I’ve hosted my fair share of gatherings, so I know a thing or two about striving to have something to accommodate every palate. It’s not always easy, but certainly understandable when you encounter the usual aversions, like my non-cheese-eating husband, those who can’t stand seafood, or even people that dislike spicy dishes. Nowadays, it’s always important to consider dietary restrictions like gluten and peanut allergies, or event dietary practices, like vegetarians and vegans. I have even moved past the campaigning for certain items when friends and family simply think they don’t like something, with the exception of Joe and his abhorrence for cheese; I will never give up that fight.

Out of the many things people can’t or won’t eat, I can only thing of a handful of things that everyone loves; chocolate chip cookies top the list. There’s something about even the mere thought of a fresh baked batch that can change one’s mood. They’re incredibly easy to make, extremely reliable as a sweet snack, and altogether timeless. While there may be many versions of the recipe in existence, the major components rarely change.  At the same time though, most of us are devoted to just one recipe for the classic cookie. Whether it’s the one passed down by your great-grandmother or the one on the back of the bag of chocolate chips, they bring about the same warm, happy sentiments.

This recipe takes a traditional chocolate chip cookie to the next level by baking it in a skillet. The giant dessert is perfect for sharing, or even just saving for yourself.

Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie

Cookie recipe from Cook’s Illustrated

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

14 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the skillet

¾ cup dark brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 egg

1 egg yolk

10 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and rub a small amount of butter into 12” skillet. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda and set aside. Heat 10 tablespoons of the butter in a small stainless steel or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling the pan constantly until the butter is dark golden brown and has a nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and transfer the browned butter to a large heatproof bowl. Stir the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter into the hot browned butter until completely melted. Set aside and let cool to room temperature. Add sugars, salt, and vanilla to the bowl with the butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add the egg and egg yolk and whisk until the mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let the mixture stand for 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat the process of resting and whisking 2 more times until the mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in the flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in the chocolate chips and give the dough a final stir to ensure there are no hidden flour pockets. Pour the dough into the 12”skillet, spreading it evenly and pressing it into the bottom. Place on the middle rack of oven and cook for approximately 20 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for several minutes before serving.

The chocolate chip cookie recipe itself is one of the best around, from Cook’s Illustrated, and is delicious as typically prepared, in tablespoon-sized dollops to make individual cookies. This skillet version, I think, is even better, as putting all the dough into one large pan saves time, meaning your minutes closer to eating your tasty treat. It also avoids the hassle of loading of several baking sheets and alternating them in and out of the oven. Though it’s a bit more tedious than the traditional chocolate chip cookie recipe, the extra step of browning a majority of the butter creates a rich flavor; be sure to keep an eye on it during the melting process, though, making sure it does not burn. Whipping the dough base, pre-flour, and taking breaks in between thickens and smoothes the ingredients, and even fluffs the cookie up a bit. The end result is the perfect combination of soft on the inside and slightly crispy on the outside.

Though I had plenty of this giant skillet cookie, I had enough to share with Joe and friends from his soccer team. It was a drastic difference to the traditional orange wedges at half time, but it certainly helped them perk back up after their two games. While I basked in the glow of the compliments that followed, I think I was even happier at the thought of having to wash only one skillet as opposed to multiple baking sheets, which is just as nice as the warm, happy sentiments induced from one bite of this skillet chocolate chip cookie.