Chunky Monkey Oatmeal Cookie Skillet (View Print Version)

Warm oatmeal skillet with bananas, chocolate chips, and walnuts. Baked until golden and served straight from the pan.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
07 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
08 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1 large egg
10 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
11 - 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed

→ Mix-Ins

12 - 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
13 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
14 - 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, optional

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together oats, flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Whisk until smooth and well blended.
04 - Add egg and vanilla extract to the wet mixture and whisk thoroughly. Stir in mashed bananas until fully combined.
05 - Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated, being careful not to overmix.
06 - Gently fold in chocolate chips, walnuts, and coconut if desired, distributing evenly throughout the dough.
07 - Spread dough evenly into the prepared cast-iron skillet, smoothing the top with a spatula.
08 - Bake for 20 to 24 minutes until the top is golden brown and edges are set, with the center remaining slightly soft.
09 - Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Slice and serve warm directly from the skillet, optionally topped with ice cream.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The whole skillet comes together in under 40 minutes, which means you can go from craving sweets to serving them warm without waiting hours.
  • Baked in cast iron, it stays warm and fudgy in the center, so everyone can tear off a piece straight from the pan like you're gathered around something special.
  • It's naturally forgiving—slight variations in banana ripeness or nut sizes won't derail you, making it perfect when you're cooking on instinct rather than precision.
02 -
  • Banana ripeness matters more than you'd think; overly green bananas don't mash smoothly and leave fibrous bits, while very brown ones add extra sweetness that throws off the balance.
  • Don't open the oven door before minute 18—cast iron holds heat so well that opening it early can cause the cookie to deflate unexpectedly.
  • The cookie will feel soft when it comes out, and that's exactly right; it firms up as it cools, becoming that perfect chewy texture rather than cake-like.
03 -
  • Let your melted butter cool for just a minute before whisking it into your sugar and egg—this small pause keeps the egg from cooking and gives you a silky, emulsified base that helps the whole cookie turn out tender.
  • If your bananas release a lot of liquid as you mash them, let that liquid drain into a fine-mesh sieve for a minute; excess moisture is the enemy of good texture and can turn your cookie soggy.
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