When you want a decadent, restaurant-style dessert meant for sharing, a Double Chocolate Chip Sea Salt Skillet Cookie (Pizookie) is unmatched. A rich dark-chocolate cookie dough loaded with melting chocolate chunks is baked in a cast-iron skillet until the edges turn crisp and chewy while the center remains warm, soft, and molten.
The secret to a skillet cookie that gets crispy edges with a gooey, fudgy interior is Baking in a Pre-Heated Cast-Iron Skillet and Using Brown Sugar with Extra Egg Yolk. Cast iron retains and distributes heat evenly to crisp the outer crust, while brown sugar and egg yolk lock in moisture for that rich, underbaked center texture.
Why You’ll Love This Skillet Cookie
- Gooey Molten Center: Bakes up with crisp outer edges while maintaining a fudge-like, spoonable core.
- Double Chocolate Decadence: Dutch-processed cocoa powder base plus pools of melted chocolate chunks.
- The Ultimate Ice Cream Canvas: Served warm straight from the oven with a cold scoop of vanilla ice cream melting over the top.
- Salty-Sweet Perfection: A heavy sprinkle of flaky Maldon sea salt cuts through the rich dark chocolate.
Key Ingredients Overview
- Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder: Provides a deep, rich dark-chocolate color and velvety flavor base.
- Dark or Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks: Chopped chocolate bars melt into dramatic pools better than standard chips.
- Brown Sugar & Melted Butter: Keeps the dough chewy, soft, and moist.
- Flaky Sea Salt (Maldon): Sprinkled over top after baking to balance the sweetness.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1.The Brown Butter & Sugar Whisk:5 min.
Preheat your oven to $175^\circ\text{C}$ ($350^\circ\text{F}$) and grease a 9-inch or 10-inch cast-iron skillet with butter. In a large bowl, whisk ½ cup (1 stick) melted unsalted butter, ¾ cup packed light brown sugar, and ¼ cup granulated white sugar until smooth and shiny.
2.The Egg & Vanilla Emulsion:3 min.
Whisk in 1 large room-temperature egg, 1 extra egg yolk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until the mixture becomes pale, glossy, and slightly thickened.
3.The Cocoa Flour Fold:3 min.
Sift 1 cup all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt directly into the bowl. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until almost combined, then fold in 1 cup chopped dark chocolate chunks (or semi-sweet chocolate chips).
4.The Cast-Iron Bake:20 min.
Spread the thick dough evenly into the prepared cast-iron skillet. Bake at $175^\circ\text{C}$ ($350^\circ\text{F}$) for 18 to 22 minutes until the edges are set and puff up slightly, but the center still wobbles gently when shaken.
5.The Sea Salt & Ice Cream Serve:2 min.
Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt over the top. Let cool for 5 minutes. Top with a massive scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and serve warm straight from the skillet with spoons!
Expert Tips for Success
- Do Not Over-Bake! Skillet cookies continue cooking in the hot cast iron for several minutes after coming out of the oven. Pull it out when the center still looks slightly soft and underdone for a true molten texture.
- Use Chopped Chocolate Bars: Chocolate chips contain stabilizers that help them hold their shape under heat. Chopping a dark chocolate bar creates large, uneven chunks that form gooey, molten pools of chocolate throughout the dough.
- Single-Serve Option: Divide the dough between 3 or 4 mini 4-inch cast-iron skillets or ramekins and reduce the baking time to 12 to 14 minutes!
The Recipe Card
- Prep Time: 12 mins
- Bake Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 32 mins
- Yield: 4 to 6 Servings (One 9-Inch Skillet)
Ingredients:
- The Cookie Dough Base: ½ cup (1 stick) Unsalted Butter (melted), ¾ cup Light Brown Sugar (packed), ¼ cup Granulated White Sugar, 1 Large Egg + 1 Large Egg Yolk, 1 tsp Vanilla Extract, 1 cup All-Purpose Flour, ⅓ cup Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder, ½ tsp Baking Soda, ½ tsp Salt.
- The Mix-Ins & Toppings: 1 cup Dark Chocolate Chunks (chopped bar or chips), 1 tsp Flaky Sea Salt (Maldon), Vanilla Ice Cream (for serving).
Instructions:
Whisk melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until combined. Whisk in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until pale and glossy. Sift in flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; fold until combined, then fold in chocolate chunks. Spread into a greased 9-inch cast-iron skillet. Bake at $175^\circ\text{C}$ ($350^\circ\text{F}$) for 18–22 minutes until edges are set and center wobbles. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, top with vanilla ice cream, and serve warm.
