Craig’s High-Protein Cookie Skillet
Craig’s High-Protein Cookie Skillet
A warm, gooey, high-protein cookie skillet made with sprouted oat flour, arrowroot, cashew or macadamia butter, whey + collagen, and raw milk for the perfect molten center. No seed oils, no refined sugars — just a clean, rich, delicious dessert.
The Backstory: A Warm, Gooey Dessert for Real-Food Living
There’s something special about pulling a warm cookie skillet out of the oven. The edges are golden, the center is molten, chocolate is bubbling, and everyone at the table suddenly becomes a lot friendlier. This has become one of our favorite “end of the day” desserts — something we make after dinner when the house is quiet, the lights are low, and we want a treat that feels indulgent but still lines up with how we like to eat.
This cookie skillet checks all the boxes:
✔ clean ingredients
✔ higher protein
✔ almond-free
✔ easy to digest
✔ perfectly gooey
✔ optional raw milk ice cream melting over the top
It’s cozy, nostalgic, and insanely satisfying — the kind of dessert you eat with a spoon straight out of the skillet.
Why This Cookie Skillet Is Actually a Healthier Choice
It’s still dessert, but compared to a typical cookie skillet, this one is loaded with upgrades that make it easier on blood sugar, digestion, and hormones.
Here’s what sets it apart:
1. Sprouted Oat Flour = easier digestion + better nutrition
Sprouted grains are naturally easier for your body to break down. Sprouting reduces phytic acid (which blocks mineral absorption), enhances nutrients, and creates a smoother, lighter texture in baking.
You get:
better absorption of minerals
less bloating
a cookie that feels light instead of heavy
Sprouted oat flour also pairs beautifully with protein, keeping the center soft instead of chalky.
2. Arrowroot flour for that gooey pull-apart center
Arrowroot is one of my favorite baking ingredients. It gives your cookie skillet that bakery-style chew and helps bind the dough naturally. No gums. No fillers. Just a simple root-based starch that keeps this recipe naturally gluten-free and almond-free.
3. Healthy fats from grass-fed butter + creamy nut butter
Instead of seed oils or processed shortenings, we’re using:
Grass-fed butter or ghee (more conjugated linoleic acid, fat-soluble vitamins, and lots of flavor)
Cashew or macadamia nut butter (soft, buttery, cookie-dough flavor)
This combo makes the center molten while keeping everything stable at baking temperature.
4. A REAL protein boost (that still tastes like dessert)
A lot of high-protein desserts taste… “protein-y.” This one doesn’t.
We use a balance of:
Collagen peptides
Raw milk
Protein naturally present in sprouted oats + nut butter
Each serving gives you a solid 12–15g of protein without drying out the cookie.
☕ A Quick Word on Why I Use Kion Whey Protein
This recipe shines because of the quality of the whey — and Kion Whey is the protein we use every single day in our home. It’s a grass-fed whey isolate, which matters here because isolate mixes more cleanly into baked goods and keeps the texture soft and gooey instead of dense, as opposed to whey concentrate.
It also has almost all of the lactose, fat, and milk sugars filtered out, making it a much better choice for anyone who gets bloated or gassy from regular whey. Isolate tends to be gentler on digestion, easier on the gut, and far more tolerable for people who are sensitive to dairy — all without losing the full amino acid profile.
And because isolate has more fat, lactose, and sugars removed, it means isolate is about 90%+ protein, compared to concentrate, which is only 70-80% protein.
Here’s why we love it:
It’s grass-fed from New Zealand cows
Cold-processed to protect amino acids and minimize denaturation
No artificial sweeteners, gums, or fillers
Mixes smoothly into baked goods without clumping or turning gritty
Very clean flavor profile — crucial for desserts like this
Most whey proteins are either heavily processed or filled with unnecessary additives. Kion keeps it simple and clean, and the texture it gives this skillet is unbeatable — ultra smooth, easy to digest, and completely seamless in the final product.
Step 1: Preheat + prep your skillet
Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease an 8-inch cast iron skillet.
Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients
Whisk together melted butter/ghee, coconut sugar, and maple syrup. Add the nut butter, egg, vanilla, and raw milk. Whisk until glossy.
Step 3: Combine the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk sprouted oat flour, arrowroot, collagen, whey, baking soda, and salt.
Step 4: Bring the dough together
Pour dry into wet and gently fold into a thick cookie dough. If it’s too thick, add up to 1 extra tablespoon of raw milk.
Step 5: Add the chocolate chunks
Fold most into the dough, save a handful for the top.
Step 6: Press into skillet
Spread evenly to the edges and top with the remaining chocolate.
Step 7: Bake until molten
Bake 14–17 minutes:
14 minutes = gooey + molten
16–17 minutes = slightly more set
Edges should be golden; center should still look shiny.
Step 8: Finish + enjoy
Let cool 5–10 minutes, sprinkle flaky sea salt, and — trust me — add raw milk ice cream on top. Watching it melt into the center is half the experience.
Why We Always Top It With Raw Milk Ice Cream
Raw milk ice cream takes this dessert to another level. The warm-cold contrast, the richness, the way it melts into the cookie… unreal.
But beyond flavor, raw milk ice cream also gives:
natural enzymes
bioavailable fat-soluble vitamins
trace minerals
a cleaner ingredient list than almost any store-bought option
If you don’t have access to raw milk ice cream, just choose the cleanest vanilla you can find — minimal ingredients, no oils, no gums.
Final Thoughts
This cookie skillet has that nostalgic, gooey, “everybody grab a spoon” vibe — but built with ingredients that support your body instead of spiking and crashing it.
It’s the dessert we pull out when:
✔ friends are over
✔ we want something cozy
✔ we want dessert without the junk
✔ we want leftovers for tomorrow (if they survive the first night)
Make it once, and it’ll become a staple in your home the same way it has in ours.
Craig’s High-Protein Cookie Skillet
A warm, molten, high-protein cookie skillet made with sprouted oat flour, arrowroot, cashew or macadamia butter, whey + collagen, and raw milk for the perfect gooey center. Clean, nutrient-dense, and ridiculously delicious — a real-food twist on the cookie skillet.
Ingredients
- Wet Ingredients
- Dry Ingredients
- Mix-Ins + Toppings
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease an 8-inch cast iron skillet with butter or ghee.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter/ghee, coconut sugar, and maple syrup. Add the cashew/macadamia butter, egg, vanilla, and raw milk. Whisk until smooth and glossy.
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together sprouted oat flour, arrowroot, collagen, whey protein, baking soda, and sea salt.
- Bring the batter together. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and fold until a thick cookie dough forms. If it feels too dry or crumbly, add up to 1 extra tablespoon of raw milk.
- Fold in the chocolate. Gently mix in most of the chocolate chunks, saving a small handful for the top.
- Press into the skillet. Spread the dough evenly into your skillet, pressing it to the edges. Add remaining chocolate on top.
- Bake. Bake for 14–17 minutes. Pull at 14 minutes for a gooey center, or 16–17 minutes for a more set cookie. The center should look slightly underbaked — that’s what makes it molten.
- Finish & serve. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and let cool 5–10 minutes. Serve warm straight from the skillet, topped with a scoop of raw milk vanilla ice cream if desired.
Notes & Substitutions
- Almond-free: This version uses only sprouted oat flour + arrowroot. No almond flour needed.
- Nut butter options: Cashew = classic cookie flavor; macadamia = extra buttery and rich.
- Protein flexibility: Use only collagen for softer texture, or only whey for more lift.
- Gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free sprouted oat flour.
- Dairy-free option: Swap butter for coconut oil and raw milk for clean nut milk.
- Raw milk ice cream: A scoop on top gives the perfect hot–cold contrast and melts into the skillet for an even gooier texture. Any clean, low-ingredient vanilla ice cream works.
- Pan size: An 8-inch skillet is ideal. Larger skillets bake faster and come out thinner.
- Storage: Store covered at room temp for 1 day or refrigerated up to 3 days. Rewarm gently for best texture.
Shop Our Kitchen
These are the exact tools and nourishing staples we use to make Craig’s Gooey Protein Cookie Skillet. Includes Amazon and affiliate links — all at no extra cost to you.
8-Inch Cast Iron Skillet
The perfect size for a thick, gooey cookie skillet with golden edges and a molten center.
Organic Sprouted Oat Flour
A gut-friendly, higher-protein flour that gives the skillet structure, chew, and better digestion.
Organic Arrowroot Flour
Adds the perfect chewy, gooey texture and helps bind this almond-free, high-protein cookie dough.
Creamy Cashew or Macadamia Butter
Ultra-creamy nut butter that makes the center rich, buttery, and spoonably soft.
Clean Dark Chocolate Chunks
Minimal-ingredient dark chocolate for big pools of melted, gooey chocolate in every bite.
Grass-Fed Whey Protein
Adds a clean protein boost and a little lift, turning dessert into a high-protein skillet.
Grass-Fed Collagen Peptides
Invisible protein that supports joints, hair, skin, and nails — without changing the flavor.
Macros + Nutrition (Per Serving)
Approximate values based on sprouted oat flour, arrowroot, grass-fed butter, cashew butter, coconut sugar, maple syrup, whey protein, collagen peptides, and clean dark chocolate. Values will vary slightly depending on chocolate type, nut butter variety, and serving size.
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~365 |
| Protein | ~14 g |
| Carbs | ~38 g |
| Sugar | ~20 g |
| Fat | ~18 g |
| Saturated Fat | ~9 g |
| Fiber | ~3 g |
| Sodium | ~115 mg |
Note: Nutrition varies based on chocolate percentage, whether cashew or macadamia butter is used, and the protein powders selected. Using additional raw milk or more chocolate chunks will alter carb and fat totals. These values assume ~6 servings per skillet.
FAQ
Yes — arrowroot works perfectly here. It gives the skillet that chewy, gooey center and helps bind the oat flour without needing almond flour. It’s a clean, neutral-tasting starch and an easy 1:1 swap for tapioca.
Sprouted oat flour is easier to digest, higher in bioavailable nutrients, and gives the cookie skillet a chewier, more bakery-style texture. It also pairs incredibly well with protein powder without drying out the batter.
Yes. Using only collagen keeps the cookie softer and chewier, while using only whey gives it more rise and cakiness. The recipe uses both because it creates the best gooey-center + chewy-edge combo. If using only whey, add a little extra raw milk to avoid dryness.
Absolutely. Raw milk adds richness and moisture, but you can easily swap in coconut milk, almond milk, or even filtered water. If using whey protein, just make sure the batter stays soft and scoopable.
Cashew butter gives the classic cookie-dough flavor, while macadamia butter makes it extra rich and buttery. Almond butter works but changes the flavor. For nut-free, use sunflower seed butter — just know it may slightly darken in color.
The edges should be set and lightly golden, while the center still looks a little glossy and underbaked. That’s what creates the molten, gooey middle. If you want it firmer, bake an extra 2–3 minutes — but don’t overbake or it will get cakey.
Yes — as long as you use certified gluten-free sprouted oat flour. Regular oat flour may be cross-contaminated. Everything else in the recipe is naturally gluten-free.
Store covered at room temp for 1 day or in the fridge for up to 3 days. Rewarm in a low oven or toaster oven for the best texture. You can also freeze slices individually for up to 2 months.
Totally. It’s just real-food ingredients — sprouted oats, arrowroot, clean fats, and protein. Anyone can enjoy it as a dessert or treat. Just make sure to check for nut allergies if serving outside your home.
