skillet cookie
 
I'm all for making stuff in my old cast iron pan—it's a well-used and well-loved beast of my kitchen. I use my pan for almost everything, from a batch of cornbread to frying up eggs in the morning. And because I hate doing the dishes, I appreciate the ease of a cast iron skillet. Despite the fuss about reseasoning (which you might only need to do once a year or so), there's no soap involved. Somehow that fact makes it feel like I'm taking a shortcut when doing the dishes: just lightly scrub, rinse and dry and I'm good to go. 
 
But all of my cast iron laziness had me wondering about about its cleanliness. Could I go from a roasted salmon dinner to baking up something sweet in the same evening? My curiosity grew stronger when I spotted 101 Cookbooks' recipe for a chocolate chip cookie baked in a cast iron skillet. Would my chocolate chip cookie taste like salmon? I was worried, but the lure of the chocolate chip cookie was too strong and I decided to throw caution to the wind. I scrubbed my pan of all the nasty fish scales and fish grease, gave it a good sniff and decided that it was good to go. 
 
walnut heart
 
The cookie itself was easy to make and I loved that it called for cold butter (I threw out my microwave, remember?) so there was no need to wait until my butter got to room temperature. It also has the benefit of using whole wheat flour, so you can almost fool yourself that this recipe is healthy. Almost. There's some serious chocolate chip action going on and I added in some walnuts for crunch. 
 
skillet cookie
 
When I went for my first slice, I was surprised that it was more like a blondie than a traditional cookie. It's not crunchy or crispy, but it's a whole different kind of cookie-ish monster. I really liked the flavor of the whole wheat flour—it lends a bit of nuttiness, which is a nice counterpoint to all that sugar. Unfortunately, I did end up over-baking this batch. I would have loved a gooey, slightly soft center, but this cookie had some sturdy legs. Not that it hindered my enjoyment, because I do plan on making this again real soon...just with 5 minutes less baking time. 
 
As for any detectable fishiness? None. Nothing. Nada. Cast iron skillet, is there anything you can't do?
 
cookie in a skillet
 
Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
(recipe adapted from 101 Cookbooks)
 
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup cold butter, cubed + more for pan
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
 
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease your 9" - 11" skillet with butter and set aside. 
 
In one bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. 
 
In another large bowl, use the paddle attachment of your mixer to beat together the butter and sugars on low speed until blended. Add in the eggs, one at a time, until each is combined. Add the vanilla. Pour in the flour mixture and beat on over low speed until just combined. Add in the chocolate chips and walnuts and stir until mixed. 
 
Dump the cookie dough into the greased skillet and press it out into an even layer. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until dough is golden brown along the edges and the center has set. Remove from oven and let it cool for a bit before slicing. Makes as many cookies as you feel like slicing.

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