Instead of watching the new episode of Glee... I'm writing about a really big chocolate chip cookie.
I don't even know who I am sometimes. I need to get my priorities in check.
But this isn't just a really big cookie... it's a GIANT cookie, baked in a cast-iron skillet. Because nothing says fall like baking things in a cast-iron skillet.
(Plus it kind of makes me feel like I'm on the Oregon Trail.)
To me, there's two kinds of fall baking.
1. The kind of baking that takes all day and makes you feel totally in control of your life... and kind of like a rockstar. We're talking hard. work. Kneading things. Whisking things. Probably some kind of apples or cinnamon or pumpkin. Fancy breads. Pumpkin rolls. Pies. Creme brulee.
Okay, I'm not entirely sure about the creme brulee, but it sounds legit. And I would totally feel like a rockstar wielding a kitchen torch.
2. And fall baking that requires absolutely no work, no time, and no trips to store (<-- most important). Baking that pretty much bakes itself while you're curled up under a pile of blankets, watching a Charmed marathon, drinking pumpkin lattes, and pretending it's snowing outside when really it's 80 degrees, but it's September and you're determined to live right.
This is that baking.
This. Is a chocolate chip cookie.
A chocolate chip cookie the size of personal pan pizza, if by "personal pan pizza" you mean stuffed-crust and exta-large and in my face.
It's an inch thick...
.... which makes it more of a rich cookie-brownie than an actual cookie. It has crispy edges and a soft, chewy center... and yeah, maybe it's delicious with vanilla ice cream, a drizzle of chocolate syrup, and a spoonful of salted caramel.
Or dipped in pumpkin latte.
That's weird. Don't do that. I did that.
P.S. Don't have a cast-iron skillet? Use the recipe below for a 10-inch cookie & bake it in a 9-inch springform pan. Fancy! It's like cheesecake, but not.
P.P.S. This definitely happened.
At least one of us has our priorities in check.
Skillet-Baked Chocolate Chip Cookie
For A 10-Inch Skillet
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks or 12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (about 9 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
For a 13-Inch Skillet
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 sticks (18 tablespoons) of unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/8 cups light brown sugar
1 extra-large egg, at room temperature
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until well incorporated. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Transfer the dough to an ovenproof skillet (I used a 13-inch cast iron skillet) and press to flatten in an even layer on the bottom of the pan (dough might be a little crumbly, but it'll bake up perfectly once flattened down).
Bake until the edges of the cookie are brown and the top is golden, about 40-45 minutes. Don't overbake it; it will continue to cook a few minutes out of the oven.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving. Best if served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. Enjoy!
Source: Tracey's Culinary Adventures.
