Save There's something about the smell of banana and chocolate mingling in a cast-iron skillet that instantly makes a kitchen feel like home. My neighbor stopped by one afternoon with overripe bananas she was about to toss, and instead of letting them go to waste, I thought: why not turn them into something we could share warm, straight from the pan? That's how this Chunky Monkey skillet cookie came to life—part impulse, part inspiration, entirely worth it.
I made this for a small dinner party last fall when the air finally turned crisp, and watching my friends tear into warm slices topped with vanilla ice cream—the way it melted right into those chocolate chips—made me realize this wasn't just a dessert, it was a moment. Nobody wanted to leave the kitchen that night.
Ingredients
- Old-fashioned rolled oats (1 1/2 cups): These give structure and chewiness; instant oats will make the texture gummy, so don't skip the old-fashioned kind.
- All-purpose flour (1 cup): It's the backbone that holds everything together without weighing down the cookie.
- Baking soda (1/2 teaspoon): This activates with the bananas and eggs to create that tender, slightly cakey crumb.
- Salt (1/2 teaspoon): A small amount amplifies all the other flavors and keeps the sweetness from becoming cloying.
- Ground cinnamon (1/2 teaspoon): It adds warmth and complexity that makes you wonder what that extra something is.
- Unsalted butter, melted (1/2 cup): Melted butter incorporates smoothly into the wet mixture and creates a richer texture than cold butter.
- Light brown sugar and granulated sugar (3/4 cup combined): The mix of brown and white creates caramel notes while keeping the cookie from spreading too much.
- Large egg: One egg is enough to bind everything without making it dense.
- Vanilla extract (2 teaspoons): A generous amount because it's subtle in a cookie and worth the investment in quality vanilla.
- Ripe mashed bananas (about 1 cup): The more yellow-brown the peel, the sweeter and more aromatic they'll be for baking.
- Semisweet chocolate chips (1/2 cup): They stay defined during baking rather than melting completely, which is exactly what you want here.
- Chopped walnuts (1/2 cup): Raw walnuts give a slightly bitter contrast to the sweetness; if you prefer milder nuts, toast them first.
- Unsweetened shredded coconut (1/4 cup, optional): It adds textural surprise and a hint of tropical flavor that feels unexpected in a banana cookie.
Instructions
- Set up your oven and skillet:
- Preheat to 350°F and butter a 10-inch cast-iron skillet until every corner is coated. Cast iron conducts heat beautifully and gives the edges that golden-brown crispness you're after.
- Build your dry base:
- Whisk oats, flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in a large bowl. This distributes the leavening evenly so the cookie rises gently and uniformly.
- Create the wet mixture:
- In another bowl, whisk melted butter with both sugars until completely smooth, then add the egg and vanilla. You'll feel the mixture lighten slightly as you whisk, which means the egg is incorporating properly.
- Introduce the bananas:
- Stir the mashed bananas into the wet mixture until no streaks remain. Mashed bananas should be fairly smooth, but small lumps are fine.
- Combine wet and dry:
- Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until just combined. Overmixing develops gluten, which makes the cookie tough, so stop folding as soon as you don't see white flour streaks.
- Fold in the mix-ins:
- Add chocolate chips, walnuts, and coconut with a gentle hand, giving the dough only a few folds to distribute them. The cocoa butter in the chips should stay intact, not smeared throughout the dough.
- Spread and bake:
- Transfer the dough to your prepared skillet and use a spatula to press it into an even layer. Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, watching until the top turns golden and the edges set while the very center still jiggles slightly when you move the pan.
- Cool before serving:
- Let the skillet rest for 10 minutes on a cooling rack. This time allows the structure to set enough that slices hold together, but the cookie is still warm enough to eat with a spoon or slice cleanly.
Save There's a moment, right when you crack open that warm skillet and the steam rises, when you understand why cast iron has been passed down for generations. It's not just a tool—it's a way of serving food that says you care enough to cook it right in front of people you like.
Why Cast Iron Matters Here
Cast iron distributes heat so evenly that your edges crisp up while the center stays tender, and the skillet itself becomes your serving vessel. There's no transferring to a plate, no trying to slice a fragile cookie into uniform pieces—you just hand people a warm slice straight from where it baked. Plus, every time you use that skillet, it gets better seasoned, and this cookie benefits from that seasoning in ways you don't fully taste but absolutely feel.
Variations Worth Trying
The beauty of this recipe is how it adapts to what you have on hand or what you're craving. Swap the walnuts for sunflower seeds if you need nut-free, or throw in peanut butter chips instead of chocolate for an entirely different flavor profile that still honors that Chunky Monkey spirit. I've added shredded coconut on days when I'm feeling tropical, and other times I've left it out entirely. The banana and oats are the foundation; everything else is negotiable.
- Toast your walnuts first if you have five extra minutes—it deepens their flavor and makes them taste less like an afterthought.
- Brown sugar over granulated sugar if you want more moisture and a toffee-like sweetness.
- A pinch of nutmeg alongside the cinnamon adds complexity that feels sophisticated without being obvious.
Storage and Reheating
Leftover skillet cookie keeps for three days covered on the counter, and honestly, it's almost better the next day when the flavors have melded together. To refresh it, pop a slice back into a warm skillet for just a minute or two, and it tastes nearly as good as it did fresh from the oven. The refrigerator will dry it out, so don't bother—room temperature is your friend here.
Save Bake this when you want the kitchen to smell like comfort, or when you need an excuse to gather people around something warm and shared. It's the kind of dessert that reminds you why cast iron has endured for centuries.
Recipe FAQ
- → Can I make this skillet cookie ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the dough ahead and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. Add 2-3 minutes to the baking time if baking chilled dough.
- → What's the best way to reheat leftovers?
Gently reheat slices in the skillet over low heat for 5 minutes, or warm individual portions in the microwave for 20-30 seconds until heated through.
- → Can I use quick oats instead of old-fashioned rolled oats?
Old-fashioned oats provide better texture and chewiness. Quick oats will work but may result in a softer, less textured final product.
- → How do I know when the skillet cookie is done baking?
The edges should be golden brown and set, while the center may still appear slightly soft. It will continue cooking as it cools for 10 minutes.
- → Can I freeze this skillet cookie?
Yes, wrap the completely cooled skillet cookie tightly in plastic and foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature before reheating.