Peanut Butter Skillet Cookie with Reeses | Molten Finish

Creating the Ultimate Peanut Butter Skillet Cookie with Reeses

We have all been there: you pull a cookie from the oven only to have it crumble into dry, sandy dust the moment it hits your tongue. It is the ultimate kitchen heartbreak. I used to think the "skillet" part was just for show a rustic aesthetic for the 'gram until I realized I was treating the cast iron like a regular baking sheet.

My first three attempts were essentially peanut flavored hockey pucks because I didn't account for the residual heat.

I ruined those batches so you don't have to. I overbaked them, used cold eggs that broke my emulsion, and forgot that peanut butter adds a massive amount of fat that behaves differently than butter alone.

I was looking for a velvety, molten interior with a shattered glass crisp on the edges, but I kept getting "bread like" sadness.

The secret to a Masterclass level Peanut Butter Skillet Cookie with Reeses lies in the physics of thermal retention. By using a heavy skillet, we create a heat soak environment that cooks the edges into a mahogany crust while the center remains in a state of soft, gelatinized bliss.

This isn't just a big cookie; it's an engineered dessert designed for maximum Maillard reaction and moisture lock.

Why This Recipe Works

• Residual Heat Equilibrium: The cast iron skillet acts as a thermal battery, continuing to cook the dough even after it leaves the 350°F environment, ensuring the center sets without drying out.
• Emulsion Stability: Using a room temperature egg allows the lecithin to bond the water in the whites to the high fat content of the 130g Creamy Peanut Butter, preventing a greasy, separated crumb.
• Hygroscopic Synergy: The 100g of Light brown sugar contains molasses, which attracts and holds water molecules more effectively than granulated sugar, keeping the interior soft for days.
• Starch Gelatinization Control: By precisely measuring 190g of All-purpose flour, we provide just enough structure to hold the fats without creating a tough, bready texture.

Precision Engineering for the Perfect Large Format Dessert

The Molecular Structure of Fats and Sugars

Selecting Your Elements

• 1/2 cup (113g) Unsalted butter: Why this? Controls sodium levels while providing the 80% milkfat needed for flavor.
• 1/2 cup (130g) Creamy Peanut Butter: Why this? Adds non-dairy fats that stay liquid at room temp for softness.
• 1/2 cup (100g) Light brown sugar: Why this? Acidic pH triggers the baking soda for a better rise.
• 1/4 cup (50g) Granulated white sugar: Why this? Encourages surface evaporation for a crisp exterior crust.
• 1 Large egg, room temperature: Essential for a smooth batter.
• 1 tsp (5ml) Pure vanilla extract: Enhances the aromatic profile.
• 1 1/2 cups (190g) All-purpose flour: The structural backbone.
• 3/4 tsp Baking soda: The primary lift agent.
• 1/2 tsp Sea salt: Contrast to the heavy sugar load.
• 3/4 cup (150g) Reese’s Pieces candies: Divided for texture.
• 1/2 cup (85g) Semi sweet chocolate chips: Adds dark cocoa notes to balance the peanut.

Essential Tools for Thermal Conductivity and Depth

To make this Peanut Butter Skillet Cookie with Reeses properly, you need a Lodge 10.25 inch Cast Iron Skillet. A standard cake pan won't work because it lacks the mass to hold heat.

You will also want a KitchenAid Hand Mixer or a sturdy whisk to ensure the creaming process effectively aerates the fats.

For ingredient precision, use a Greater Goods Digital Food Scale. Volumetric cups are notorious for "packing" flour, which leads to dry cookies. If you're serious about your Peanut Butter Cookies recipe, weight is the only way to go.

Mastering the Emulsion and Maillard Reactions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Wait until the thermostat clicks to ensure even heat.
2. Cream 113g Unsalted butter, 130g Creamy Peanut Butter, 100g Light brown sugar, and 50g granulated sugar for 3 minutes until the mixture turns pale and fluffy.Note: This incorporates air pockets for a lighter crumb.
3. Incorporate the room temperature egg and 5ml vanilla extract until the mixture is glossy and smooth.Note: This creates the primary emulsion.
4. Whisk 190g flour, 3/4 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp sea salt in a separate bowl until no clumps of soda remain.
5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined and no white streaks of flour are visible.Note: Over mixing develops gluten, making the cookie tough.
6. Stir in 1/2 cup of the Reese’s Pieces and all 85g chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the thick dough.
7. Press the dough into a 10 inch Lodge Cast Iron Skillet until it reaches the edges in an even layer.
8. Top with the remaining Reese’s Pieces until the surface is studded with color.
9. Bake for 18 20 minutes until the edges are a deep mahogany brown and the center still jiggles slightly.
10. Rest in the skillet for 10 minutes until the residual heat finishes the center and the sizzle subsides.

Chef's Tip: Sprinkle a tiny pinch of espresso powder or extra sea salt on top before baking. The bitterness of the coffee or the sharpness of the salt acts as a "flavor bridge" between the heavy fats and the sugar, preventing flavor fatigue.

Why Your Large Format Cookies Sink or Crumble

The Science of Why Cookies Stay Crispy

If your Peanut Butter Skillet Cookie with Reeses is turning out greasy or flat, it's likely a temperature failure. When fats melt before the flour proteins (gluten) have a chance to set, the structure collapses. This is common if your butter was "greasy soft" rather than "pliable soft."

Why Your Center is Sinking

A sinking center in a Cookie with Reeses Pieces usually points to over creaming. If you whip too much air into the dough, it rises like a soufflé in the oven and then undergoes a structural "implosion" once it hits cool air. Mix on medium speed, never high.

Texture Modifications and Alternative Fat Profiles

For a twist, you could even use the technique from my Instant milk to heavy cream guide to create a quick vanilla cream to pour over the hot cookie.

Preserving the Crumb Structure and Moisture Levels

Yes, a Peanut Butter Skillet Cookie with Reeses stays fresh for up to 4 days when covered tightly with foil at room temperature. The high fat content from the peanut butter acts as a natural preservative, slowing down the staling process (starch retrogradation).

• Fridge: Store for 1 week. Note: The fats will solidify, so it will become firm and fudge like.
• Freezer: Wrap individual wedges in plastic and freeze for 3 months.
• Reheating: Use a microwave for 15 20 seconds for a "molten" effect, or a 300°F oven for 5 minutes to restore the edge crispness.

Zero Waste Philosophy

Don't discard the Reese's Pieces "dust" at the bottom of the bag. Transform: Fold those tiny broken bits into the dough. Science: These smaller particles melt into the batter more quickly, creating "pockets" of concentrated peanut oil and sugar.

Temperature Contrast and Flavor Pairing Protocols

When scaling this Skillet Cookie with Reeses Pieces, remember the Thermal Mass Warning. If you decide to double the recipe to make two skillets, do not crowd your oven. Two heavy cast iron pans will drop the oven temperature by 20 30 degrees instantly.

You'll need to add about 5 minutes to the total bake time to compensate for the heat loss.

Myth: "You must use natural peanut butter for the best flavor." Truth: False. Natural peanut butter (oil-on-top) is too unstable for baking. The oils separate during the bake, leading to a greasy mess. Use a stabilized brand like Jif or Skippy for the perfect emulsion.

Myth: "The cookie is done when the toothpick comes out clean." Truth: If the toothpick is clean, you've overbaked it. Because of the cast iron's heat retention, you want a few moist crumbs. It will continue to firm up for 10 minutes on the counter.

For a true "Masterclass" finish, serve this Skillet Cookie with Reeses Pieces with a scoop of cold vanilla bean ice cream. The thermal contrast between the 180°F cookie and 32°F ice cream creates a sensory "shock" that highlights the richness of the fats. If you're feeling adventurous, a side of my Buffalo Sauce Recipe might be a bit too far, but a glass of cold milk is the perfect scientific palate cleanser to strip the peanut oils from your tongue between bites.

This Peanut Butter Skillet Cookie with Reeses is the ultimate marriage of culinary physics and nostalgic flavor. Enjoy the sizzle.