With its combination of melted chocolate, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips, this skillet brownie is for devoted chocolate lovers only. 😉 Easy to make, no mixer required, and ready to eat in about an hour… it’s quite possibly the richest, most decadent thing to ever grace your cast-iron skillet.
I originally published this recipe in 2015 and have since made a few updates to produce a thicker, fudgier brownie.
Have you ever wondered how much chocolate you can pack into a single skillet? (It’s a common thing to wonder about, I know.) Because we’re testing the limit here, and I think we may have reached it. This unapologetically rich, dense and fudgy, ooey-gooey skillet brownie contains cocoa powder, pure melted chocolate, and chocolate chips. A chocolate trifecta baked in one skillet!
I have many recipes for brownies both on my site and in my cookbooks, ranging from simple (homemade brownies) to over-the-top (cookies & cream brownies), so why do we need another brownie recipe? Well…
Here’s Why You Should Bake a Skillet Brownie:
- Rather than waiting for the brownies to cool before cutting, a skillet brownie is made for digging in right away. Warm gooey brownie goodness!
- Easy to make and tastes so, so much better than a box mix.
- Ready to serve and eat in about an hour, joining 30+ other recipes in my collection of Quick Dessert Recipes.
- Like a chocolate chip skillet cookie, only in triple-chocolate brownie form.
- Did I mention the warm gooey brownie goodness? Ice cream’s best friend!
What’s the Best Kind of Chocolate to Use in Brownies?
For extreme, supreme chocolate flavor, use pure melted chocolate and cocoa powder. You can make brownies with either or both, and I prefer both. The resulting brownies are fabulously rich and deeply, intensely chocolatey.
For the melted chocolate, chop up a 4-ounce (113g) bar of bittersweet chocolate (60% cacao). Semi-sweet (56% cacao) chocolate works too. I like the chocolate baking bars by Ghirardelli or Baker’s brands, found in the grocery store baking aisle.
And for the cocoa powder, while you can use unsweetened natural cocoa powder in this skillet brownie, I strongly suggest using Dutch-processed cocoa powder for a deeper, smoother chocolate flavor. (Learn more about Dutch-process vs. natural cocoa powder here.)
Here are the rest of the ingredients you need:
Overview: How to Make It
Start by chopping up the bar of chocolate and melting it together with the butter, oil, and sugar. You can do this in a saucepan on the stovetop; or simply microwave it, stirring every 20 seconds. Once it’s completely melted, pour into a large mixing bowl and give it a good whisk to make sure the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is smooth and not grainy.
Let the chocolate mixture cool for about 10 minutes, then whisk in the remaining ingredients. The brownie batter is thick.
I like to add a few more chocolate chips to the top of the batter right before the skillet goes into the oven.
The skillet brownie bakes for about half an hour; you want to err on the side of underbaking, so take it out once the edges are set and the center is just about cooked though, but still quite soft. Like a molten chocolate lava cake, you want that gooey brownie center.
Best Skillet to Use for Skillet Brownies
This skillet brownie comes together with minimal baking tools. The most important of which is, of course, a skillet. I use this 10-inch cast-iron skillet, which I’m happy to recommend because it’s useful for so many different recipes, comes pre-seasoned, and is high quality—it’s held up incredibly well after years of use. It’s also a phenomenal value for the price. (Not working with the brand, just a fan!)
But you can use any oven-safe skillet that is between 9–12 inches in diameter. If your skillet is 9 inches, the brownie will be a little thicker and will take a few extra minutes to bake; likewise, if your skillet is larger than 10 inches, you’ll need to reduce the baking time, because the brownie will be a bit thinner.
Now, here’s the non-negotiable: This skillet brownie simply MUST be served warm and topped with ice cream. And if you want to go all out, add a drizzle of salted caramel or homemade hot fudge sauce!
Skillet Brownie Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, stir the butter, oil, chocolate, and sugar until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes. (Or place in a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 20-second increments, stirring after each increment, until melted and smooth.) Pour into a large mixing bowl and whisk to make sure it’s completely smooth and not grainy. Set aside to slightly cool for 5 minutes.
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet.
- Add the eggs and vanilla to the bowl with the melted chocolate, and whisk until combined. Stir in the cocoa powder, flour, and salt. Once combined, fold in 1 cup chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into the prepared skillet and sprinkle the remaining 2 Tablespoons chocolate chips over the top. Bake for 30–36 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Err on the side of underbaking, which gives you that gooey brownie center.
- Allow the skillet brownie to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
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