Brownie Skillet – The Almond Eater

This easy Brownie Skillet is the ultimate dessert for chocolate lovers. Ready in less than an hour, it’s best topped with vanilla ice cream and eaten right out of the pan with friends!

It’s funny how skillet dessert recipes are so much more fun and eye-catching than desserts baked in traditional pans. Doesn’t eating a giant cookie or banana bread right from the skillet sound better than the regular thing?

 

The same goes for brownies. By definition, a perfect dessert would be a big, gooey brownie baked in a cast iron skillet and topped with ice cream, right? I think so!

If that sounds like a dreamy dessert to you, then you have to give this Brownie Skillet recipe a try. It’s as easy to make as a regular batch of my fudgy vegan brownies or brownie cupcakes, but swaps the baking dish for a cast iron skillet! 

This makes the brownie particularly perfect for sharing, whether it’s with your date or your entire group of friends. Any chocolate lover won’t be able to resist the ooey-gooey bites.

Recipe features

• A brownie made for sharing. Don’t even bother cutting it—just top it with a few scoops of ice cream, grab a few spoons, and dig in!
• A warm, gooey, and triple-chocolate treat any chocoholic will dream of.
• It’s easy to make with chocolate and everyday baking staples. No mixer required!

Ingredients

Butter – The butter is melted with the chocolate for the most decadent results. You can substitute coconut oil for a dairy-free option but the brownie may not be as fudgy.

Dark chocolate – Pick up a quality dark chocolate bar and chop it yourself for an elegant chocolate flavor. Anything between 70% and 75% cocoa will do!

Sugar – I found that 1 cup of sugar made the cast iron brownie just sweet enough. If you’d rather use less sugar, reduce it to ¾ cup. Use either granulated white sugar or cane sugar.

Flour – All-purpose flour is all you need. I haven’t tested this recipe with any other type of flour, although it should work well with a quality 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour.

Cocoa powder – The second layer of chocolate in this ooey gooey skillet brownie. There are different types of cocoa powder but unsweetened natural cocoa powder works best for brownies.

Chocolate chips – Use semi-sweet chocolate chips. Remember to save some to sprinkle on top, too!

Instructions

Step 1: Melt the chocolate. Melt the butter and chocolate together in a saucepan over medium-low heat or in the microwave in 30-second intervals. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.

Step 2: Finish the batter. Whisk the eggs and vanilla into the chocolate-butter mixture. Next, gently stir in the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, and salt until almost combined. Finish by folding the chocolate chips into the batter.

Step 3: Bake. Transfer the brownie batter to your prepared skillet and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.

Step 4: Serve. Set the cast iron skillet brownie aside for 10 minutes to cool, then serve with ice cream on top. Enjoy!

Tips and FAQs

• Bake this brownie in a 10-inch oven-safe skillet. A seasoned cast iron skillet is best!
• Unlike traditional brownies, you don’t need to line the cast iron pan with parchment paper. A light layer of cooking spray or butter will do just fine.
• Using a combination of melted chocolate, melted butter, and cocoa powder is the secret to the most decadent chocolate brownies!

Variations

• Dairy-free version – Use coconut oil instead of butter and make sure your chocolate bar and chocolate chips are dairy-free.
• Vegan brownie skillet – While I haven’t tested a vegan version of this recipe, it might work with 2 flax eggs and the dairy-free substitutions above.
• More brownie mix-in ideas – Fold up to ½ cup of chopped nuts (like peanuts, almonds, or walnuts), dried cranberries, chocolate chunks, or chopped pretzels into the batter along with the chocolate chips.

Serving suggestions

You could cut the brownie into slices but it’s SO much more fun to eat straight out of the skillet! Top it with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt as soon as it comes out of the oven if you like salty-sweet desserts, then add your desired fun toppings right before serving. A few scoops of vanilla ice cream (or any flavor of ice cream you like), salted caramel sauce, Nutella, or hot fudge would all be tasty.

I don’t have a cast iron skillet. What else can I use?

No problem! You can make this in any oven-safe skillet instead. A 10-inch wide pan is preferred, although it will still work in something smaller or larger.

If your pan is smaller than 10 inches, the brownie will be thicker and may need to bake for slightly longer. If the pan is larger (11 to 12 inches), the brownie will be thinner and won’t need to bake as long.

Storage

Room temperature: If you somehow end up with leftovers, you can transfer them to an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Refrigerator: The brownie will also stay moist and fresh in the fridge for about 4 days.

More ooey gooey brownie recipes

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!