The first time I tried a Pizookie was at BJ’s Brewhouse, where my daughter declared it the only birthday dessert she wanted. She was right. The star of the evening was a warm cookie baked in a personal-sized, deep-dish pizza pan, hence the pizza-cookie name combination and as the server brought out a skillet with a trio of cookies crowned with vanilla ice cream, the edges of the ice cream scoop just beginning to melt into rivulets of creamy sweetness, I wondered how I had lived this long without ever making one at home. and herein lies the problem, once I think I can make it better, there is no going back to that restaurant again…sigh.

Pizookies are incredibly versatile and just about any ingredient can be mixed into the batter, see some of the mix-ins below in the notes. If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet handy at home, it’s completely fine to bake Pizookies in any oven-safe pan.

So the next time you’re staring at your trusty cast-iron skillet and wondering what it’s really capable of, give it a cookie makeover. One bowl, one skillet, and about 20 minutes later, you’ll have a one-pan spectacular, sharable dessert that feels like a celebration, whether it’s a Tuesday night or your kid’s birthday.

Now, go. Grab that skillet. Bake that cookie.

The quantity of cookie dough is enough for two skillet cookies. Make one batch and freeze half the dough for another day.  The cookie dough can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days or frozen up to 3 months.  Imagine the joy of pulling a ready-to-bake cookie from the freezer when you need something sweet and gather around the table, spoons in hand, until digging into the crunchy, caramelized edges, a warm and gooey center and scraping the the skillet empty.

• 1 cup salted or unsalted butter softened
• ³⁄₄ cup granulated sugar
• ³⁄₄ cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 ¹⁄₄ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or divide the dough in half add white chocolate chips or walnuts or any of the mix-ins listed below in the notes.
• Ice cream for topping
• Chocolate sauce or caramel sauce – drizzle

I use the Lodge Mini Skillet, 5-inch

1. Preheat oven to 350°. 
   
   
2. Mist two 5 -inch mini skillets or a  Hexclad 7-inch or 8 inch pan with cooking spray. 
   
   
3. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. 
   
   
4. Cream together butter and sugars in a large bowl 2 to 3 minutes or until light, and mixture runs off whisk in a ribbon fashion when lifted from bowl.
   
   
5. Beat in eggs one at at time, mixing well after each addition, then whisk in the vanilla.
   
   
6. Add flour, baking soda, and salt, and stir using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until flour is just incorporated. 
   
   
7. Add 1 ½ cups of the chocolate chips and fold until evenly distributed. 
   
   
8. Scrape dough into prepared skillets and smooth out the tops with a spatula. 
   
   
9. Sprinkle the top with remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips.
   
   
10. Bake until cookie is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 minutes for small skillets and 28-30 minutes for larger skillets.
    
    
11. Let cool at least 5 minutes before serving. 
    
    
12. Serve topped with ice cream and chocolate or caramel sauce.

Notes:

• The Skillet: A well-seasoned cast-iron skillet is the star here, but an oven-safe pan works too. 
  
• Under-Bake for Gooey Perfection: Pull it out of the oven when the edges are golden, but the center still looks a little soft. 
  
• Pantry Staples: Butter, sugar, eggs, flour and chocolate chips—no fancy ingredients here. You’re ready to whip this up anytime dessert cravings strike.
  
• Effortless Dessert Magic: No need to portion dough or bake in batches. Just mix, spread, and bake. 
  
• One-Pan Wonder: Fewer dishes, more cookie. It’s a philosophy we can all get behind.
  
• Customizable to the Core: Add walnuts, pecans, or any nuts you fancy for crunch. Feeling extra fancy? Drizzle caramel or chocolate sauce over the top. Substitute milk chocolate with white chocolate or butterscotch chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips. Try to add them in different sizes too, like mini chocolate chips or chocolate chunks.
  
  Watch me make it!

Get Creative with Your Pizookie

The beauty of the skillet cookie—aka pizookie—is its endless adaptability. Look at this recipe as blank slate. Stir in different nuts or chocolates, mix up your mix-ins, try different toppings. The beauty of pizookies is how customizable they are. Whether you’re in the mood for nostalgic flavors like gulab jamun or bold twists like matcha or churros, there’s no limit to how you can reinvent this dessert. Just like how Indian restaurants offer gulab jamun with ice cream, your cast-iron skillet is the perfect canvas for these sweet experiments:

Gulab Jamun Pizookie

• Take the warm, syrupy magic of gulab jamun and merge it with a skillet cookie! Add cardamom and a touch of rose water to the cookie dough for that iconic Indian flavor. Top the baked cookie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and garnish with crushed pistachios and a drizzle of saffron syrup.

Churro Pizookie

• Think churros but in cookie form! Add a pinch of cinnamon to the dough, bake, and sprinkle the warm cookie with a cinnamon-sugar mix. Serve with a drizzle of dulce de leche or chocolate sauce.

Matcha White Chocolate Pizookie

• Give it a Japanese twist with matcha (green tea powder) mixed into the dough and chunks of white chocolate for sweetness. It’s earthy, vibrant, and Instagram-ready!

Tiramisu Pizookie

• A coffee-flavored cookie dough with chocolate chunks, topped with a layer of mascarpone whipped cream and dusted with cocoa powder. It’s like Italy in a skillet.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Pizookie

• Mix peanut butter into the dough, add slices of banana and chocolate chips, and bake. Serve with a drizzle of caramel and a sprinkle of crushed peanuts.

Apple Cinnamon or Pear Crumble Pizookie

• Fold chunks of spiced apples (Red Delicious, McIntosh,Braeburn, Fuji)  or pears (Bartlett, Bosc, Comice or Anjou) into the dough and top with a streusel-like crumble before baking. Add vanilla ice cream and caramel drizzle for that ultimate fall vibe.

Salted Pretzel Skillet Cookie – add some chopped pretzels.

Have you tried a Pizookie before or did I inspire you to try this recipe?!

I would love to hear your experience and see your remake, tag me@spicymemsahib