Chunky Monkey Oatmeal Cookie Skillet (Printable version)

Warm oatmeal skillet with bananas, chocolate chips, and walnuts baked in cast iron

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
07 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
08 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1 large egg
10 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
11 - 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed

→ Mix-ins

12 - 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
13 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
14 - 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together oats, flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
03 - In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Whisk until smooth.
04 - Add egg and vanilla extract to wet mixture and whisk well. Stir in mashed bananas until fully combined.
05 - Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.
06 - Gently fold in chocolate chips, walnuts, and coconut if using.
07 - Spread dough evenly into prepared skillet.
08 - Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, or until top is golden and edges are set but center remains slightly soft.
09 - Let cool for 10 minutes before serving warm. Serve slices directly from skillet, optionally topped with ice cream.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It bakes in under 25 minutes, so you can satisfy a sweet craving without the patience game.
  • The skillet makes serving feel like a small celebration—everyone gets a warm slice straight from the pan.
  • Bananas and oats make it feel almost virtuous, despite the chocolate chips doing all the heavy lifting.
02 -
  • Banana ripeness matters more than you'd expect—if they're still pale yellow, the flavor will be muted and the sweetness won't be there to balance the chocolate.
  • Don't overbake this thinking you want it fully set; the magic happens when the center is still slightly soft and the edges are just firm enough to hold a slice.
03 -
  • Lightly toasting the walnuts in a dry pan for two minutes before chopping makes them taste like they've been there all along, not like an afterthought.
  • If your oven runs hot, check the skillet at the 18-minute mark—every oven has its own rhythm, and you want to catch it at golden rather than dark brown.
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