This Patriotic Skillet Cookie is an easy, festive dessert that young and old alike will adore! Adding M&M’s and chocolate chips make this a winning dessert!

This Chocolate Chip Pan Cookie is simply made from homemade cookie dough enhanced for the holidays with red, white, and blue M&M’s. Baked in a skillet and served in wedges, it’s a fun cookie cake recipe that will become a holiday tradition! 

Patriotic Skillet Cookie wedges stacked on a white enamel dessert plate.

Why You Must Make

My kids always loved those grocery store cookie cakes that their friends brought to school for birthday celebrations. That’s until I figured out I could make a much tastier version in a deep dish pizza pan or skillet!

  • This homemade version is more delicious than what you can buy since you’ll use real butter, pure vanilla extract, and the chocolate chips and M&M’s of your choice.
  • You can tweak it for any occasion. Different colors and flavors of M&M’s make it perfect for holidays.
  • It’s even easier to make than chocolate chip cookies! No scooping and baking batches. It’s one and done!
  1. First, you need a terrific recipe for the cookie dough batter. Check.
  2. Then add a generous amount of chocolate chips and M&M’s. Did you know that you can find packages of Red, White, and Blue M&M’s this time of year?
  3. Next, pat the dough into a prepared, greased skillet and bake!
  4. Carefully press a few more candies and chocolate chips onto the surface of the warm cake after you pull it out of the oven. This will make for a bakery-worthy treat!
  5. Let cool, cut into wedges, and dive in! This patriotic skillet cookie is super easy and it won’t last long!

Recipe Tips

The process to make this holiday dessert is quite simple. Mix the cookie dough as directed. Grease your skillet, spread the cookie dough evenly with an offset spatula, then bake. While the cookie cake is still warm, press more M&M’s and chocolate chips onto the surface for a more prominent red, white, and blue display!

  • Most of my cookie recipes start with room-temperature butter, but this cookie base, adapted from America’s Test Kitchen, calls for melted butter.
  • Another unusual step in this recipe is to stir the batter after the eggs are added, then let the batter sit a minute or two and stir again, creating a glossy batter before adding in the dry ingredients. I’m not sure about the food science behind this step, but if the results are any indication, it’s worth doing!
  • I like to mix in the baking soda before adding the flour so that it’s fully incorporated. This prevents you from biting into the bitter taste of a clump of baking soda that didn’t thoroughly dissolve.
  • PRO-Tip: Use a wooden spoon to mix in the baking soda and flour so you don’t overwork the gluten. Using a mixer will change the texture of your skillet cookie, making it more cake-like than dense and cookie-like.
  • Check on your cookie cake in the oven a few minutes before the timer goes off. It should be puffed in the middle and golden brown. I’d rather pull it out a minute early than have this patriotic skillet cookie over-baked.
  • PRO-Tip: I either reserve some chocolate chips and M&M’s or pull some extras out of the bags to garnish after the cookies come out of the oven. That way the patriotic colors are more prominent.
  • Even though this version is for American patriotic holidays like Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day, you can easily switch up the colors of your M&M’s and it will be perfect for any occasion!
  • PRO-Tip: Try red and green M&M’s for Christmas, orange and brown for Halloween, and red and pink for Valentine’s Day! My Spiderweb Cookie Cake is an example of how to shake things up for Halloween.
Patriotic Skillet Cookie in a red cast iron skillet.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Serve a Skillet Cookie Cake?

Cut the skillet cake into wedges to serve. You can put the slice into the microwave and zap briefly to seconds to soften the chocolate chips and warm the dough. Add a dollop of vanilla ice cream to kick it up a notch!

How Long Can You Keep a Cookie Cake?

If you store it at room temperature covered tightly with foil or plastic wrap, it will stay fresh for 3-4 days. You can freeze it for up to 3 months, wrapped well. Just defrost overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.

What’s the Best Way to Garnish a Cookie Cake?

As mentioned above, press in some reserved M&Ms and chocolate chips across the surface of the cookie as soon as it comes out of the oven. Be careful as the pan and cookie will be very hot. Once it cools, you can pipe chocolate frosting stars around the perimeter of the cake using a Wilton 1M tip to make it extra festive for special occasions.

More Patriotic Cookies You’ll Love

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Patriotic Skillet Cake

Patriotic Skillet Cookie Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Yield 8 servings

A Cookie Cake made in a skillet and jazzed up for the holidays!

Ingredients

  • 12 tablespoons butter
  • ¾ cup dark brown sugar
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
  • 1 ¾ cups  flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, plus more to garnish
  • ¾ cup M&Ms, patriotic colors, plus more to garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 10-inch skillet with butter or cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. Microwave the butter in a large mixing bowl using 15-second increments, until melted.
  3. Whisk brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt into melted butter until smooth. Whisk in egg and yolk until smooth.
  4. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes, then beat with a wooden spoon until smooth and shiny.
  5. Stir flour and soda into the butter mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and M&M's.
  6. Press the dough into the prepared skillet, then smooth with an offset spatula.
  7. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cookie is golden brown.
  8. Carefully press a few more M&Ms onto the surface of the warm cookie, if desired.
  9. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

Recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 585Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 378mgCarbohydrates: 78gFiber: 3gSugar: 54gProtein: 6g

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