I first got the idea for this cookie the other night when I knew I wanted to bake but couldn’t decide what. I thought, maybe chocolate chip cookies, but I didn’t really want to make chocolate chip cookies… We’ve all been there, right?

While I toyed around with making my go-to, tried-and-true choco chip cookie recipe (my husband’s favorite) I realized I didn’t have chocolate chips. Plus, my beautiful, new cast iron skillet we got for our wedding was calling my name. I’ve made cookie cakes before so figured an extra large cookie in a skillet would be doable. I wanted to use a specific type of chocolate and only had a limited amount of sugar, so I tinkered until the dough tasted like heaven. (Yes, I do eat raw cookie dough, judge me as you will.) I also decided to photograph the whole process so it took about 5 times longer to make said cookie than it normally would have. (Side note: People – bloggers, photographers, creatives – who do these things for a living do not get enough credit. It really does take SO LONG to get the styling right and the lighting just so, and what if you spill sugar all over the counter and subsequently on the floor (asking for a friend), and then there is all of the clean-up after your done said styling and photographing and cooking…)

But I digress.

Back to this cookie. It’s got that amazing soft, chewy, still-doughy-like quality of those cookie cakes I’ve always loved. It puffs up, turns golden brown, and the chocolate melts just the right amount but still holds up. Sean did say that he thought it could use even MORE chocolate, so I think next time I’ll use an entire bar instead of the 3/4 of a bar that I mixed in this time. I used a Lindt CLASSIC RECIPE Milk Chocolate bar  (because, duh.) I’m probably biased but it really is the best chocolate, especially if you are looking for a chocolate chip alternative.

This skillet cookie was, in short, incredible. It could easily feed 8 people with decent-sized slices, but that didn’t stop Sean and me from polishing it off in a matter of 3 days…

So what if you’d rather not use milk chocolate? Gotcha covered – I’ve already got a few other variations of this recipe in my head, just by switching out the chocolate you use. Like, how amazing would a dark chocolate sea salt cookie skillet be? Or a truffle cookie skillet?? The possibilities are endless. For even more decadence, maybe melt some extra chocolate, drizzle it over individual cookie pieces and serve it warm and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Boom, fancy dessert done. Now excuse me while I go plan a whole dinner party around this cookie.

Chocolate Chunk Deep Dish Skillet Cookie

Serves: 8 (or 2 over the course of 3 days…)

Ingredients:

• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
• ½ cup white granulated sugar
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• 1 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (3.5oz) bar Lindt CLASSIC RECIPE Milk Chocolate, chopped into large chunks

How-To:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9-inch cast iron skillet.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and both sugars until combined and fluffy.
3. Add in the egg and vanilla extract. Mix on low speed until combined.
4. Slowly add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix thoroughly.
5. Gently stir in the chocolate chunks until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
6. Place cookie dough into the cast iron skillet and spread around with clean, damp hands into an even layer. (Note: This dough is a little sticky.)
7. Add extra chocolate chunks on top and gently press them into dough.
8. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
9. Cool completely before slicing.

What chocolate combination would your ideal skillet cookie have?