The only thing better than chocolate cookies is this Double Chocolate Skillet Cookie! It’s a giant chocolate cookie that’s made in a cast iron skillet and loaded with chocolate chips, pretzels and topped with vanilla ice cream, truly making it the best dessert recipe. 

Who doesn’t want a giant cookie for dessert? This Double Chocolate Skillet Cookie is definitely the way to go the next time you’re craving chocolate. 

This recipe is lightly inspired by my no bake pretzel bars, which are one of my favorite salty-sweet treats. This cookie skillet is richer, and more on the sweet side of things, but with pretzels and chocolate chips throughout for added texture and flavor. 

Recipe features 

• A rich skillet cookie that just so happens to be vegan-friendly (but you’d never know it!)
• Loaded with both chocolate chips and pretzels for a salty-sweet dessert
• A warm chocolate cookie made even better when topped with a scoop (or two!) of vanilla ice cream

Ingredients

This list highlights a few of the main ingredients; the full ingredient list is below in the recipe card.

Flour – I tested this cookie using all purpose flour, so I recommend using that or gluten free 1:1 baking flour. 

Cocoa powder – No substitutes! 

Butter – Can use regular butter or dairy-free butter to keep this vegan if you’d like 

Sugar – A combination of cane sugar (granulated sugar) and light brown sugar works well here. 

Flax eggs – I opted to use flax eggs to keep this vegan. To make flax eggs, simply whisk 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed with 5 tablespoons of water and let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes. If you’re not vegan, you use use regular eggs instead! 

Vanilla extract – No substitution. 

Chocolate chips – Preferably semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips, or chocolate chunks will work as well. 

Pretzels – Optional, but add a nice texture and a bit of saltiness to this otherwise rich recipe 

Instructions

Step 1: Mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, stir the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together and set aside. 

Step 2: Whisk wet ingredients. In a separate large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar and cane sugar together, then add the flax eggs (or regular eggs) and vanilla and stir to combine. 

Step 3: Add melted chocolate. In a microwave-safe bowl (or in a small saucepan), melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil together until smooth, stirring every 30 seconds. Add the melted chocolate to the bowl with the butter and sugar and stir. 

Step 4: Combine. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir together. The batter will be thick and that’s ok! Last, stir in the chocolate chips and pretzels by hand. 

Step 5: Bake. Scoop the cookie dough into a greased cast iron skillet (or other oven-safe skillet), using your hands or a wooden spoon to press it down. Sprinkle the cookie with more chocolate chips and pretzel pieces and bake it for 22-26 minutes. Top the warm cookie with a scoop of ice cream and enjoy! 

Tips and FAQs

• Season your cast iron: What does this mean? Seasoning it ahead of time ensures nothing will stick to it. If your cast iron isn’t already seasoned, spray it with a little nonstick spray, or rub it with a bit of neutral oil (like avocado oil)
• Remove the cookie from the oven as soon as it looks barely set: The cookie will continue to bake in the hot cast iron even once it’s removed from the oven, and we want to ensure the cookie isn’t over-baked

Substitutions:

• Can use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar to lighten this up
• To make this vegan, use flax eggs, vegan butter and dairy-free chocolate chips
• This would also be delicious served with a drizzle of peanut butter overtop

Can this be made ahead of time? 

Yep! Simply prep the dough as instructed, then store the dough in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Then, once you’re ready to bake, press the dough into your cast iron skillet and bake as instructed. 

What are some other add-ins I could include in this skillet cookie? 

So many options! You could add a few tablespoons of peanut butter (or any nut butter), M&M’s, white chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, dried cranberries, chocolate sprinkles, or even a drizzle of my healthy caramel sauce overtop of the baked cookie. 

Storage

Room temperature: Wait for the cookie to cool, then transfer anything that hasn’t already been eaten to an airtight container and store it at room temperature for up to 2 days. 

Refrigerator: If you’ve already added ice cream, store leftovers in a container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

More dessert recipes

• ​Almond Flour Chocolate Cookies
• Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
• No Bake Chocolate Pie

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!