We recently visited our son and daughter-in-law in Phoenix, and they introduced us to the skillet cookie concept at one of the local restaurants—a large, soft cookie baked in a cast iron skillet and brought hot out of the oven to the table … topped with melting ice cream!

I graciously declined dessert (loyal wife that I am) and promised Gary we’d experiment with a healthier adaptation when we got home. Here's an oatmeal cookie version of the fabulous skillet cookies, chock full of apples, raisins and nuts! 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8” cast iron skillet lightly with olive oil spray (you can use any size cast iron skillet or pancake skillet that flutes outward to allow easy removal). 

2. In a medium bowl with an electric hand-held mixer, cream together:

6 Tbsp Earth Balance Natural Buttery sticks

¾ cup Fruit Sweet

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract 

3. Stir in until well blended:

1¾ cups whole wheat pastry flour

1½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt 

4. Stir in:

½ cup oatmeal

½ cup pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped (I used a blend of both)

½ cup raisins

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced in small pieces 

5. Spread cookie dough a scant ½” thick in the bottom of skillet; bake for 16-18 minutes or until lightly golden brown around the edges and soft in the middle. 

6. Top with frozen vanilla dessert (Gary’s favorite is Coconut Bliss brand “ice cream” made from coconut milk) and serve immediately.  

7. Makes 4-5 skillet cookies; each cookie serves 3-4 people (an 8” skillet has an approximate 6” base). You can refrigerate or freeze the portion of unused dough … and bake the next day!