Lemon Skillet Cookie

Giant butter skillet cookie with crisp golden edges, a soft lemon-zest center, and white chocolate chips. Optional sharp lemon glaze. Use a parchment sling if you need the cookie out whole.

By Brandon Carroll

Yield: 8 servings

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 22-28 minutes

Total: about 45 minutes

Ingredients

Cookie

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled 5 minutes (170 g), plus more for the pan
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons packed lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (220 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup white chocolate chips, tossed with 1 teaspoon flour

Optional glaze

• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 F. Soft-butter a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Line with a parchment circle that covers the floor, then two 2-inch parchment strips in a cross with tails hanging over the rim (or one large parchment square, corners folded up the walls). Butter keeps the paper in place.
2. Zest both lemons (about 2 tablespoons packed). If glazing, juice them too (you need 2 to 3 tablespoons).
3. Whisk melted butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until glossy. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and all the lemon zest.
4. In another bowl whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir dry ingredients into wet just until no dry flour remains. Toss white chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon flour, then fold in. Dough will be thick and sticky.
5. Press dough evenly onto the parchment, edge to edge. Do not tamp rock-hard into the pan.
6. Bake 22 to 28 minutes, until the rim is deep golden and the top is set. For scooping from the skillet, a thermometer in the cookie (not the pan) should read about 195 to 200 F and the center may still look slightly soft. For whole-cookie removal, bake to 200 to 205 F so the middle holds when you lift.
7. Cool in the skillet 10 to 12 minutes — warm and set, not molten and not cold. Run a thin offset spatula around the wall. Lift the cookie out by the parchment tails onto a rack or board. Peel the paper. Optional glaze: whisk powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice until thick but pourable; drizzle over the warm cookie. Slice or box once it can move without tearing.