’s pale and light, then add the flour, baking soda and salt, then the chocolate chips – and if they get knocked around and broken up from the blade, all the better. Nothing wrong with spreading the love a little further.
I ditched the honey in the original recipe in place of sugar because I wanted a more dense than cakey cookie – any liquid will produce a cakier texture – and if you like, a shake of oat bran adds a fibre boost and an oaty, slightly tweedy texture that I love.
Because the dough is so buttery, there isn’t much risk of overworking it – I must say I’ve been pushing the envelope with my food processor lately. Blitzing bananas, sugar, eggs and oil to a smooth puree, then pulsing in the dry ingredients for almost instant banana bread batter. And now this! It’s a great one-bowl technique for mixing up plain old cookie batter, or press the dough into a skillet and bake it. (If there’s some leftover, bake yourself a few cookies.)
Even with all the fancy decorated cookies out there, I gravitate toward thick, chewy chocolate chip cookies every time. And if I can eat a warm wedge topped with ice cream, all the better.
This is part of a series in which I play with small kitchen electronics and write about them, and each week London Drugs is giving away either a kitchen toy or a gift card to buy one – they really do have a great selection, and I love that you can pop in and avoid the mayhem of a mall but still buy something stellar, like a KitchenAid mixer or a super funky waffle iron. Or a food processor – totally a valid Christmas gift for anyone who likes to eat.
Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie
AuthorJuliePreheat the oven to 350F.
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse the butter and brown sugar until well blended. Add the egg and vanilla and process for a good minute, until the mixture is pale and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if you need to.
Add the flour, baking soda and salt and pulse until almost combined; add the chocolate chips (and pecans, if you're using them) and pulse just until the dough comes together.
Press the dough into 1 large or 2 smaller cast iron skillets (or bake some of the dough in a skillet and drop the rest by the spoonful onto a parchment-lined sheet); bake for 15-20 minutes, or until pale golden and just set. (If you're baking cookies, bake them for 12-14 minutes, until pale golden around the edges and just set.)
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350F.
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse the butter and brown sugar until well blended. Add the egg and vanilla and process for a good minute, until the mixture is pale and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if you need to.
Add the flour, baking soda and salt and pulse until almost combined; add the chocolate chips (and pecans, if you're using them) and pulse just until the dough comes together.
Press the dough into 1 large or 2 smaller cast iron skillets (or bake some of the dough in a skillet and drop the rest by the spoonful onto a parchment-lined sheet); bake for 15-20 minutes, or until pale golden and just set. (If you're baking cookies, bake them for 12-14 minutes, until pale golden around the edges and just set.)
Holy smoke!
I don’t care what year this belongs to, it looks fantastic! It’s such a great way of serving cookies in an alternative way, and I can imagine how happy guests will be should this be put infront of them, mmmm 😀
I hope this Thursday is treating you well 🙂 x
Love it!! Where did you find peppermint ice cream? I’ve only had the pink candy filled type at Christmas.
Rose
My daughter wants to bake cookies this evening without my supervision and this might be the easiest solution! Mmmm..
Thanks guys! And I made the ice cream – although you can find it at Superstore at this time of year, I think?
And yes Lana – it is easier for kids to handle this way!
I have a chocolate chip slab cookie recipe from about 35 years ago and this is reminds me of that.
These cookies look so amazing! I have the same food processor that we received as a wedding gift more than 26 years ago and it was never a good machine. Sadly, I don’t think it would do these very well. I just replaced my old slow cooker. Food processor next!
currently deleting all cookies (the digital kind) and traces i was ever here from my computer, lest my 13-year-old see this post…
I’m so embarrassed that I missed this when it was in style, although how could something this brilliant ever go out of style?
I’m making this tonight!
Skillet cookies are where it’s at! I love making one for a night with the girls – we top it with a few scoops of ice cream when it’s fresh out of the oven and eat it straight from the skillet. Pure bliss.
After burning through two food processors (including a KitchenAid, which is not the same quality as their stand mixers), I splurged on a Breville Sous Chef that is totally amazing – I will have to try this recipe out with it! I imagine you could also mix up this dough using a stand mixer, though; I’ve had mine for a few years, and I never mix cookie dough by hand any more.
Also, for those in Calgary looking for mint ice cream, Village Ice Cream has Guide’s Mint (http://villageicecream.com/flavours/). I haven’t tried it because every time I go in with the intention of trying something new, I end up ordering the salted caramel again – sooo good.
Absolutely brilliant! Will try these for sure!
Thank you, Cooking Goddess Julie.
Oooh that’s lovely – especially because you made the ice cream!
Quick, easy and yummy….what’s not to like!!
The skillet cookie is next up on my list now! Thanks for the shoutout, Julie! I’m serving up another food processor cookie soon…
I was just trying to decide on an easy dessert for our grey cup party! This and brownies and problem solved.
And here I have been making pastry with my food prcessor. Time to step it up a knotch and see what this beast can do!!! Thanks for the inspiration!
Angi?.
Last week I returned to work after maternity leave #3 and have been wanting to bake, but time is at a serious premium these days. That said, I can handle a one-pan cookie and my boys will love it! Thank you for this idea!
This looks to die for! my mouth waters just looking at it! I can’t wait to try making this for my family they’ll love it
Lisa
Love the description of oats adding a tweedy texture. I can almost feel it in my mouth! And skillet cookies are the bomb. Whatever. I need to re-season my cast-iron skillet and do this =)
Lovely photos as always, Julie!
Skillet cookies just looks like one big delicious cookie JUST for me…and when you have a name like Dare….you should get ALL the cookies, no?
And I literally LOL’d at Molly’s comment….hahahahaha
I’m SO going out to buy a cast iron skillet today….
I don’t use my food processor nearly as much as I would like. I love your ideas of using it as a one bowl mixer for cookies and loaves. Thank you
Can’t wait to try this one…..with my daughter!
I just imagine baking this giant skillet cookie, then sitting down with besties or a lover under a big soft blanket on the couch. Whoever’s sitting in the middle spot has to keep the trivet and skillet on their lap so that forks all around can dig in. I can’t wait to try this!
I’ve made skillet brownies before but never skillet cookies. Sounds good. I use my food processor to make all kinds of things like that. Especially a quiche dough that contains ground nuts.
Ummm cookie chip skillet cookies! Another good reason to get a cast iron skillet or two!