The Best Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
This chocolate chip skillet cookie is basically a giant cookie that’s baked in a cast iron skillet with crispy edges, a gooey center, and topped with vanilla ice cream. It’s vegan, gluten-free, naturally sweetened, and totally meant to be eaten warm, straight from the pan, with a spoon!
Cookie lovers, this one is for you. If you loved my chocolate chip cookies, cookie dough stuffed dates, cookie dough ice cream, or edible cookie dough, you’re going to love this chocolate chip skillet cookie.
If you’ve never had a cookie skillet, allow me to explain, because it’s one of my all-time favorite desserts, and making a vegan and gluten-free version felt absolutely necessary.
Imagine a giant, soft-baked chocolate chip cookie with crispy edges, a gooey center, and pools of melty chocolate throughout. Now imagine it baked in a cast iron skillet, topped with scoops of ice cream, a drizzle of date syrup, and finished with flaky sea salt.
It’s cozy, warm, indulgent, and absolutely meant to be eaten straight from the skillet with a spoon (this is not a wait-for-it-to-cool dessert, if you get what I mean). And yes, this really is the best chocolate chip skillet cookie!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This chocolate chip cookie skillet is basically everything a cookie should be…just supersized.
- Crispy edges, gooey center, and pools of melty chocolate throughout
- One pan, no chilling, minimal cleanup
- Vegan, gluten-free, + naturally sweetened with coconut sugar
- Perfect for sharing
I know, it sounds like the best thing ever, and that’s because it kind of is!
What Is a Skillet Cookie?
A cookie skillet is exactly what it sounds like: one big cookie baked in a cast iron skillet instead of scooped into individual cookies. The cast iron skillet gets super hot in the oven, giving you those crispy edges while keeping the center soft and gooey.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This cookie skillet is made with just a few simple pantry staples, which means you’re already halfway to cookie skillet goodness!
- Almond Flour: Keeps the center soft, tender, and slightly chewy. Use blanched almond flour for the softest texture.
- Oat Flour: Adds a bit of structure so the cookie holds together while still staying soft and gooey. For this recipe in particular, I prefer to use store-bought oat flour since it’s professionally milled and will give you the finest texture, but you can make your own oat flour by blending oats into a flour.
- Ground Flaxseed: Mixed with non-dairy milk to create a flax “egg” that helps bind the dough together.
- Non-Dairy Milk: Any will work (almond, oat, soy, or cashew).
- Coconut Sugar: Naturally sweetens the cookie, adding a crisp texture.
- Almond Butter: To keep the cookie nice and moist. Use a creamy, runny almond butter. Swap for any other nut/seed butter (peanut, cashew, sunflower seed butter).
- Coconut Oil: This keeps the cookie soft and moist. Make sure you use refined coconut oil works so you don’t have any coconut flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: A must!
- Baking Powder + Baking Soda: Creates that perfect soft-and-chewy texture.
- Salt: Just a pinch to bring out all the flavors.
- Dark Chocolate Chips: The star of the show! I love these date-sweetened chocolate chips.
- Toppings: Scoops of vegan vanilla ice cream, flaky sea salt, and a drizzle of date syrup (which isn’t necessary, but also feels very necessary once you try it).
How to Make a Vegan Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
Scroll down to the recipe card to get the full recipe with measurements!
- Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 350°F and grease a 6.5″ cast iron skillet.
- Prepare the flax egg: Whisk the ground flaxseed and non-dairy milk together. Let it sit for 5 minutes to gel and thicken.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flax egg, coconut sugar, melted coconut oil, almond butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients: Stir in the almond flour, oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until a thick cookie dough forms.
- Add chocolate chips: Fold in the chocolate chips (measure with your heart here).
- Bake: Press the dough evenly into a greased cast iron skillet. Sprinkle more chocolate chips on top. Bake for 23-25 minutes, until the edges are golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes before digging in.
- Add the toppings: Serve warm topped with scoops of vanilla ice cream, a drizzle of date syrup, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Megan’s Tips
- Opt for a runny nut butter. You want a nut butter that drips easily off the spoon. A thick or dry nut butter will make the dough too dry and crumbly.
- Use a cast iron skillet (and don’t forget to grease it). This is key to getting that “crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside” situation. I’m using a 6.5 inch cast iron skillet, but an 8 inch would probably work too, just keep an eye on the bake time.
- Let it rest…just a little. Give it about 5-10 minutes to cool before digging in. This helps the center set slightly without losing that gooey texture.
- Serve it warm. This isn’t a “wait until it cools completely” type of dessert. Cookie skillets are meant to be eaten warm, straight from the pan, with a spoon.
- Sprinkle on some flaky sea salt. It balances the sweetness and makes the chocolate flavor really pop.
Serving Your Skillet Cookie
If you ask me, it’s chocolate chip skillet cookie à la mode, always. Top your warm cookie skillet with:
- scoops of your favorite vanilla ice cream
- a drizzle of date syrup or chocolate sauce
- a sprinkle of flaky sea salt
Grab a spoon and dig in while it’s still warm because this is a straight-from-the-skillet type of situation!
This is the kind of dessert you make when you want something cozy, indulgent, and something a little extra fun aside from classic chocolate chip cookies. No scooping/rolling cookie dough. No baking trays. Just one skillet, one cookie, and one very happy you (and others, because it’s meant to be shared!)
craving more? Cookie-Inspired Recipes You’ll Love
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ★★★★★ star rating below letting me know how you liked it! This helps others find my recipes. I appreciate your support, as always. xo, Megan
The Best Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
cookie dough
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- ¼ cup almond butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup almond flour
- ½ cup oat flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegan chocolate chips, plus more for topping
toppings
- vegan vanilla ice cream
- date syrup
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 350°F and grease a 6.5" cast iron skillet.
- Prepare the flax egg: Stir together the ground flaxseed and non-dairy milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes to gel and thicken.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flax egg, coconut sugar, melted coconut oil, almond butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients: Stir in the almond flour, oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until a thick cookie dough forms.
- Add chocolate chips: Fold in the chocolate chips (measure with your heart here).
- Bake: Press the dough evenly into a greased cast iron skillet. Sprinkle more chocolate chips on top. Bake for 23-25 minutes, until the edges are golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes before digging in.
- Add the toppings: Serve warm topped with scoops of vanilla ice cream, a drizzle of date syrup, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Oh my goodness…this really is the best cookie skillet! The edges get so crispy and the middle is the best part!!