They say necessity is the mother of invention, now I know I didn’t invent the cast iron cookie, but I’d imagine whoever did was in a situation similar to my own: I don’t have a baking sheet.
I know it sounds silly, but I moved recently and my old dingy baking sheets I got at a restaurant auction did not make it to the new kitchen. So when the craving set in for some form of sweet treat I was faced with a problem: I had the ingredients but no way of baking them in the oven. And that’s when it clicked - my 12 inch cast iron skillet would do the trick. It’s well seasoned and absolutely ready for the oven. I had always known of cast iron cookies but saw them as sort of a gimmick and boy, am I glad to say I was wrong.
The recipe itself isn’t too crazy, it's really just what I had on hand. But I’m excited to share what I’ve learned in my different trials of this method (each attempt better than the last with the first still being a great contender). I tinkered with the ratios, quantities and temperatures until I landed on what I think is the perfect setup. Higher heat led to a crispier crust, whereas greater use of brown sugar over white sugar left me with a more caramel-like flavor that paired very well with the crispy crust. Oatmeal, brown sugar and ginger created a flavor that isn’t overly sweet yet still reminded me of a brown sugar pop tart. This recipe is simple, fairly quick, and absolutely delicious.
Brown Sugar Oatmeal Cast Iron Cookies
Scroll down for a printable version of this recipe
Serves: 8
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Inactive time: 1 hour for resting, if you can wait that long
Total Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 stick plus 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup rolled oats
2 Tablespoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Using stand mixer with paddle attachment or a bowl and spoon, mix together all sugar and butter until combined.
Add eggs and vanilla, mixing again until combined with no streaks. The dough should look like cake batter.
Fold in rolled oats and kosher salt.
Working in batches, incorporate flour, ginger and baking soda.
Pour dough into buttered cast iron skillet and spread evenly with your fingers.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until cookie has risen and edges are starting to brown and crisp.
If possible, let cool in the skillet for an hour before cutting into the cookie. (But there's no shame in impatience - I think I lasted only 20 minutes.)
*Chef’s Note: I won’t get into cast iron care as it’s been covered a multitude of time in our blog. Here are just a few to check out: