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Fudgy to the extreme, a gooey but crispy lower in fat skillet cookie, full of Fudgy to the extreme, this Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie is everything you want from a skillet dessert: gooey in the center, crisp around the edges, and full of peanut buttery goodness. It’s baked straight in the skillet and loaded with melty chocolate chips, so every spoonful delivers that just-out-of-the-oven comfort.
What makes this version special is that it’s lighter than most skillet cookies without sacrificing flavor or texture. You still get the indulgence of a classic chocolate chip skillet cookie, but in a way that feels balanced, cozy, and perfect for sharing any time a craving hits.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
This Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie works so well because it’s designed for contrast. Baking the dough in a skillet creates crisp, golden edges while keeping the center soft and fudgy, which is exactly what you want from a great chocolate chip skillet cookie. The peanut butter adds richness and structure, giving the cookie depth without making it dense or dry.
What really sets this skillet cookie recipe apart is that it delivers all that indulgence with a lighter feel. By balancing the fat and sugar carefully, you still get bold peanut butter flavor and pools of melted chocolate, but without the heaviness that most skillet cookies have. It’s the kind of dessert that feels decadent while still being easy to go back for another bite.
What Goes Into Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
This Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie uses a few smart swaps to keep things lighter while still delivering that rich, fudgy texture and classic skillet cookie flavor.
- Light Butter: Softened butter gives the cookie structure and flavor while keeping the fat content lower than traditional skillet cookie recipes.
- Powdered Peanut Butter: This adds bold peanut butter flavor without excess oil, helping the cookie stay fudgy instead of greasy. Creamy peanut butter works too if you prefer a richer result.
- Apple Sauce: A small amount replaces some of the fat, adding moisture and tenderness to the dough without affecting flavor.
- Chocolate Chips: Dark or semi-sweet chips melt into the cookie as it bakes, balancing the sweetness and giving every slice those irresistible chocolate pockets.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
How To Make Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat the oven to 175°C | 350°F and line a 9-inch cast iron skillet or round baking pan with parchment paper.
- Cream Base: Whisk butter, apple sauce, brown sugar, sweetener, and vanilla until smooth and creamy in a large bowl.
- Add the Egg: Whisk in the egg until fully incorporated and the mixture looks slightly glossy and well combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt, mixing gently just until the batter comes together.
- Fold and Assemble: Fold in the powdered peanut butter and half the chocolate chips, then spread batter into the skillet and top with remaining chips.
- Bake and Rest: Bake for 20 minutes for a gooey center or 25 to 30 minutes for a firmer cookie, then cool 10 minutes before serving.
If you’re serving this Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie as part of a dessert spread, pairing it with another warm, shareable treat works really well. A Chocolate Chip Skillet Brookie keeps the cozy, baked-dessert theme going while offering a slightly different texture and flavor for variety on the table.
To balance the richness, something cold and light makes all the difference. Blueberry Frozen Yogurt adds a refreshing contrast, while Strawberries and Cream Crepes with Orange Liqueur bring a soft, slightly citrusy note that keeps the dessert spread from feeling too heavy.
Tips For Making Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
- Pull the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie from the oven while the center still looks soft. It might feel early, but trust me, it sets up perfectly as it cools and stays nice and gooey.
- Measure the powdered peanut butter carefully. A little goes a long way here, and too much can dry the dough out faster than you expect.
- Mix the batter just until everything comes together. Once the flour is in, overmixing is the quickest way to lose that soft, fudgy texture.
- Let the skillet cookie rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. This gives the edges time to set while the middle stays warm and scoopable.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes. You can substitute the powdered peanut butter with creamy peanut butter, but melt it first before adding. Keep in mind the cookie will be richer and slightly softer due to the extra fat.
The edges should look set and lightly golden, while the center of the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie should still look soft. It will firm up as it cools, so avoid baking until the middle looks fully cooked.
Yes. Slice once cooled, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to two months. Reheat gently to restore the soft center and crisp edges.
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Peanut Butter Choc Chip Deep Dish Skillet Cookie (Low Fat)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup light butter softened at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons apple sauce
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup sweetener/sugar of choice
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 x-large egg
- 1 cup flour
- 1/3 cup powdered peanut butter – I use this to lower the fat content, but you can substitute with creamy peanut butter, melted.
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt adjust to your tastes
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips dark or semi-sweet
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 175℃ | 350° F. Line a 9" cast iron skillet (or a pie dish/round baking pan) with baking/parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the butter, apple sauce, sugar and vanilla, and whisk until creamy . Add the egg and whisk again until combined.
- Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir into the batter and mix until combined. Add the powdered peanut butter (in dry state) and fold in half the chocolate chips. Mix again but do not over beat. Spoon batter into the prepared skillet/pan, and sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips.
- Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes (for a gooey cookie) or 25–30 minutes (for a set cookie). Cool for about 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Awesome! I had a craving for a different peanut butter cookie. This recipe is great. Not oily, no overwhelming sweetness, but has the right amount of PB goodness. I suggest recipe as written a few times. Then change only the alternative sweetener to find your choice. My favorites are agave syrup and coconut sugar.
Omg this looks soo good.. but can I jus leave the apple sauce out?? Will it affect the taste??
Hi Bella! The apple sauce is in there for the texture more than anything. You can substitute it with butter or oil though!
This looks amazing! Good job I’m going to make this with Nutella AND Peanut Butter, YUM
It’s like, you read my mind 😉
I just made this with only one substitution (cookie and cocoa swirl from trader joes instead of pb) and OMG amazing. Thank you for the recipe!!!
Wow that sounds amazing! Cookie butter is right up there next to Nutella AND peanut butter 😉
Can I substiute the powdered peanut butter to cacao powder?
Hi Taylor. You can try, or just leave it out and leave the apple sauce out, for a normal skillet cookie 🙂
How many slices (158 kcal?)
12 slices
*non dairy
Can this be made vegan? With coconut oil instead of butter?
Yes it should be fine. Just melt the oil before mixing it with the other ingredients. If you try it, please let me know how you go!