Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie

So many of the recipes I have been adding lately are from Mel's Kitchen Cafe, which is the best food blog ever.  She's just amazing and we almost always love her recipes.  So hopefully she doesn't mind that I'm keeping so many of her recipes on my blog since this is for personal use (and friends and family) and not an attempt to enter the cooking blogging world.  I consider this blog a virtual recipe box so I can keep my favorites organized and easy to access.

Anyway, so on to this awesome recipe, from the lovely Mel.  We've made this a couple times now and it's always a hit.  It's a fancier way to serve up warm, gooey chocolate chip cookies.  Serve up chocolate chip cookie pie slices with some homemade ice cream on top and that's one classic dessert that no one in their right mind passes up.

I've made the dough a few hours in advance and let it chill in the fridge before spreading it into the pan and baking and it has turned out great, just might need to bake a few extra minutes (or not, so check on it!)

I've also made this in a rush and didn't let the pie sit long enough to cool before serving it.  Still delicious, just more cookie mush instead of pie slices on a plate.

Also, this recipe doesn't call for eggs, so this would be a great way to make cookie dough for ice cream or cookie dough truffles and desserts like that.  Or just to eat plain (not that I do that, ahem.)

SKILLET CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE
(from the food genius Mel)

INGREDIENTS

4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
8 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly
3/4 cup (5.5 ounces) light brown sugar
1/3 cup (2.5 ounces) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 2/3 cup (8.25 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cornstarch (see note above)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 1 1/2 cups semisweet, bittersweet or milk chocolate chips
Ice cream for serving

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9- or 10-inch cast iron skillet.
In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric stand mixer, cream together the cream cheese, melted butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix about halfway; there should be dry streaks of flour here and there. Add the chocolate chips and mix until evenly combined (don't overmix).
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared skillet and bake for 15-25 minutes depending on how soft and gooey you want the cookie. Serve warm with ice cream.