Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet

This Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet is the ultimate way to satisfy a cookie craving. It can either be enjoyed warm from the pan with a scoop of your favorite frozen dessert or ice cream or allowed to cool and cut into bars for snacking and tucking into lunch boxes. Even if you’re not vegan, we promise you’ll love this cookie skillet!

Can you even?!

That’s exactly how we feel about this Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet when it’s served warm from the oven with a few spoons for sharing. A slightly crisp crust gives way to a gooey, chocolaty middle with each spoonful and the sprinkle of sea salt is literally sweet and salty heaven. While it’s not necessary to make this in a cast-iron skillet – it can be made in a square baking pan – there’s just something about the skillet that raises the cozy-comfy rating of this cookie skillet several notches.

The best part – besides being a giant vegan chocolate chip cookie in a pan – is that it’s free of dairy, eggs, and nuts and can be made gluten-free without affecting the taste or texture. It really is a cookie-lovers dream come true!

Call it what you will

A giant vegan chocolate chip cookie. A vegan blondie. Even a vegan tahini blondie since we used tahini where we would have usually used nut butter to make this treat nut-free for all to enjoy. They’re all interchangeable here so no matter that you call it, it’s about to become your new go-to dessert when you’re in the mood for something decadent yet simple and familiar.

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Ingredients for Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet

• All-purpose flour – For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour such as Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour or King Arthur Baking Company Gluten-Free Measure-for-Measure flour
• Dark chocolate chunks – We like these chocolate chunks from Enjoy Life because they’re free 0f the top 8 allergens but chocolate chips will also work
• Tahini – Tahini, a paste made from ground sesame seeds, is usually found next to the nut butter at your local grocery store. If you don’t find it there, check the aisle the ‘international’ foods aisle as it’s sometimes hiding there. If you don’t need this Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet to be nut-free, you can substitute your favorite nut butter of choice for the tahini
• Coconut oil or vegan butter –  Look for vegan butter in the dairy-aisle of well-stocked grocery or specialty stores. May substitute butter if not dairy-free or vegan.
• Brown sugar – Brown sugar gives this cookie skillet a nice caramelly flavor and keeps the crumb tender. Coconut sugar can be used in place of brown sugar but will make the cookie a little crispier.
• Non-dairy milk of choice – Any non-dairy milk will work in this recipe. For a nut-free option, we recommend oat, rice, hemp, or flax milk.
• Vanilla 
• Baking powder 
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Flaky sea salt – While not necessary for the recipe itself, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt takes this Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet over the top. We love Maldon Sea Salt Flakes for a finishing touch to baked goods and other dishes. 

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How to Make a Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet

First things first: Decide if you’ll be making your giant cookie in a skillet or as bars in a baking dish. If you don’t already have a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, let this be your excuse to get one. They are SUPER VERSATILE, nearly indestructible, long-lasting (plan on passing them onto your kids), and inexpensive. Of course, an 8×8-inch square baking pan also works (so will a 9×9-inch pan, they’ll just be a little thinner) and bake a little faster.

Step 1: Preheat the oven and prepare your pan. If using a cast-iron skillet that isn’t well seasoned, a little avocado oil spray or some vegan butter or coconut oil will do the trick. If you’re using a baking pan, line the pan with parchment paper so you can easily lift the cookie out of the pan to cool and cut into squares.

Step 2: Beat the softened butter (or coconut oil) with the brown sugar, milk, tahini, and vanilla extract until it’s smooth and fluffy. Then add all of the dry ingredients (with the exception of the chocolate chunks) and mix on low speed until a soft dough forms.

Step 3: Stir in the chocolate chunks. Spread the dough into the prepared skillet or pan and bake until the edges are golden brown and the center is set, about 24-27 minutes.

Step 4: Remove skillet or pan from the oven and sprinkle with sea salt flakes, if using. Allow cookie skillet to cool completely if planning to slice into bars or top with your favorite ice cream, frozen dessert, whipped topping, etc. and serve warm.

How to Serve a Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet

• Top with your favorite dairy-free ice cream or frozen dessert (we love the new Alden’s Dairy-Free frozen dessert,  but also like NadaMoo, Coconut Bliss, So Delicious!, and Ben & Jerry’s dairy-free and vegan flavors…just to give you some options!)
• Top with vanilla or coffee-flavored ice cream if you don’t need it to be vegan (Alden’s Organic Vanilla Bean and Coffee Chip are favorites around here – both are organic and egg-free)
• Top with whipped non-dairy topping
• Or just eat them plain with a generous sprinkle of flaky sea salt!

Can I Make This If I’m Not Vegan?

Absolutely! This Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet isn’t just for those avoiding animal products – it’s for EVERYONE. Any day of the week – whenever that warm, homemade chocolate chip cookie urge strikes. Just swap out the vegan butter or coconut oil for unsalted butter and replace the non-dairy milk with the milk of your choice.

How to Store Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet

Wait, you have leftovers to store?! Though that seems highly implausible given how incredibly delicious this giant, skillet-sized vegan chocolate chip cookie is we know you’ll want to know how to store any leftovers so here’s how:

• Once completely cooled, slice the cookie into wedges or squares and place in a large covered container with a tight-fitting lid
• Store on the counter for up to 3 days, in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Other healthier treat recipes you’ll love!

• No-Bake Peanut Butter Crunch Bars
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies
• Flourless Monster Cookie Bars
• Paleo Almond Joy Protein Bites
• 4-Ingredient Scotcharoo Bites

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Let's Get Cookin'

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie

• Author: Jessica Beacom
• Prep Time: 15 mins.
• Cook Time: 24-27 mins.
• Total Time: 40-45 mins.
• Yield: Serves 12 1x
• Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Vegan, Nut-Free

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (may substitute a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour)
• ¾ tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ⅛ tsp. baking soda
• 8 Tbsp. (4 oz.) coconut oil or vegan butter, softened (may substitute butter if not dairy-free or vegan)
• ⅔ cup brown sugar, packed
• 3 Tbsp. non-dairy milk of choice (Increase to 4 Tbsp. if using all-purpose flour)
• 3 Tbsp. tahini (or nut butter of choice)
• 1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup dark chocolate chunks + more for pressing into the top
• Flaky sea salt for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350℉. Lightly grease a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with cooking spray or butter (or line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper) and set aside. 
2. In a medium bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer) combine the softened butter, brown sugar, milk, tahini, and vanilla extract. Using a handheld electric mixer or stand mixer, beat until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. 
3. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda to the bowl and slowly beat until combined and a very soft dough forms.
4. Fold the chocolate chunks into the dough. 
5. Spread the batter into the prepared skillet or baking pan. 
6. Bake for 24-27 minutes, checking at the 20-minute mark, or until the edges are golden brown, the center is set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
7. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. 
8. Allow cookie to cool in the pan on a wire rack completely if planning to slice into bars or top with ice cream and enjoy warm. 

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 bar/wedge (pan cut into 12 bars)
• Calories: 235
• Sugar: 17g
• Sodium: 90mg
• Fat: 13g
• Saturated Fat: 7g
• Carbohydrates: 28g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 3g

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Photo Credit: The photos in this blog post were taken by Jess of Plays Well with Butter.