Brown Butter Double Chocolate Chunk Skillet Pizookie with Sea Salt Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before starting, measure all ingredients and set them out. Brown the butter and let it cool for a few minutes. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a small bowl. Have the chocolate chunks ready to fold in.

Butter the skillet while the oven preheats. The entire process is quick, so having everything ready makes it smooth. If using a kitchen scale, weigh the flour and sugars for accuracy. The dough comes together in one bowl, so cleanup is easy.

Instructions

Brown Butter and Dough

1. 1Brown the butter and mix the dough
   Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter and cook, swirling occasionally, until it foams and turns golden brown with a nutty aroma, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. In a mixing bowl, whisk the browned butter with the brown sugar and white sugar until thick and glossy. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
   Look for The butter should be amber with brown specks and smell nutty. The sugar mixture should look shiny and thick.
   Tip Watch the butter closely—it can go from browned to burnt quickly. Cool it for a few minutes so it doesn't cook the egg.
2. 2Add dry ingredients and chocolate
   Sprinkle the flour and baking soda over the butter mixture. Fold with a rubber spatula until just combined—do not overmix. Gently fold in the dark chocolate chunks and milk chocolate chunks, reserving a few for the top. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky.
   Look for The dough should be uniformly mixed with no dry flour streaks, and the chocolate pieces should be evenly distributed.
   Tip Overmixing develops gluten and makes the pizookie tough. Stop as soon as the flour disappears.

The butter should be foamy and turn a deep amber color with a nutty aroma. The sugar mixture should look glossy and thick.

After adding the egg and vanilla, the batter should be smooth and shiny. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky, with chocolate chunks evenly distributed.

Bake in Skillet

3. 3Press dough into skillet
   Lightly butter an 8-inch cast iron skillet. Transfer the dough into the skillet and press it into an even layer, reaching the edges. Press the reserved chocolate chunks into the top of the dough.
   Look for The dough should be evenly spread and slightly mounded in the center if desired.
   Tip Use slightly wet fingers to press the dough without sticking.
4. 4Bake the pizookie
   Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the pizookie for 18 minutes, until the edges are golden and set, and the center is just barely set but still soft. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.
   Look for The top should be lightly browned, the edges crisp, and the center will look slightly underdone but not raw.
   Safe temperature 160°F (71°C) internal temperature (egg dishes)
   Tip Bake time may vary by oven; start checking at 15 minutes. The center will continue to set as it rests.

The pizookie should be golden brown on the edges and the center should look set but still soft. The kitchen will smell of toasted butter and chocolate. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.

Finish and Serve

5. 5Rest and top with sea salt
   Remove the skillet from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flaky sea salt evenly over the hot pizookie. The residual heat will help the salt adhere.
   Look for The pizookie should be slightly puffed and the chocolate pools should look glossy.
   Tip Resting allows the center to set slightly for cleaner slices, but it should still be gooey.
6. 6Serve with ice cream
   Scoop two generous scoops of vanilla bean ice cream onto the warm pizookie. Serve immediately, letting the ice cream melt into the chocolate. Dig in with a spoon while it's warm.
   Look for The ice cream should start melting slightly, creating a creamy sauce with the chocolate.
   Tip For the best contrast, serve the pizookie warm with cold ice cream.

The pizookie should be slightly puffed and the chocolate pools should look glossy. After sprinkling with sea salt, the top should have a salty crunch. The ice cream should start melting slightly when placed on the warm cookie, creating a creamy sauce.

Common mistakes

One common mistake is overbaking the pizookie until it's dry. The center should be soft and gooey, so pull it out while it still looks slightly underdone. Another mistake is not browning the butter enough—it should be amber with brown specks, not just melted.

Skip the flaky sea salt if you want, but it really enhances the flavor. Also, don't overmix the dough after adding the flour, or the cookie will be tough. Finally, let the pizookie rest for a few minutes before serving—it will be too hot to eat right away.

How to tell it’s done

The pizookie is done when the edges are golden brown and set, and the center is just barely set—it should look slightly soft and underdone, but not raw. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out with moist crumbs attached, not wet batter.

The internal temperature of the egg-based batter should reach at least 160°F (71°C) to ensure the eggs are cooked through. The center will continue to set as it rests, so it's better to pull it out a minute early than to overbake.

• Egg dishes: 160°F (71°C) in the thickest part