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Our favorite Halloween treat isn’t candy or those popcorn balls that magically appear on grocery store shelves every October. Nope, it’s those irresistible Pillsbury Halloween cookies with pumpkins and ghosts on them — which, by the way, absolutely taste different despite having the same ingredients. Whether you prefer them super-gooey, crunchy, or even raw (guilty!), we’ve discovered a way to take them up a notch. That’s by transforming them into a full-blown dessert: a cookie skillet.
For a delicious Halloween-themed cookie skillet, we turned to a recipe from @lifeandsprinkles on Instagram. This easy Halloween treat starts with two types of store-bought cookie dough: Pillsbury Halloween cookies and Betty Crocker pumpkin spice cookie dough mix. But you can use any premade or boxed dough flavor as the base. Start by greasing a 12-inch cast-iron skillet with butter or oil. Then smash a layer of pumpkin spice cookie dough (or any flavor you’d like) into the skillet, which will serve as the dessert’s base.
Next, lightly press some raw Pillsbury Halloween cookies into the bottom dough layer, arranging them however you’d like. After they’re set, bake the skillet at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 25 minutes, or until you can stick a toothpick into the middle and it comes out clean. Let it cool, then slice and enjoy! You’ll love how soft and sweet this spooky Halloween dessert turns out.
Tips for making the Halloween cookie skillet dessert even more festive
We think this cookie skillet would taste pretty delicious as is. But we have a few suggestions to make it even better. First, if you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, use an oven-safe, non-stick skillet instead. Before baking, add a few festive toppings like Halloween sprinkles or chocolate chips. And instead of using plain chocolate chip or pumpkin spice cookie dough as the bottom layer, switch it up with brownie batter instead – it’s the quickest method to bake and serve brownies, according to Ina Garten. The sugary Pillsbury cookies will taste amazing with the chocolatey base.
Once the skillet is baked, add scoops of vanilla ice cream on top. Or swirl a dollop of whipped cream to cut through the skillet’s richness. Drizzle caramel or chocolate sauce to make it even more decadent. And while most people usually enjoy a warm cookie skillet, you can stick it in the fridge and let it cool for a totally different texture. It’ll get denser and chewier — a crave-worthy option for folks who enjoy cold cookies!
