Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie with Caramel and Sea Salt Recipe - Pinch of Yum
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Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie with Caramel and Sea Salt

28 reviews / 4.9 average

Bjork has one single specialty when it comes to cooking, and its name is Ze Big Cookie.

And yes, you do have to say ze. Bjork’s rules.

It’s cookie dough (definitely not homemade) (wait. I’m talking about HIS version, not THIS version. stay please.) pressed into a large circle on a cookie sheet and baked to underdone gooey cookie perfection. The man can’t cook a vegetable to save his life, but Ze Big Cookie more than overcompensates for any of that. As much as I roll my eyes and pretend that I’m way too foodie for that, I eat it and love it.

And I occasionally use it to inspire very similar but more homemade things like this deep dish chocolate chip cookie, so thanks babe. ❤

Cookie dough in a mixing bowl with chocolate chunks.

Rabbit trail with me for a moment here – as I was writing this post I had a distant memory of a video documenting Ze Big Cookie. So I went looking for it. Our good friends, being the awesome people they are, had not only saved but uploaded this video to YouTube where over a few years it has accumulated almost 3,000 views. Um what. 3,000 people in this world spent five minutes of their life learning to make Ze Big Cookie from the world’s most ridiculous cook? I love you Bjork, but, just, no.

Deep dish chocolate chip cookie with caramel drizzle.

I almost want to tell you not to watch it, but we’re rabbit trailing and you probably have something official to do that would just be best put off for a few more minutes. Only two rules: 1) You cannot send Bjork hate mail about using premade cookie dough, or love letters asking for his hand in cookie marriage. He’s taken. 2) You cannot calculate how many actual servings it would equal if four friends were to hypothetically eat the entire Big Cookie.

This was a looong five years ago.

So on another exciting note, guess what happened this week? My new baby nephew Charlie was born! *cheers and applause*

Charlie entered the world just like the perfect baby that he is and made me and my sisters first time aunties, and my crazy brothers and Bjork first time uncles, and my parents first-time grandparents. Also: me a first-time baby nephew stealer. I hardly have any pictures of him, but he’s actually even cuter than this deep dish cookie. Promise.

Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie in a skillet.

So in honor of Charlie, really, I made this Deep Dish Chocolate Cookie with Caramel and Sea Salt. And ohmygosh someone send help. This is one thick cookie, stuffed with a layer of soft caramel and sea salt. SAY WHAT. I have a deep weakness for chocolate and sea salt which is why three pieces of deep dish chocolate chip cookie are “missing” and I am food comatose.

Gooey and underbaked? Definitely yes. This is a very gooey, very underbaked little guy. And by little I mean massive. Just know that when you take this out of the oven, it will look like this…nice and browned on top…

Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie in a skillet on the oven.

but it’s not ready to eat. It’s still gooey underneat. This is where you decide whether or not you like it like that or if you want to cover it with foil and keep baking. Especially if you’re on Team Underbaked, it needs to rest so as not to become a hot lava caramel explosion goo-ball all over your kitchen. Let it rest, let the buttery smells permeate your house, and check back in an hour. That’s what I did – it was cuttable and servable, with the exception of that always messy first piece.  No regrets.

This recipes is meant to be served to a group of close friends who are lounging around on Friday night watching something random on TV, or better yet, YouTube, or better yet, Ze Big Cookie video on YouTube. Okay, no, I’m kidding. Don’t.

But seriously, this is the kind of food that says: we are good enough friends to wear our sweats over to each other’s houses, put our hair in high ponys (boys… whatever your equivalent of high pony bonding is), and not feel self-conscious about eating underbaked gooey deep dish chocolate chip cookies together. And maybe even eating a little too much because it’s the weekend. Just maybe.

Wait, it’s Wednesday. But that’s basically the same as the weekend, right?

Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie slice on a white plate.

Currently we have Netflix queued up, one massive deep dish chocolate chip cookie cooling on the counter, and true story: I’m wearing my sweats. Come over already.

Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie slice on a plate with a fork.
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A picture of Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie with Caramel and Sea Salt

Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie with Caramel and Sea Salt


Description

This Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie is stuffed with a layer of gooey caramel and sprinkled with sea salt. Simple and over-the-top delicious.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 sticks (16 tablespoons) butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons real maple syrup
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 3/4 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup chocolate chunks (I chopped up a large piece of Scharffen Berger chocolate – yum)
  • 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup caramel pieces (affiliate link)
  • 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • coarse sea salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degree. Soften the 8 tablespoons butter in the microwave for 30 seconds or until partially melted. Soften the remaining 8 tablespoons for 10 seconds or until you can make an indent with your finger.
  2. Mix the butter and sugars together with an electric mixer until creamed. Add the vanilla and maple syrup and mix again until smooth. Add the eggs; beat slowly until incorporated. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt (sometimes it helps to add the flour in batches). Mix until a smooth dough forms. The dough should feel dry to the touch – if it sticks to your hands, add a few more tablespoons of flour. I generally try to err on the side of more flour. Stir in the chocolate chips and chocolate chunks. Melt the caramel pieces and heavy cream in the microwave for 2 minutes. Stir well until melted and smooth.
  3. Press half of the dough mixture into a 9-inch or larger cast iron skillet lined with parchment paper. (affiliate link) Pour the caramel over the dough and smooth with a spoon. Cover with another layer of cookie dough. Bake for 15-25 minutes (see notes). Remove from oven, sprinkle with sea salt, and allow to rest for at least one hour in order for the pieces to hold their shape when cut.

Notes

I baked mine uncovered for 15 minutes, but you could also cover with foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes to get the cookie center baked even further. If you only bake for 15 minutes total, like I did, the cookie WILL be underbaked. Cause that’s how we like it.

How To Clean a Cast Iron Pan After Cooking (My Go-To, Everyday Method)

  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 25
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: skillet cookie, deep dish cookie, deep dish chocolate chip cookie

We almost always serve things like this with a bunch o vanilla ice cream but there was none to be found in the freezer when I made this. The good news for you is that there’s still time for the warm cold melty combo! Do it.

One More Thing!

This recipe is part of our best date night recipes page. Check it out!

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253 Comments

  1. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Ohhhh that is so worth a sugar coma! I did not have time to eat a proper dessert yesterday after my 19 mile run before I went to class, and now my sugar cravings are off the chart! This looks incredible!!!! I think I earned some, cant wait to try it! LOVE monster cookies!

  2. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Congratulations on being a first time aunt! Wonderful! You and Bjork will be awesome aunt and uncle – lucky nephew! 🙂 The deep dish chocolate chip cookie looks so decadent and dangerously good – love the caramel layer in the middle. I’m not sure what a bloke’s equivalence to high pony bonding is – perhaps its hangover/unshaven bbq/pizza nights but this cookie would fit in just fine. 🙂

      1. Pinch of Yum Logo

        Your instructions were so spot on it was easy to achieve a great and delicious result. One thing that I did was to pay out the second half of the dough on a piece of plastic wrap and then invert it on the caramel layer so I didn’t mess it up. Came out great! This was a terrific recipe.

  3. Pinch of Yum Logo

    I recently became an aunt too! you have so many new experiences to have with them that cement you as irreplaceable in their lives. I am sure when he become old enough, He will want you to help him cook this delicious cookie for him! I sure would.

  4. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Oh my gosh. I have no words to express how much I want to make and eat this right now! I may have to completely change my weekend plans and do the deep dish cookie/best friends/sweats plan instead.

  5. Pinch of Yum Logo

    So I’m sitting here at my desk at work, drooling over how great that cookie looks and then out of no where I burst into laughter at the end of the video when he shows Biggest Loser is on. Strange looks aside, that was hilarious!

    Nice work Bjork!

  6. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Ohhh la la, j’adore ze big cookie! You are making me want to speak French and pretend to be fancy while getting this all over my face. I think it’s my salty-sweet love of contrast. This cookie is everything to love in life!

  7. Pinch of Yum Logo

    The toughest thing about making this cookie (which I NEED, not want, but need, to have in my life immediately) is that hour of waiting after it comes out of the oven. This will be a true test of my willpower.

    P.S. Congrats on becoming an aunt….so exciting!!

    1. Pinch of Yum Logo

      Totally. But you’ll try to cut into it (like me) and realize immediately that it’s cookie mush, and take one bite and then let it be. 🙂

  8. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Omgeee! This sounds divine. Funny, I’ve always thought Bjork should sound like the swedish chef on Sesame Street – ha! Cute video, seriously! Inky, dinky, dooo, said like the swedish chef (which by the way is one of our favorite characters – him and Beaker too!)

  9. Pinch of Yum Logo

    OMGEEE, that video! Amazing. Best to not bother turning off the Biggest Loser in the background, haha! I definitely eat junk food while watching it too. I have to say your version of the big cookie looks much better, although I wouldn’t turn down either!

  10. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Hi Lindsey!
    I just have to say I am officially the 3,001 person to watch that video!! I couldn’t stop! Lol. I just love how serious he is and with his special touch of his fingerprints! I’m sure that little piece he put right in the middle made all the difference. Thanks for the laugh!
    Your deep dish cookie looks A-mazing!! Can’t wait to try it!

    1. Pinch of Yum Logo

      I made this recipe before and it was a huge hit! My son is asking for it again for his upcoming birthday, BUT without the caramel (madness, I know!). Can i leave the caramel and cream out?