10/17

(Giant) Skillet Brownie

Desserts, Food, Sweet
By Emma Chapman

Best ever skillet brownie (click through for recipe) I was just thinking the other day, “I don’t make brownies nearly as much as I should.” I feel like I’ve been neglecting this dessert group. And as a massive chocolate-lover, I have no good excuse. I mean, brownies are awesome! If you bake much at all, then you probably already have all the ingredients you’ll need. Also it takes minimal dirtying of dishes as well as baking skills to make brownies. 

Can you stir? Good, then you can totally make brownies.

Best ever skillet brownie (click through for recipe) What’s fun about this particular recipe is it’s the perfect amount of batter to bake in a twelve inch cast-iron skillet. You’ve probably noticed that I use my cast iron skillet a lot. It’s one of my most beloved kitchen items. Honestly, it reminds me of great-grandma, Lula. She was from Oklahoma and a definite foodie. Her style was very good-ol’-country-cookin’ and I think our tastes very much align. 🙂 Anyway, she was a cast-iron gal too, so I’m just following in her footsteps. 

Enough about (awesome) grandmas, let’s bake some brownies.

Brownie batter(Giant) Skillet Brownie, makes one for a 12 inch cast iron*

1 1/3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup softened butter
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
7-8 oz. dark chocolate, melted
1/2 cup peanut butter chips (optional)

*If you do not have a 12 inch cast-iron skillet, you could bake these in a 10 1/2″ x 7 1/2″ baking dish. The bake time may vary by a few minutes, so watch it towards the end. I also tried baking this in a 13″ x 9″ baking dish, and I felt it turned out too thin and didn’t bake through before getting too crispy at the edges. Just FYI.

In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

How to bake a brownie in a cast iron skilletIn another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Now combine the flour mixture, the butter mixture, and melted chocolate in one bowl, and stir until just combined. Be sure to let the melted chocolate cool some before adding as super hot chocolate could begin to cook the raw eggs and make your batter lumpy (in a bad way).

Spoon the batter into a well-buttered cast-iron skillet. Top with peanut butter chips if using. Bake at 350°F for 32-35 minutes. If you like your brownie more gooey at the center, remove after 32 minutes. If you like it soft but baked through, then bake at the full 35 minutes. Test the center with a toothpick as oven temperatures and cook times can vary.

Best ever skillet brownie (click through for recipe) Mmm… brownies. (Insert sound of drool.)

Best ever skillet brownie (click through for recipe)Serve with ice cream and/or a tall glass of milk. Enjoy! xo. Emma

Credits // Author and Photography: Emma Chapman. Photos edited with A Beautiful Mess actions.

4.34 from 6 votes
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(Giant) Skillet Brownie

Ingredients

  • 1 1/3 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup softened butter
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 eggs
  • 7-8 oz. dark chocolate melted
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter chips optional

Instructions

  1. *If you do not have a 12 inch cast-iron skillet, you could bake these in a 10 1/2" x 7 1/2" baking dish. The bake time may vary by a few minutes, so watch it towards the end. I also tried baking this in a 13" x 9" baking dish, and I felt it turned out too thin and didn't bake through before getting too crispy at the edges. Just FYI.
  2. In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Now combine the flour mixture, the butter mixture, and melted chocolate in one bowl, and stir until just combined. Be sure to let the melted chocolate cool some before adding as super hot chocolate could begin to cook the raw eggs and make your batter lumpy (in a bad way).
  4. Spoon the batter into a well-buttered cast-iron skillet. Top with peanut butter chips if using. Bake at 350°F for 32-35 minutes. If you like your brownie more gooey at the center, remove after 32 minutes. If you like it soft but baked through, then bake at the full 35 minutes. Test the center with a toothpick as oven temperatures and cook times can vary.

56 Comments

  • I love the idea of using my cast iron for more than just bacon and eggs! Brownies are without question my BF’s favorite dessert, so it’s always on the top of our “must make” list. This sounds perfect!

    Cat
    http://oddlylovely.com

    Reply

  • That looks absolutely delicious! 1. I need to get myself a cast iron skillet & 2. These brownies need to get in my belly!

    Reply

  • Skillet brownies and cookies look amazing. I think this will be the next thing I make when I’m craving something sweet

    Reply

  • holy cow. these look amazing. looks like i need to add a cast iron skillet to my christmas list. 😉

    Reply

  • Hey Emma,

    Love this! Brownies are my favorite dessert – I often tell my BF I love him more than brownies..which is a huge deal, obviously.

    I’ve never owned/cooked with a cast iron skillet before, but I hear a lot about how you aren’t supposed to wash them..or that there are certain rules regarding how to wash them. I was hoping for advice on the proper way to take care of your cast iron skillet since I’m going to hopefully be buying my first one this season!

    Thanks!

    -Brownie lover

    Reply

  • Ohhh!! This looks great! I think I would add toffee pieces and walnuts to mine. 🙂

    Reply

  • Hi Brownie lover,

    Yes, the main thing to keep in mind is you don’t want to use soap on a cast iron. I wash mine with a clean scrub brush and hot water. I pat dry with a kitchen towel and then lightly rub a little oil over the surface before I put it away.

    Hope that helps. 🙂

    -Emma

    Reply

      • 5 stars
        You can use a square baking pan instead, just bake for another 5 minutes or so (you can test but inserting a toothpick and seeing if it’s still gooey in the center)

        Reply

  • mmm! i would call this skillet brownie pie bc of the shape (duh) and since it appears to be eaten with a fork 🙂

    Reply

    • Always use a thin layer of oil when cooking in cast iron. After cooking, scrape as much food as possible out of the skillet or pot, fill it with water, and place back on the cooktop. Heat it to medium high, which will help loosen food particles but will not damage the seasoned finish. You can use a wooden or hard plastic scraper to help remove any stubborn food residues while it is still on the stovetop. After getting as much residue loose as possible, pour out the water, and you can use a scrub sponge of soft bristle brush (never metal scouring pad) and hot water to clean any remaining residues. After cleaning, thoroughly dry the cast iron piece, then apply a very light coat of cooking oil with a cloth or paper towel, before storing. This will keep the piece seasoned and protected from corrosion until your next use.

      NEVER use soap, steel or metal scouring pads, and NEVER put cast iron in the dishwasher. WHY? Because cast iron has no finish other that what it gets from cooking, and needs a natural coating to prevent rust and corrosion. Dishwashers and soap destroy that coating. Natural oils and carbon from cooked food products create a seasoning layer on the iron that fills the porosity of the bare metal, so you want to protect that layer and add to it over time.

      Go to the Lodge cast iron website for more details on proper care and use of cast iron. I hope this helps.

      Reply

  • Oh man, that scoop of vanilla ice cream with sprinkles on top is mouth watering. I must try making these skillet brownies stat!

    Reply

  • Ummm, my mouth is watering as I sit here thinking I need to hit the grocery store for some chocolate indulgence… or I could whip these up!! I will definitely have to make these sometime, my kids will love them 🙂

    Reply

  • Yummo! These look so lovely and moist… I reckon these would make a great birthday brownie with sprinkles and a candle on top

    Reply

  • Looks a lot like the Swedish recipe for ‘kladdkaka’ (“sticky cake”)- which is essentially just a giant circular brownie that is extra gooey in the middle.

    Reply

  • I love how there’s a print recipe view! (I’m sorry, I never noticed before!)
    Gosh. Just what my sweet tooth needs.

    Reply

  • This looks amazing! Although I wouldn’t trust myself not to eat the entire thing!
    RosieLM – Beauty(ish) Blog xx

    Reply

  • Made these tonight. I halves the recipe cuz I only had 1 stick of butter(1/2 cup) so I put it in a smaller dish. It had to cook about 10 min longer but man….these are good!! These are the best homemade brownies I’ve made!:) and i definitely added the scoop of ice cream!

    Reply

  • Absolutely! I don’t make them often enough either. What a better way to spend Friday night than to fill your flat with aroma of freshly baked goodies…

    Reply

  • This is my third time making these brownies! They always taste REALLY good, but I have had the same problem every time: I always have to keep the brownies baking for 10 more minutes, because each time I pull it out, its super jiggly. Also, is there a certain time for letting the brownies cool? The other times I’ve made them, They would cool for about 5-7 minutes. Is that all right?

    Reply

  • Amazing. didn’t know how it would turn out bc of the cold chunky butter BUTTTTTTTT they’re in the oven currently and looooooook amazingly mediocre. 10/13 would prolly not make again but i guess maybe.

    Reply

  • 1 star
    This was the otter definition of diabetes while proceeding to cook it over three times it still had a soup like consistency while burnt at the top And soup like in the middle my house almost went on fire and I was very disappointed in the end result… I still ate it it was not good

    Reply

  • 5 stars
    thank you, haven’t baked them as of yet, but looking forward to tomorrow doing them! very simple and easy read recipe. great!! x

    Reply

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