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. ❤
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.
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.
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…
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?
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.
Mini Cookie Deep Dish FTW!
Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie with Caramel and Sea Salt
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 8–12 huge slices, but appropriate servings would be more like 20+ 1x
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!