Flourless Peanut Butter Choc Chip Skillet Cookie {vegan, gf}

We go through a heap of peanut butter in this house! So much. And only two of us eat peanut butter. It’s really about time I started buying it in bulk. Even more so now that we have this skillet cookie on rotation! I had been dreaming of making a skillet cookie for the longest time, but needed an oven-proof pan to do it. So, I bought one. You may notice it is silver, not black. That is because, my friends, I am not in the market for a $100 fry pan. The fact is, not many local stores stock cast iron, so stainless steel was our preferred option.

The old fry pan that has cooked us many a pancake is now relegated to retirement in the box of camping gear, where all good pans end up. Yes, I’m so organised that there’s a box of equipment all ready in the basement for when we finally go camping. There have been two attempts this year. The first was tragically aborted when the little lad lost his lunch on arrival (so we turned around and drove home). The second attempt was more successful, but no tent. We glamped it up, and hired a cabin for the weekend. Much warmer, by far!

Back home again, it was time to put that new pan to good use. My Gluten-free Peanut Butter Choc Chip Cookie recipe is turned into a decadent dessert, to be eaten out of the pan by the spoonful. Inspired by the lovely Monique of Ambitious Kitchen, this soft-centred, flourless cookie is veganised with aquafaba and uses the natural sweetness of maple syrup instead of sugar. And of course, lots of chocolate! If you like salty and sweet, you can even add a sprinkling of salt on top after baking. Now grab a spoon, and dig right in!

Flourless Peanut Butter Choc Chip Skillet Cookie {vegan, gf}
One very large dessert cookie, flourless and decadent – grab a spoon and dig in!

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
1 cup (265g) natural peanut butter *
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
3 tablespoons aquafaba (equiv. 1 egg)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon baking (bicarb) soda
½ cup (100g) chopped dark (70%) dark chocolate, or dairy-free chocolate chips
Sea salt flakes (optional)

Method
Preheat oven to 180degC /350ºF and adjust rack to middle position.

Stir together first six ingredients until incorporated, and then fold in chopped chocolate or chocolate chips. Scrape batter into a 20 cm (8-inch) greased skillet and smooth the top. (If you prefer a thinner cookie, use a 23 cm (9-inch) pan instead). Sprinkle with sea salt flakes and some extra chopped chocolate. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until edges turn golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before digging in!

Best served with your favourite ice cream with a drizzle of homemade chocolate magic shell on top.

Notes
Adapted from my Gluten-free Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies and Ambitious Kitchen

*This recipe is best when an all-natural peanut butter is used (only peanuts + salt). If your peanut butter doesn’t contain salt, I would recommend adding 1/4 teaspoon to the recipe.