Skip baking a full batch and make this warm, gooey Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie instead—perfect for up to four people. Baked in a 6.5-inch cast iron skillet, this small-batch treat gets a nutty, aromatic depth from browned butter and rye flour, while semi-sweet chocolate chips deliver melty pockets of chocolate. It’s quick, simple, and ideal when you want a comforting dessert without a lot of fuss.
Table of Contents
- Ingredients Needed
- Variations / Substitutions
- Baking Tools
- How to Make the Recipe
- Brown Butter Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- Try These Other Chocolate Chip Dessert Recipes!
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie Recipe
This skillet cookie is adapted from a King Arthur Baking rye chocolate chip cookie recipe and is an easy addition to the Beyond the Butter recipe collection. It’s mixed in one medium bowl and baked in a single 6.5-inch cast iron skillet, making cleanup simple.
The browned butter and rye flour are the stars here: they add toasty, nutty notes and a chewy texture with each bite. If you prefer a more classic cookie flavor or need a gluten-free option, substitutions are listed below.
Baked, the cookie develops a golden-brown, slightly crisp edge with a soft, slightly underbaked center full of melted chocolate. A sprinkle of flaky sea salt is a nice finishing touch. This dessert serves up to four people and is ideal when you want a quick, satisfying sweet without making a large batch.
Ingredients Needed
- Unsalted butter. Melt and brown it to develop a rich, nutty flavor.
- Sugars. A mix of light brown sugar and granulated sugar gives the cookie a balanced crisp-chewy texture.
- Baking soda & salt. Small amounts—about 1/8 teaspoon each—are all you need. Use a pinch if you don’t have an 1/8 teaspoon.
- Vanilla extract. Adds warm, aromatic flavor.
- Egg yolk. Use one yolk; reserve the white for another use if you wish.
- Rye flour. Gives a toasty, slightly savory depth and chew. Swap for all-purpose if desired.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips. Larger chips or chunks work well for melty pockets of chocolate.
Variations / Substitutions
All-purpose flour. Replace rye flour cup-for-cup to make a traditional chocolate chip skillet cookie.
Gluten-free flour. Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend if you need a gluten-free version.
Unsalted butter. If you prefer the classic style, you can skip browning and simply melt the butter.
Chocolate chips. Swap semi-sweet chips for milk chocolate, regular-size chips, or chopped chocolate pieces.
Nuts. Optional: fold in 1/4 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds, and reduce chocolate chips to 1/4 cup if adding nuts.
This recipe has not been tested with plant-based butter substitutes, egg replacers, or sugar-free alternatives.
Baking Tools
Essential tools for making this skillet cookie:
- 6.5-inch cast iron skillet. Any brand will work; this size yields a single small skillet cookie.
- Small saucepan. Use a light-colored or stainless steel pan to brown the 1/4 cup of butter evenly.
- Small heatproof bowl. Pour the browned butter into a glass or heatproof bowl immediately after browning.
- Medium mixing bowl. One bowl is all you need to combine the ingredients.
- Whisks & spatulas. Use a whisk for dry ingredients and a spatula for folding in flour and chips.
How to Make the Recipe
Here’s a concise overview of the method. The full recipe card with exact amounts and times appears below.
Step 1 — Brown the butter. In a light-colored saucepan, melt and cook the butter over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it turns light brown and smells nutty. Remove from heat and transfer to a small heatproof bowl.
Step 2 — Mix dry ingredients. Whisk together light brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
Step 3 — Add wet ingredients. Stir in the browned butter, egg yolk, and vanilla until the mixture is soft and slightly gritty in texture.
Step 4 — Add flour. Fold in the rye (or substitute) flour until no streaks remain.
Step 5 — Fold in chocolate chips. Mix in the chips, reserving a few for the top if you like, and optionally sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
Step 6 — Bake. Press the dough into a lightly prepared 6.5-inch skillet and bake at 350°F for 20–22 minutes. The cookie should be golden and puffy at the edges with a slightly soft center. Let cool for 10–15 minutes before serving.
Brown Butter Tips
Use a light-colored or stainless steel pan. It’s easier to see the color change as the butter browns.
Stir continually. Keep the butter moving so it browns evenly and doesn’t burn.
Keep the brown bits. The toasted solids at the bottom add flavor—don’t discard them.
Transfer out of the pan. Pour the browned butter into a glass or heatproof bowl immediately so it stops cooking in the hot pan.
Recipe FAQs
A 6.5-inch cast iron skillet is used for this recipe and yields a single small skillet cookie that serves about four.
Yes. Substitute all-purpose flour cup-for-cup if you prefer a more classic flavor.
Yes. If you skip browning, melt the butter and proceed; the cookie will still be delicious but less toasty in flavor.
The cookie will be puffed and reach near the rim of the skillet, with a medium golden-brown color. The center should be slightly soft for a gooey texture.
It has a crisp, golden edge and a slightly underbaked, gooey center. For an even softer result, reduce the flour slightly.
A 6-inch cake pan or mini skillets may work, but baking time and texture might vary. The recipe was developed for a 6.5-inch cast iron skillet.
Try These Other Chocolate Chip Dessert Recipes!
Banana Chocolate Chip Snack Cake
Chocolate Chip Cake
Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies
Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Coffee Cake
If you try this Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie or any other recipe here, please leave a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments. Thanks for visiting!
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and browned
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 cup medium rye flour
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
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Adjust oven rack to the second position (just above center) and preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 6.5-inch cast iron skillet with a flour-based baking spray and set aside.
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In a small light-colored saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Stir continuously as it foams and then subsides; continue until it turns light brown, becomes aromatic, and brown bits form at the bottom, about 5–6 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately pour into a small heatproof bowl.
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In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt.
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Add the browned butter, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Mix until fully incorporated; the mixture should look soft and slightly gritty with a warm golden color.
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Stir in the rye flour until just combined, then fold in the chocolate chips.
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Press the dough evenly into the prepared skillet and bake at 350°F for 20–22 minutes. The top should be a medium golden brown and puffed, and the cookie will reach near the skillet edges. Add extra chocolate chips on top if desired. Let rest for 10–15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- To make a classic chocolate chip skillet cookie, swap rye flour for the same amount of all-purpose flour.
- Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend to make this gluten-free.
- You can skip browning the butter and simply melt it if you prefer a less toasty flavor.
- Use your preferred chocolate—regular semi-sweet chips, milk chocolate, or chopped chocolate all work well.
- Optional nuts: reduce chocolate chips to 1/4 cup and add 1/4 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary based on the exact ingredients used.