Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie

I made this last night, not knowing that today is National Chocolate Chip Day. Really? National Chocolate Chip Day, we all ask skeptically? Yes, everyone. Really. I'd like to say that I knew about this contrived holiday(?) beforehand, but sadly, I'm not that cool. You guys deserve better, I guess, but I'm all you're gonna get. From this blog, anyway.

So, on to the cookie. This is a giant cookie, probably more "cookie cake," actually. It's a favorite among my friends and I think it's perfect for entertaining. It's easy to make (bonus!) and only dirties a few utensils and one cast-iron skillet, so there aren't a lot of dishes to clean afterward (double bonus, am I right?). I'm pretty sure you can make this if you don't have a cast-iron skillet. You'd just heat the ingredients in a regular pan and then pour it into a baking dish instead of sticking the pan in the oven.

I can't remember the first time I made this dessert, but the last time I made it was for my brother's birthday. He wanted a "cookie that looked like a cake, shaped like a pie." Little did he know, I had this beauty in my back pocket. It's cookie dough batter that rises to a respectable height (which makes it look like a cake) and is baked in a round skillet and cut into wedges to serve (like a pie). So yeah, it's awesome. I like it with whipped cream, my brother likes it with milk, and almost everyone else like it best a la mode, with a scoop or two of ice cream. I've also made it with half chocolate chips and half toffee bits and it's pretty delicious that way too.

I have a giant cast-iron skillet, so it forces me to make a mondo-cookie. Yes, forces me. If you have a smaller skillet, say 6- to 8-inches in diameter, I would halve this recipe and it would probably take half the time to bake too. With my 12-inch skillet, this makes for a nice, thick cookie-cake-pie. I used chocolate chips, because that's what I had on hand, but it's even better if you chop up some chocolate yourself. The shards and chunks and specks of chocolate make it seem even more chocolatey. Also, the darker the chocolate, the better. I used semi-sweet this time, and I think that makes the dessert a little too sweet. Maybe. Dealer's choice though, you go ahead and use what you like.

So, get yourself in the kitchen, man/woman/unicorn/special snowflake! This cookie is worth it!

Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
(serves 10-14 people)
lightly adapted from Tasty Kitchen

Ingredients

2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 to 2 cups chopped dark chocolate (I know this sounds crazy, but I prefer going with less chocolate)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a cast-iron skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. When the butter has melted and foamed a bit, turn the skillet to low and stir in the sugars. Let them hang out in the pan on the heat for a minute or two and then take the skillet off the heat and stir in the cinnamon and vanilla.

Let the pan cool until it's no longer super hot, just warm to the touch. This is when you can stir in the eggs with a fork or whisk.When the egg is incorporated, dump in the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring until it nicely mixed. Stir in the chocolate and then place in the oven. Cooking time varies, but for my giant skillet cookie, I'd recommend about 40-45 minutes, beginning to check in every five minutes or so at the 30-minute mark. You want it golden on the top and edges, but a little soft in the center. Of course, i

You can serve it right away, preferably with a scoop of whipped cream or ice cream.