A Pizookie featuring the absolute-best cookie dough, loaded with Reese’s candies, chocolate chips, and M&M’s, baked in a deep-dish skillet!
Obsessed with cookies? Try these next: Snickerdoodles, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies, or Rocky Road Cookies.
Pizookie Recipe Inspiration
When my husband and I were going to college we found a little dessert cafe that quickly became our favorite place. They served all kinds of from-scratch desserts, but we never did end up trying all that many while we lived near the cafe. However, it wasn’t from lack of going there often enough; it was from our fear of branching out because we both knew their “pizookies” would never disappoint.
Massive deep-dish cookie skillets with a generous serving of ice cream on top is what the name “pizookies” entailed. The first time we went, we each got one and quickly learned they could easily be shared with three or four other people.
We ended up graduating from college and moving a few hundred miles away from that little dessert cafe, but I knew one day I’d make my own version of that deep-dish cookie. And honestly, we couldn’t be more thrilled with the result. These Pizookies are a total favorite in our home; they’re sweet and indulgent and completely loaded with our favorites: chocolate, M&M’s, and Reese’s.
What Is A Pizookie?
“Pizookie” combines the words pizza and cookie, and it’s like a giant cookie shaped like a pizza. The name “Pizookie” is officially owned by BJ’s Pizookie Restaurants and Brewhouses, but you can find similar desserts at other places too. This recipe isn’t about copying one specific restaurant’s treat; it’s about making your own big, deep-dish cookie.
You usually cook pizookies in a cast-iron skillet, but you can also use a 9-inch round cake pan if you don’t have a skillet.
Ingredients In This Pizookie
- Butter: Use butter that’s soft but not melted for the best texture. I like using unsalted so I can control the salt.
- Sugars (White and Brown): Sweeten the cookie. Cream the butter and sugars until fluffy to help the pizookie rise.
- Egg: Helps bind the ingredients. Use an egg at room temperature for better mixing.
- Vanilla Extract: High-quality vanilla makes a big difference in taste.
- Flour: Spoon and level the flour when measuring to avoid a heavy, dense cookie.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder: Make the cookie rise and become light. Check that they’re fresh for the best rise.
- Salt: A little salt can balance the sweetness.
- Chocolates and Candies: Distribute candy pieces evenly so every bite is delicious. You can experiment with your favorite add-ins.
- Optional (Ice Cream, Hot Fudge): Add these to the warm cookie for a melt-in-your-mouth experience.
Quick Tip
When measuring flour for this deep-dish skillet cookie, make sure to spoon and level the flour. If you press a measuring cup into a container and push the flour into the cup, you’ll end up with way too much flour. Here’s how to spoon and level flour.
How To Make A Pizookie
- Prepare the Dough: Start by making cookie dough. Remember, not all cookie doughs work well in a skillet, so use a recipe suited for deep baking.
- Divide the Dough: Once your dough is ready, split it into two equal parts.
- Layer the Dough and Candy: Press the first half of the dough into a greased skillet. Then, add halved Reese’s cups on top for a chocolatey-peanut-buttery middle.
- Add More Candy: Mix M&M’s and chocolate chips into the second half of the dough, then layer it over the Reese’s in the skillet. This second layer should cover all the candies underneath smoothly.
- Bake: Cook your Pizookie in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 20-25 minutes. The edges should be golden, and the center slightly gooey. Don’t overbake to keep that desirable gooey center.
- Serve Warm: Once out of the oven, top your Pizookie with ice cream while it’s still warm. Serve immediately for that perfect melt of ice cream on the warm cookie.
Recipe Tips
- Use room temperature butter: If the butter is too soft or melted, the cookie dough will end up being too warm and not baking properly. The dough burns on the edges before the center is done.)
- Watch bake time closely: Pizookies should be somewhat gooey and fairly soft-baked in the center. As soon as the edges turn a light golden brown, the Pizookie is ready!
- Enjoy these treats fresh out of the oven: Nothing beats serving them hot with some ice cream on top. If you do have leftovers, they will store okay (without the ice cream and hot fudge), but nothing compares to the cookie right out of the oven!
- To store leftover Pizookie, keep it at room temperature, tightly covered with plastic wrap. Avoid storing any portions that had ice cream on them, as the melted ice cream can make the cookie soggy.
Recipe Variations
- If you aren’t a fan of Reese’s, you can use virtually any chocolate candy for the middle of this Pizookie (or leave it without a center filling altogether). Some other candies we’ve tried and loved include Rolos®, coarsely chopped Kit-Kats®, Hershey’s® chocolate bars.
- S’mores Version: Give our Smores Pizookie a try for a fun summer twist!
- Swap out the milk chocolate for semi-sweet, dark, or white chocolate (or use a combination of a few different chocolate chips).
- Add a drizzle of hot fudge or melted peanut butter on top of the fresh-from-the-oven Pizookie.
- Did you know you can make a perfect pizookie is the air fryer? Give this Air Fryer Pizookie a try!
More delicious desserts
- Cinnamon Roll Skillet Cake reader favorite recipe!
- Skillet S’mores Cookie with chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers
- No Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake with a chocolate ganache topping
- Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies our favorite cookie recipe
- Churros with two dipping sauces
Pizookie
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups white all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 10-12 miniature Reese's cups, unwrapped and cut in half
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup peanut butter or regular M&M's candies (2 small packages)
- Optional toppings: ice cream, hot fudge sauce
Instructions
- PREP: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease or spray a 9-inch cast iron skillet or 9- inch cake pan. Set aside.
- CREAM BUTTER and SUGARS: In a medium-sized bowl, cream room-temperature butter (Note 1), white sugar, and brown sugar for about 2-3 minutes. Add in egg and vanilla. Mix until combined.
- DRY INGREDIENTS & COMBINE: In a separate bowl, stir together flour (See Note 2), baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients to the wet and mix until a dough forms. Do not over mix.
- DIVIDE DOUGH: Divide the dough in half. Press one half into the bottom of the skillet or cake pan and layer halved Reese's cups on top.
- REMAINING DOUGH: To the remaining cookie dough, add in the milk chocolate chips and peanut butter M&M's. Stir to combine and then press that remaining cookie dough on top of the Reese's cups and smooth the dough into 1 even layer. The Reese's cups should be covered with dough.
- BAKE: Bake for 20-25 minutes until the edges are light golden brown, keeping the center slightly soft for a perfect Pizookie.
- SERVE: Serve immediately with ice cream and hot fudge if desired.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Oh my! This is really an amazing dessert! You’re not kidding around! ๐
Haha it’s definitely an “intense” dessert!! Thank you Kelly!
Wow, this is amazing! ๐
Thank you Jess!
Holy Cow . . . talk about mouthwatering. Yum ๐
Absolutely gorgeous is the only thing that is coming to my brain. You seriously have me hypnotized right now!
Wow! I never met a pizookie I didn’t like, these look too good.
Thank you Anna! ๐
Oh my, my, my!! This looks amazing Chelsea!! I have never had a pizookie and that is going to have to change!!! Is that a full size skillet? Is it wrong of me to think I could take that down all by myself?? ๐
Hahaha!! That would be so awesome if you could! I wish I could eat an entire pizookie myself, but don’t think my husband would be very happy I hogged it all ๐ It’s an 8 inch skillet, but I want to try a pizookie in a 12-inch one – that would be quite the cookie! Have a great weekend Renee ๐
Oh. My. Goodness! This is beyond gorgeous, Chelsea. I’ve been loving all the “skillet cookie” recipes lately, but yours takes the cake, ha! Love the word pizookie :). Wish I could have a slice of this right now. I can only imagine what this tastes like while still warm and gooey…
Haha thanks Kathi! Isn’t that such a fun word?! Have a wonderful weekend ๐
This is one amazing pizookie! Love everything about it!
Thank you Jessica! ๐
Oooh this is heavenly!
Thanks Alyssa! Haha I know! I have tons of more ideas I want to do since there are so many different candy variations!
That gooey, candy-filled center has me drooling all over my scrubs. I’m gonna need a pizookie…fast!
Haha okay we should switch – you can have some pizookie if I can have some of your super yummy dip!! ๐