Oatmeal, Fruit, Nut & Chocolate Skillet Cookie

When you need a fast, easy dessert recipe for a crowd (or you’re just craving a giant cookie), make this delicious skillet cookie. It’s packed with good-for-you ingredients, like oats, dried fruit, nuts, dark chocolate, unsweetened coconut, and whole wheat flour. 

Just pile your cookie dough in a cast iron skillet and bake.

Even though it’s made with healthy, whole ingredients, I promise it’s still a rich, decadent dessert — especially if you top it with vanilla ice cream!

If you love easy but healthier sweet treats, try my no-bake fruit and nut bars or pumpkin spice protein bites, too.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • It’s the easiest way to make cookies. No scooping, rolling, or cookie pans to clean.
  • Even though it’s sweet and decadent, this cast iron skillet cookie is made with nearly all healthy ingredients.
  • It’s packed with sweet flavors and chewy-crunchy textures in every bite. And you can customize this recipe by adding more or less of the mix-ins you love.
  • Skillet cookies are such a fun dessert idea for a group.

Recipe Ingredients

Here are the main ingredients needed to make this skillet cookie. Substitutions and variations are in the section below.

Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients with measurements.

Ingredients needed to make a skillet cookie.

Whole wheat flour. It’s a great swap for white flour because it adds more fiber and nutrients. 

Oats. These add fiber and texture. Use old-fashioned oats, not quick-cooking oats.

Olive oil. I use this instead of butter for more heart-healthy and less saturated fat.

Dried fruit. I use dried cranberries and chopped dried apricots for natural sweetness and a pop of color.

Dark chocolate. Use good-quality dark chocolate chips or buy a small bar and break it into chunks. Dark chocolate is packed with polyphenols, antioxidants with blood pressure and heart health benefits. Plus, it’s delicious.

Nuts. Pecans add some nice flavor and crunch. And a little bit of peanut butter provides a touch of peanut flavor in the background.

Unsweetened coconut. This adds more flavor and a surprising amount of natural sweetness, even though it’s unsweetened. Use shredded or grated coconut, not flaked.

Substitutions and Variations

  • Substitute raisins or any dried fruit for the cranberries and apricots.
  • Use a zero-calorie brown sugar sweetener (like Lakanto) instead of regular brown sugar if desired.
  • Swap walnuts, almonds, or macadamia nuts for the pecans.
  • Omit the peanut butter and pecans for a nut-free version.
  • For a gluten-free cookie, use almond flour instead of whole wheat flour. Note that the cookie will be more dense.

Step-By-Step Instructions 

1. Prep the fruit and nuts. Combine the fruit, nuts, chocolate chips, and coconut in a mixing bowl. Stir to combine and set this aside. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and oil a 10-inch cast iron skillet.

Steps 1 & 2 to make a skillet cookie.

2. Mix the wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, eggs, vanilla, peanut butter, and brown sugar. Beat with a mixer for about 3 minutes or until the ingredients are light and fluffy.

3. Add the dry ingredients.  Add the flour, baking soda, most of the salt, and oats to the wet ingredients. Mix for another 3 minutes or until everything is combined well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.  

Steps 3 & 4 to make a skillet cookie.

4. Spread one-third of the dough onto the bottom of the pan. Pat it down to cover the bottom of the pan. I do this so the fruit and nuts don’t burn on the button.

5. Add the fruit and nut mixture to the remaining dough. Stir it in well. A spatula (or your hands) may be easier than the mixer.

Steps 5 & 6 to make a skillet cookie.

6. Spread the remaining dough over the top of the pan. Press it down well. Sprinkle a pinch of remaining salt over the top. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For a chewy cookie, don’t overbake. 

Expert Tips!

I put about ⅓ of the plain dough (without the fruit and nuts) on the bottom of the pan to avoid burning the fruit. If you’ve ever made regular oatmeal raisin cookies, you probably know the raisins (or any fruit) can burn easily and turn bitter. The layer of plain dough ensures that doesn’t happen.


If your cast iron pan is smaller or larger, adjust the bake time accordingly. A smaller pan may take a few extra minutes because the dough will be thicker. A 12-inch or larger pan will cook faster because the dough is thinner. Keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn.


This is delicious served warm, but you can easily bake it ahead. Let it cool completely, and remove the whole cookie from the pan. Place it on a microwave-safe pie plate or something similar and heat it for about 45 seconds in the microwave or until the chocolate has melted.

A skillet cookie in a cast iron pan with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top and a spoon in the pan. Two plates with a cookie wedge are next to the pan.

How to Serve a Skillet Cookie

To serve this easy dessert:

  • Cut it into wedges and topped with ice cream (I love plain vanilla), whipped cream, or a drizzle of warm caramel sauce.
  • Put a few scoops of ice cream right on top and let everyone dig in with their spoons.
  • Set it out with plates, a knife, and all the toppings, and let each person take what they want and customize their cookie.

Recipe FAQs

Can you freeze this skillet cookie?

Yes! It freezes beautifully. Keep it whole or cut it into slices and wrap each one individually for a sweet treat for yourself. To heat it, microwave for about 20 seconds, depending on the size.

What can you use instead of a cast iron pan?

Use any 10-12 inch oven-proof skillet or a glass or metal pie plate in place of a cast iron skillet. Make sure you place it on the middle rack and keep a close eye on your skillet cookie so it doesn’t burn.

Related Cookie Recipes

Homemade cookies are the best! Try some of my other favorite cookie recipes.

Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating on the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page. Your email will not appear publicly!

A skillet cookie made with fruit, nuts, and oats in a cast iron pan. A scoop of vanilla ice cream is on top and a spoon is in the pan.

Oatmeal, Fruit, Nut and Chocolate Skillet Cookie

A fast, easy giant cookie that bakes in a cast iron pan
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 14
Calories: 394kcal

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup dried apricots chopped i
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup pecans chopped
  • 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt divided
  • 2 cups Old Fashioned oats

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350℉ and set the rack to the middle position.
  • Spray or grease a 10-inch cast iron pan with oil.
  • Mix the apricots, cranberries, pecans, chocolate chips, and coconut together in amixing bowl and set aside.
  • In a separate large mixing bowl, beat the olive oil, eggs, vanilla, peanut butter, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in the flour, baking soda, most of the salt (reserve a generous pinch to sprinkle over the top), and oats. Mix everything well for about three more minutes to combine.
  • Add about 1/3 of the dough to the bottom of the prepared pan. Press it down to cover the bottom evenly.
  • Add the fruit and nut mixture to the cookie dough. Use a spatula to mix everything well.
  • Top the pan with the rest of the cookie dough and gently press (using damp fingers if necessary) dough evenly over the pan. Sprinkle the remaining pinch of salt over the top of the cookie dough.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Serve warm.

Notes

For a chewy cookie, do not overbake.
Feel free to use any combination of fruit and nuts you prefer.
If your skillet is larger or smaller than 10 inches, adjust the bake time accordingly. A larger skillet will make a thinner dough, which will bake faster. A smaller skillet will make a thicker cookie, which may take longer to bake.
If desired, top the cookie with ice cream.

Nutrition

Calories: 394kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 208mg | Potassium: 279mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 210IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 2mg
https://cravingsomethinghealthy.com/loaded-granola-skillet-cookie/

2 Comments

  1. My kids love going to Oregano’s (in Phoenix) and they always want the pizza cookie. This one looks delicious! I love how you added lots of fruits, nuts,, oats, and of course peanut butter. Definitely going to try this ASAP! Pinning!!

    1. Thanks Cindy! I feel like all of the healthy ingredients kind of cancel out the calories 🙂 I love that you know Oregano’s! There are so many great restaurants out there but we always have to stop there when we visit!

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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