This chocolate chip skillet cookie recipe is a dreamboat. It produces a single giant cookie with crispy golden brown edges, a chewy center, and the perfect balance of gooey dark chocolate chunks and sea salt. It’s also remarkably easy to make. The cookie dough requires little prep time and no special equipment—plus, it comes together in one bowl and can be baked in a cast-iron pan or stainless-steel skillet. In short, there really are no excuses not to make this.
A few ingredients make all the difference in a chocolate chip cookie recipe. Obviously, the chocolate is key. You want coarsely chopped pieces that create pools and chunks, which you won’t get from semisweet chocolate chips. Look for chocolate wafers instead, often made from higher-quality chocolate. The vanilla is also vital for a classic cookie flavor: Vanilla paste is best, but good quality pure vanilla extract like Heilala will work nicely(you could even make your own vanilla extract if you’re feeling extra ambitious).
Remember, you want to serve a warm cookie, not a blazing hot one that burns someone’s mouth, so let it cool a bit before serving—with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if you please.
Recipe information
Total Time
35 minutes
Yield
8–10 Servings
Ingredients
1
½
⅓
¼
¾
1
1½
1
¼
Preparation
Step 1
Place a rack in lowest position in oven; preheat oven to 375°. Coarsely chop 1 cup semisweet chocolate wafers, leaving several wafers whole; set aside.
Step 2
Mix ½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. (133 g) dark brown sugar, ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar, ¼ cup (½ stick) plus 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature, and ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. plus ⅛ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a large bowl until no large lumps remain, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 large egg, room temperature and 1½ tsp. vanilla paste or vanilla extract until egg is incorporated and mixture is very loose and resembles cake batter, about 30 seconds. Add 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour and ¼ tsp. baking soda and mix until dough comes together and no streaks remain, about 30 seconds. Mix in ¾ cup chocolate, reserving remaining chocolate, until evenly distributed.
Step 3
Scrape batter into a 10" cast-iron skillet (or use an oven-safe stainless-steel skillet coated with nonstick vegetable oil spray). Pat batter into skillet with damp hands, pressing into an even layer so dough extends to sides of pan. Scatter remaining chocolate over cookie and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
Step 4
Bake cookie until outer edges are browned and slightly puffed, 20–25 minutes (15–18 minutes for stainless steel). Let cool in skillet 1 hour (if you can resist). Serve in skillet or turn out; cut into wedges.
Editor’s note: This skillet cookie recipe was first printed online in March 2016. Looking for individual cookies? Brown butter CCCs can’t be beat. Or head this way for more easy cookie recipes, like chocolaty peanut-butter no-bake cookies, pecan thumbprints, and iced sugar cookies →
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Reviews (48)
Back to TopThis was incredible. Made it lightning-fast as a dinner party dessert after a more ambitious one failed. It also travels well, and was great as it didn't need refrigeration or more time in the oven-- it cooled for the hour during dinner and then was perfectly sliceable. Added caramel chips as well and it was amazing. Will make again for sure.
Anonymous
Canada
8/26/2019
Quick, easy, reliable. Takes less time to prep than the oven takes to preheat. To extra depth, I brown 1/3 (2T) of the butter. Adding hot, brown butter to the remaining cold butter brings my fridge temp ingredients to room temperature instantly!
Anonymous
Riverdale, NJ
12/4/2019
I browned 1/4 cup butter in an 8" seasoned cast iron skillet. Then added remaining ingredients as per recipe, all in the same 8" skillet. Only used 1/3 c brown sugar. In almost the same time as the oven took to preheat all the preparation was done and no dirty dishes. Baked as indicated and had a gooey decadent desert 22 minutes later. I couldn't wait 1 hour to cool. 5 minutes was all I could stand. Cut into 8 wedges. So yummy. Thank you.
tam dorow
coronado, ca
3/2/2020
Delicious recipe, I added toasted walnuts, doubled the recipe and baked in a 12" cast iron. Delicious Bon Appetit recipe as always.. #quaratine
Chef_E
San Diego
4/4/2020
Simple and delicious. I will definitely make this one again. I did not have the chocolate specified, but bittersweet chips worked great. I didn't hear any complaints from hubby or kids.
Julie Barber
NJ
4/20/2020
Yummy! We opted to skip the extra 2TBS brown sugar and subbed coconut sugar for granulated instead. Still a bit too sweet with us (we topped w/ vanilla ice cream, duh) so next time will cut back even more. Also swapped 1/3 flour for rolled oats which made for a yummy texture. Will make again but w/ less sugar. Loved the flaky salt on top :)
Anonymous
Baton Rouge
4/22/2020
Made as a small batch of individual cookies and they were great. Super chewy w the perfect density. I browned all but the 2 tbsp of butter and upped the vanilla to 1 tbsp *chefs kiss*. I am a huge fan of the BA’s best choc chip recipe but these are a true contender, and simpler - no egg whites sacrificed.
gerricles
New york
4/25/2020