Vegan Pizookie Recipe (Cast Iron Skillet Cookie Cake)
Warm and comforting, this vegan pizookie recipe is a delicious twist on the classic skillet cookie. This vegan skillet cookie cake is made with vegan chocolate chips, rich olive oil, and nutty pecans, and baked right in your cast iron skillet. It's best served warm with plant-based ice cream melting over the top.
vegan • dairy free • easy
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Note: This recipe was originally published in 2020. In 2026, the recipe was adjusted to reduce the amount of sugar and bake time.
Jump to:
- 🍪 what is a pizookie?
- ✨ pizookie vs. skillet cookie
- 📝 quick recipe overview
- ❤️ what you'll love about baking a skillet cookie cake in your cast iron
- 🥣 ingredient notes
- 🔪 equipment notes
- 🧑🏽🍳 instruction notes
- 💡 special notes about baking a cookie in your cast iron
- Recipe
- 🍽️ how to serve
- 🧊 storage
- ✅ acceptable substitutions and variations
- ♻️ sustainability profile
- waste
- ❓ frequently asked questions
- 🍪 more cookie recipes
- 🍳 more cast iron skillet recipes
- 🕰️ the latest
Baking a giant chocolate chip cookie in a cast iron skillet has rustic appeal, but also tastes incredible and creates a little nostalgia with a cookie cake-style treat that everyone will love. While mini cast iron cookies are popular for single-serve desserts, a large skillet cookie is such a fun option to feed a crowd. You get the best of all worlds: chocolate chip cookies, a recipe that bakes in one skillet, and a cookie that doubles as a cake. Did I mention it tastes incredible?
If you're a fan of baking in your cast iron, I think you'll also love this apple cinnamon skillet cake. It's perfect for some rustic fall comfort food.
🍪 what is a pizookie?
Recently, circular cookie cakes have been called a "pizookie," which merges the terms "pizza" and "cookie" (a portmanteau) into one trademarked version sold by BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse. For my history fans, the pizookie made its debut in the early 1990s. If you've heard the term pizookie, it refers to a cookie baked in the shape of a pie with a tender cookie texture that's topped with ice cream for a decadent dessert.
✨ pizookie vs. skillet cookie
- Pizookie: a large, round cookie traditionally served warm with ice cream in a cast iron skillet
- Skillet cookie: broader term for a cookie baked in a skillet
- Skillet cookie cake: describes the cake-like presentation and serving format, especially when topped with frosting
📝 quick recipe overview
- Skill level: Easy
- Taste: Sweet, rich, and nutty
- Waste: Low
- Sustainability: Moderate
- Cleanup: Moderate, requires a variety of dishes to prepare the dough
- Ingredients: Common, easy to source
- Equipment: Common, easy to source
- Time: 45 minutes
- Consistency: Tender with subtle crunchy pieces of chopped pecans and bursts of warm chocolate chips
- Kid-friendly: Yes
- Best for: Serving as a complete dessert, ideal for entertaining
This recipe has all the hallmarks of a classic pizookie: a large, round chocolate chip cookie baked in a cast iron skillet until the edges are set, the center is tender, and uses ice cream as a topping when served warm.
❤️ what you'll love about baking a skillet cookie cake in your cast iron
Rich flavor and tender texture. The flavor and texture combo is really what makes this recipe shine. Warm, sweet, and rich, this is a special occasion treat that both kids and adults will love. Each bite is filled with the flavor of a warm chocolate chip cookie, with hints of nuttiness from pecans and bursts of warm vegan chocolate chips throughout. The texture is tender without completely falling apart when you serve.
Vegan and dairy free. The ingredients are vegan, replacing butter with extra virgin olive oil, dairy eggs with flax meal eggs, and chocolate chips with a vegan version. This recipe is great for those following a vegan or dairy free meal plan.
Easy to make. You can skip scooping cookie dough into even portions. Just add the dough to the skillet and bake!
Great for entertaining. You can serve directly in the cast iron skillet, which is large enough for a crowd. Or, slice into wedges to create individual servings.
Versatile and easily customizable. Treat it like a classic pizookie by topping with ice cream and enjoying directly from the skillet. Or, top it with frosting to decorate like a cookie cake. See the substitutions and variations section for more ideas on how to customize this and make it your own!
🥣 ingredient notes
All-purpose flour. I use unbleached flour. Use the "spoon method" to measure and level the flour instead of scooping it directly from the flour container. This helps prevent adding too much flour and drying out the cookie dough.
Granulated sugar. Organic granulated sugar is what's considered vegan in the United States.
Light brown sugar.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips (vegan). Several brands exist, I'm currently using Simple Truth Organic Semi-Sweet chips.
Pecan halves (optional). While pecans are optional, nuts add more depth of flavor, especially when lightly roasted. They also add some texture to the pizookie for a subtle crunch.
Extra virgin olive oil. Olive oil replaces butter in this recipe, yet helps create the rich, buttery texture.
Flax meal and water (flax egg). Flax eggs replace dairy eggs.
Pure vanilla extract. I suggest using organic and fair trade whenever possible.
Baking soda. Serves as the leavening agent.
Salt. Enhances overall flavor of the cookie.
🔪 equipment notes
- Cast iron skillet. This recipe is written for a 10-12 inch skillet.
- Skillet. For dry roasting pecans, separate from the cast iron used to bake the cookie.
- Stand or hand mixer. To make the dough before transferring to the skillet.
- Spatula or large spoon.
- Whisk. For stirring together the flax egg and dry ingredients.
- Skewer. To check doneness.
- Measuring cups and spoons.
- Oven.
- Cutting board. For chopping pecans.
- Knife. For chopping pecans.
- Hot pads. Be safe when removing the cast iron from the oven!
🧑🏽🍳 instruction notes
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Make the flax eggs. Combine the flax meal (ground flax seeds) and water. I like to place it in the fridge to thicken while preparing the other ingredients.
Whisk together dry ingredients. We just want to make sure the salt is distributed throughout the flour.
Roast and chop pecans. Dry roasting in a skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, will help release their oils and create more toasty depth of flavor. Allow them to cool for a few minutes before chopping into coarse pieces.
Cream wet ingredients. This includes sugar, light brown sugar, olive oil, vanilla extract, and flax eggs until combined.
Slowly combine wet and dry ingredients. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet. Stop beating once those are combined.
Stir in chocolate chips and pecans. Briefly stir in the chocolate chips and pecans using either the attachment on the stand mixer or with a spoon by hand.
Add dough to skillet. Press the cookie dough into your cast iron skillet.
Bake for 25 minutes. Check the cookie after 25 minutes. If the sides are starting to lightly brown and the center is mostly baked, but still "jiggles" a little when moved, you can remove it from the oven. It will continue to bake while resting in the cast iron. Don't exceed 30 minutes.
💡 special notes about baking a cookie in your cast iron
- You don't need to preheat the cast iron in the oven before adding dough. While you certainly can, you aren't going to accomplish much with this, and just make it harder to safely press the cookie dough into the pan. When you do this for cornbread or biscuits, you're creating a more crispy crust. That isn't as necessary for the skillet cookie.
- Use a clean cast iron. Make sure the skillet is seasoned and clean from what you cooked it in last.
- Take heat precautions when baking with a cast iron. Hot pads are traditionally used to remove it from the oven, especially given its heat retention and heft.
- Allow plenty of time for the cookie to cool in the pan. That heat retention we mentioned earlier? That's also why you can let it finish baking in the pan out of the oven, allowing it to set.
- Watch out for a hard crust along the edges. As soon as it starts to brown and the center is set, but a little less cooked than the edges, remove it from the oven. Since it continues to bake, the edges can get hard if overbaked.
Recipe
Vegan Pizookie (Cast Iron Skillet Cookie Cake)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 375º F.
- Combine 2 tablespoon flax meal with 6 tablespoon water and stir until gelatinous. Place in refrigerator to thicken while gathering other ingredients.2 tablespoons flax meal, 6 tablespoons water
- In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda) and stir to combine.2¼ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Add pecans to a separate skillet and roast on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool before chopping. Roasting pecans is optional.1 cup pecans
- With a stand or hand mixer in a separate bowl, cream olive oil, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, flax eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined.¾ cup granulated sugar, ¾ cup light brown sugar, ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Slowly add dry mixture until just combined.
- Stir in chocolate chips and pecans using the mixer, or by hand with a spoon.12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 cup pecans
- Scoop cookie dough mixture into cast iron skillet and press down using a spatula or your hands until the surface is smooth. Top with any remaining loose chocolate chips and pecans.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until the edges start to turn a very light golden brown. Remove from the oven if the center looks baked, but is still slightly jiggly. It will continue to bake as it cools. Allow to cool in skillet for about 30 minutes. Serve in the skillet, or slice and serve individual pieces.
Nutrition
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!🍽️ how to serve
Topping Ideas
- With scoops of (vegan) ice cream on top to replicate a classic pizookie.
- Add frosting to create a skillet cookie cake.
- Experiment with different toppings, like sprinkles, colorful candy, coconut whipped cream, more nuts, or a combination of these for a more decadent treat.
To slice, or not to slice
- If you'd like a true pizookie, the traditional serving method is allowing everyone to scoop out the cookie and ice cream directly from the skillet.
- Individual slices can be cut and served from the cast iron as well.
🧊 storage
To store the chocolate chip cookie dough before baking, place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To freeze the skillet cookie after baking, create easier-to-store slices and place those in a freezer-safe container to freeze for up to 3 months. Warm before serving.
✅ acceptable substitutions and variations
Substitutions
- Chia egg instead of flax egg. I have not personally tested this with chia egg, but the dough should work well with the same ratio of ground chia seeds and water. It may create a darker cookie and less nutty flavor that's traditional with flax eggs.
- Premade cookie dough. You can use vegan premade dough in the skillet. Follow the baking instructions on the packaging and adjust baking time to accommodate any size changes.
- Baking dish material. If you don't have access to a cast iron, you can bake in a large cookie sheet, a glass baking dish, or a cake or pie tin. If working with smaller dishes, be prepared to divide the dough between the dishes.
Variations
- Size. You can make the pizookie smaller by dividing between mini cast iron skillets or ramekins. For a rectangular cookie cake, you can also bake in a 13 x 9 pan and serve as either a cookie cake or a bar cookie.
- Chip flavor. Experiment with different flavor variations, especially with the types of chocolate chips. Try dark chocolate for deeper chocolate flavor, or some vegan white chocolate chips (or a combination of all!) to create different flavors and color.
- Nut types. I love pecans with this because they're a very buttery nut that complements the other flavors. But, you can absolutely use walnuts or other hearty nuts of your choice.
♻️ sustainability profile
sourcing
Organic ingredients. When possible, use organic ingredients. In this recipe, I use organic flour, sugar, flax meal, pecans, and pure vanilla extract.
Cast iron. A cast iron skillet often lives many lives, passed down from generation to generation. If you don't already have one with your name on it, this is a great piece to find at a thrift store or estate sale. If you must buy new, be sure to start the tradition in your family of passing it to others!
waste
This recipe doesn't create waste, with the exception of typical food packaging. If you're able to buy in bulk and reduce wasted packaging, that is preferred.
❓ frequently asked questions
Can you make a pizookie without a cast iron?
Yes, a pizookie can be baked in other materials, though you will not get as crispy a crust as you would baking in a cast iron. You can bake this in a pie or cake dish to maintain a circle shape, but be prepared to divide the dough between more than one dish, depending on the size.
Can you use regular cookie dough for a pizookie?
Yes, a pizookie can be made from regular cookie dough, which is typically chocolate chip. The amount of time you bake the pizookie will determine whether it has a cookie texture throughout, or is more gooey in the center.
Do you need to grease cast iron before baking?
A well-seasoned cast iron skillet can have a naturally nonstick surface, however, I prefer to add a little grease to the skillet before baking softer, stickier cookie dough. I usually coat the pan with a small amount of olive or coconut oil before adding the cookie dough.
What kind of pan is best for pizookies?
A 10 or 12-inch cast iron pan is best for baking pizookies. The cast iron promotes even baking and creates crispy edges and crust with a more tender center. The pan is naturally non-stick, so minimal greasing is required before baking.
What are common skillet cookie mistakes?
The most common skillet cookie mistake is overmixing the dough, which will create a tough texture. It's also best to avoid making drastic changes to the pan size before baking, placing it too high or low in the oven (center rack is best), not using a hot pad to remove the cast iron when you're done baking, and overbaking by keeping it in the oven too long. The skillet cookie will continue to bake once removed from the oven due to the cast iron heat retention, so it's ok to remove it a few minutes early.
Are pizookies vegan?
Traditional pizookies are not vegan because they use dairy eggs, butter, chocolate chips with milk, and possibly non-organic sugar. This recipe swaps butter with olive oil, dairy eggs with flax meal eggs, vegan chocolate chips, and organic sugar to keep the final pizookie vegan and free of animal byproducts.
🍪 more cookie recipes
- Banana Tahini Cookies
- Peanut Butter Date Cookies
- 2-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
- Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies
- Walnut Shortbread Cookies
- Blueberry Blondies
🍳 more cast iron skillet recipes
- Apple Cinnamon Skillet Cake
- Plant-Based Skillet Cornbread
- Avocado Oil Skillet Biscuits
- Easy Beer Biscuits
This recipe was inspired by a childhood favorite bar cookie from Nestle, but has been veganized to eliminate animal byproducts.
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