Espresso Chocolate Chunk Skillet Cookie

The ever timeless pairing of coffee and chocolate come together in this supersized Espresso Chocolate Chunk Skillet Cookie. With a layer of whiskey caramel in the center (optional, but highly recommended–you can also always just use a layer of store-bought caramel sauce if you don’t want to make your own), this skillet cookie is impossible to resist as you pull it out of the oven.

Top this cookie with a few scoops of vanilla ice cream, drizzle with any additional caramel, and spoon straight from the skillet–it just doesn’t get much better than that. The ice cream begins to melt from the heat of the cookie and seeps into the warm dough, and everything melds together into one bite that is a bit ooey, a bit gooey, a bit crispy, and wholly delicious.

It doesn’t hurt that, even with making the caramel, this recipe is incredibly simple. So simple in fact that I don’t even bother with a stand mixer for this one. It comes together so quickly with just a large bowl and a wooden spoon.

Prepare all of your ingredients while the brown butter is cooling and you’re basically just a few stirs away from ready to bake cookie dough. It’s so simple that I was able to make and photograph this with actual photos along the process–that never happens!

I’m not going to lie, I’m kind of surprised I haven’t shared this before. Actually, I’m kind of surprised I don’t have more coffee and chocolate on this blog (besides one of my all time favorites, these Irish Coffee Shortbread Sandwiches) as I’m undeniably addicted to both. There’s something I love about using coffee grounds in cookies and baked goods rather than instant coffee–as someone who used to be a barista, I always had ground espresso on hand more than I did instant coffee–you still get that punch of flavor, and if ground finely enough, the grounds don’t add any unwanted texture. Just make sure you’re using fresh grounds and not something already brewed, dried, and pulled from your morning filter!

One warning: the caramel in this cookie has a tendency to spill over the edge if there are bits peeking through the dough. I usually place a baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven to catch any drips so that it doesn’t end up at the bottom of the oven overpowering the smell of this cookie with that of burning sugar!

This cookie is quite dangerous–once you tuck into it, it will be just about impossible to resist. But there is a time and a place to lose all sense of self-control, and this might just be it.

Print Recipe

Espresso Chocolate Chunk Skillet Cookie

A supersized cookie that takes advantage of the perfect pairing that is coffee and chocolate. Add in a layer of whiskey caramel and it somehow gets even better! Yields: 1-8" skillet cookie

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

35-40 minutes

Servings

servings

Ingredients

Salted Whiskey Caramel

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream room temperature
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened at room temperature
• 2 Tbsp whiskey
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Espresso Chocolate Chunk Skillet Cookie

• 1/2 cup brown butter
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp espresso or coffee grounds
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg large
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups dark or bittersweet chocolate chunks

Prep Time 20 minutes Cook Time 35-40 minutes Servings servings Ingredients Salted Whiskey Caramel 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream room temperature 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened at room temperature 2 Tbsp whiskey 1/4 tsp sea salt Espresso Chocolate Chunk Skillet Cookie 1/2 cup brown butter 1 cup all purpose flour 3/4 cup almond flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 2 tsp espresso or coffee grounds 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 egg large 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/2 - 2 cups dark or bittersweet chocolate chunks

Instructions

Salted Whiskey Caramel

1. MAKE THE SALTED WHISKEY CARAMEL: In a small saucepan, warm the granulated sugar over medium heat until the edges begin to melt. Once the edges begin to melt, use a rubber spatula to drag the caramel into the center and give the pan a little shake to redistribute the sugar so that it can continue to melt without burning what has already melted. You shouldn't have to stir too much, just enough to cover the sugar that has not yet melted. Once fully melted and a deep amber color, remove the caramel from the heat. Slowly begin to add in the warm heavy cream, stirring as you pour. Stir in the butter a little at a time until melted. Add in the whiskey and the salt. Place the saucepan back over the heat and allow to simmer for 8-10 minutes. Pour into a deep dish or a bowl and allow to cool and thicken.

Espresso Chocolate Chunk Skillet Cookie

1. MAKE THE BROWN BUTTER: Cut one stick of butter evenly into cubes and line the butter on the bottom of a medium saucepan. Over medium heat, melt the butter, swirling the pan occasionally. Allow the butter to bubble and foam for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula. The bubbles should get smaller as the butter is closer to browning and a dark spot will form in the center. It should start to smell a bit nutty and the color of the butter will be noticeably darker. Once this happens, remove the pan from the stove and swirl for 15 seconds. Pour the butter into a small bowl or a ramekin, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan with the spatula, and allow to cool in the freezer to keep from browning any further.
2. While the butter is cooling, fit a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8" skillet and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, almond flour, baking soda, salt, and espresso/coffee grounds. Set aside. Roughly chop your chocolate into chunks and set aside.
4. In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, add the light brown sugar and granulated sugar. Add the brown butter, making sure to scrape all the brown flavorful bits into the bowl. Using a wooden spoon or with a mixer, beat until the sugar is fully coated in butter. Add in the egg and the vanilla extract and beat until light in color and fully combined.
5. Add in half of the dry ingredients and beat until combined. Add in the other half and mix until the dough just comes together. Fold in the chocolate chunks.
6. Layer half of the cookie dough into the skillet, using clean hands to press it into an even layer. You'll want the dough to cover the sides of the skillet, almost like you're creating a shallow bowl of dough. Pour in about 3/4 of the caramel and cover with the remaining cookie dough.* Pinch together the two layers of dough around the skillet. Sprinkle the top with coarse or flaky sea salt.
7. Cover the top of the cookie with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. This is too keep the edges of the cookie from browning too quickly. If you notice that some caramel is spilling over the skillet or is about to, place a baking sheet on the lower rack of the oven to catch any spills.
8. Once the edges are golden brown and crispy, remove the cookie from the oven. The center will still look a bit wobbly from the caramel center but the top should have hardened and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out with chocolate and caramel on it and just a few crumbs of dough.
9. Allow the skillet to cool a bit on a wire rack. Top with vanilla ice cream, a drizzle of caramel, and spoon it out to serve while still warm.

Recipe Notes

*If you caramel is still relatively thin, press the cookie dough together prior to placing it on top of the caramel to keep it from oozing everywhere. I usually press it into a disc and gently place it on top, pressing the edges of the disc into the edges of the bottom layer of dough.

Any extra caramel should be stored in the refrigerator. Once completely cooled, the cookie should keep if wrapped in a layer of plastic wrap and foil.

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