This mini skillet cookie is a so easy to make and a delicious mix of sweet, soft cookie studded with melty little bites of chocolate. It's the perfect end to a meal, or special treat, and ideal to share diving in with a spoon.
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There's a pizza restaurant near us that used to have skillet cookies as one of their dessert offerings. Sadly, they no longer do, but in some ways it is maybe just as well as they were all too tempting! On the other hand, they inspired me to try my own at home which is maybe even more of a risk as now we can have them any time.
I've made a mini skillet brownie for a while which we all love, but I have taken a few attempts on making skillet cookies. Some I liked but still found there was something not quite right, whether that was texture or flavor. This one, though, we instantly loved and I hope you will too.
What's a skillet cookie?
Quite simply, a skillet cookie is cookie dough cooked in a skillet, also known as a frying pan, rather than divided into individual cookies and baked on a baking sheet. By cooking the mixture in a skillet, you generally have a thicker cookie, and it means the edges are cooked by the heat of the pan and get that bit crisp.
The end cookie is a wonderful mixture of crisp edges, soft and squidgy middle and all round deliciousness. You can make them in a large size, but I really like the balance of textures in this mini size, that's pretty perfect for two to share as well.
Is a skillet cookie the same as a pizookie?
You might have heard the term pizookie, and either wondered what it is or if it's the same as a skillet cookie. Well, they are indeed the same thing, though technically a pizookie is traditionally topped with ice cream and chocolate syrup.
I definitely agree that a scoop of ice cream pairs perfectly, though personally I am happy to skip the chocolate sauce, but feel free to add both or neither as you prefer.
The name pizookie is a combination of pizza and cookie. The idea is that it looks a bit more like a pizza, especially when in a larger size (and when it has toppings). But whichever term you use, and however you top it, it's a great easy way to make a tasty treat.
About some of the ingredients
I've hesitated to label this as a gluten free cookie, as sometimes I feel like that puts people off. But, in actual fact it is, but without any kind of compromise in flavor. In fact, the flavor is extra good because of a couple of key ingredients.
Almond flour - this is finely ground blanched almonds which has a great texture and gently nutty and slightly sweet flavor. It's not the same as almond meal which includes the skins and is usually coarser.
As well as being tasty, almond flour is also much more consistent than a gluten free flour blend that can vary a lot in the exact mix. Using a single flour eliminates any inconsistency in flavor and how they absorb liquid.
Almond flour does absorb differently compared to wheat flour, and has a different flavor, so it definitely doesn't work to swap it in to any recipe. But when a recipe is written specifically for it, like here, it can work so well.
Coconut sugar - this is made from coconut palm sap and doesn't actually taste of coconut but instead has a caramel-like flavor. If you're not familiar with it, I highly recommend giving it a try.
It's a bit like dark brown sugar, but with even more of that richer depth in flavor. And that comes through in this cookie, and works well with the almond, too.
If you don't have coconut sugar you can swap it for brown sugar which will also be good. But I do recommend trying coconut sugar next time!
The other ingredients - butter, chocolate chips, vanilla, baking soda, salt and egg yolk - are all pretty standard and typical to most cookie recipes. You only use a yolk rather than a full egg since it's a small quantity.
I prefer to melt the butter to make it really easy to mix everything, and since you are cooking it in the skillet, there's no issue with the mixture being a little softer and spreading.
Steps to make this cookie
This cookie comes together in just a few easy steps:
- Melt the butter and allow to cool slightly.
- Separately, mix the salt and baking soda into the almond flour.
- Grease the small skillet with butter.
- Whisk together the butter and coconut sugar then add in the egg yolk and vanilla.
- Add the almond flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well.
- Mix in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared skillet and flatten the top.
- Bake until dry on top, slightly crisp at the edges but still soft in the middle.
- Add a couple extra chocolate chips on top and allow them to soften in the heat of the cookie.
Top tip - enjoy it warm
Personally I think this is best enjoyed warm, so that the chocolate chips are still slightly melty, but you can also have it at room temperature. When warm, the cookie is relatively light and slightly cake-y, then it becomes a little more chewy when cool. It's tasty either way.
The cookie will rice as it cooks to fill the skillet, then sink down slightly once it comes out of the oven. It tends to fall a little in the middle, which to me is all good as it gives a nice place for the ice cream to sit.
I'm sharing this today as part of the seventh annual Good Cookies Valentine's Event! I’m thrilled to be participating again, sharing Valentine’s Day inspired recipes to inspire you to cook and to share and donate to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer.
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This mini skillet cookie is quick and easy to make, and is the perfect size for two to share. (True, you could share with one or two more, if you are being generous!). It has a great flavor and a lovely relatively light texture, with just enough chew and gently crisp edges, plus all those wonderful melty chocolate chips throughout.
Try these other gluten free cookies:
- Persian walnut cookies
- Basler brunsli (Swiss chocolate almond cookies - these are also dairy free)
- Pignoli cookies (almond cookies studded with pine nuts)
- Plus get more dessert recipes and snack recipes, both sweet and savory, in the archives.
Mini skillet cookie
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ cup almond flour (ground almonds, not almond meal)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda bicarbonate of soda
- 3 tablespoon coconut sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg yolk
- ¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips I used mini but can use regular size
- 2 teaspoon mini chocolate chips to top after baking (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Lightly butter the inside of a 6.25 in cast iron skillet (15.8cm frying pan).
- Melt the butter and leave to cool slightly. Meanwhile, mix together the almond flour, salt and baking soda in a small bowl.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the butter and coconut sugar until well-mixed. Mix in the vanilla and egg yolk so everything is well combined.
- Add the almond flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix so that there are no lumps of flour. Then, add the chocolate chips and stir through well.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared skillet and smooth the top. Bake for approximately 18 - 20 minutes until the top is dry, the edges gently crisp but the middle is still soft. Sprinkle the few additional mini chocolate chips on top while the cookie is still warm. Best served warm (and great topped with some vanilla ice cream).
Video
Nutrition
See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store.
See all the other tasty ideas as part of the Good Cookies event:
Valentine Cupid Crunch from Jenn of Ever After in the Woods Easy Dark Chocolate Cherry Truffles from Audrey of That Recipe How to Make an Edible Valentine Gingerbread House from Jennifer of The Rebel Chick Peanut Butter Chocolate Parfaits from Stefanie of Stef's Eats and Sweets Heart Shaped Chocolate Chip Cookies from Melissa of Persnickety Plates Valentine Ladybug Oreos from Jaclyn of Crayons & Cravings Round Up of Homemade Valentine's Day Sweets and Treats from Lisa of Blogghetti Easy Pink Cookie Recipe (Refined Sugar-free) from Shashi of Savory Spin Truffle Honey Goat Cheese Stuffed Rolls from Lisa of Taste Cook Sip Sweetheart Strawberry Brownies from Nicole of For the Love of Food Heart Shaped Pancakes from Sarah of TheGleasonCo Chubby Hubby Cookies from Rebecca of Sugar & Soul Heart-Shaped Reese's Stuffed Cookie for Two from Erin of The Spiffy Cookie Heart-Melting Chocolate Espresso Cookies from Colleen of Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
Melissa Taylor
I doubled the recipe and made it 6 servings. We didn't even need the ice cream! This was so good! I don't usually make the same recipe twice, but I'm keeping this one!
Caroline's Cooking
So glad to hear you enjoyed so much!
Anjali
I absolutely love skillet cookies - they are my favorite dessert! Your recipe turned out perfectly - soft sweet and totally delicious! We topped it with ice cream and devoured it!
Caroline's Cooking
So glad you enjoyed! There is something special about skillet cookies, I agree.