13 Easy Cast Iron Skillet Dessert Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What can you bake in a cast iron skillet? ›

Your cast iron cookware is perfect for homemade cornbread and biscuits, sourdough bread, pies, and cakes.

12-inch pre-seasoned cast iron with tempered glass lid – The 12-inch cast iron skillet is our go-to for one skillet meals and any time we want to cook up big batches of vegetables (think fajitas, greens, home-fried potatoes, hash browns etc.) or sear chicken or meat without overcrowding the pan.

This chocolate cake topped with milk chocolate frosting couldn't be easier—it's made, and baked, right in a cast iron skillet. Stella Parks is a CIA-trained baking nerd and pastry wizard, dubbed one of America's Best New Pastry Chefs by Food & Wine. She was the pastry editor at Serious Eats from 2016 to 2019.

Cast iron is nonstick (if cared for properly) so there's no need to use a chemical nonstick cooking spray. While some of the newer cast iron skillets come "pre-seasoned" out of the box, it just isn't the same. The same holds true for the newer "seasoning sprays" we've seen sold online.

Grease the Pan

We recommend using a baking spray that contains flour to grease the pan before baking. If you don't have a cooking spray, you can also use a tablespoon of room temperature butter to coat the pan. It's not necessary to preheat the pan in the oven before adding the batter, but it won't hurt either.

Eggs fall into the category of sticky foods that are not ideal for cast iron skillets that haven't built up their seasoning yet. While cast iron can become non-stick with sufficient use over time, a newer skillet will almost certainly cause your eggs to stick to its porous surface.

What oils can I use to season cast iron? All cooking oils and fats can be used for seasoning cast iron, but based on availability, affordability, effectiveness, and having a high smoke point, Lodge recommends vegetable oil, melted shortening, or canola oil, like our Seasoning Spray.

I've taught so many people the Ten Ten Ten method of steak cooking. Cast iron pans not only make the absolute best steak, but they are perfect for searing and braising chicken, pork chops, fish or tofu.

Start with Vegetables

Caramelized Onions will help you get a feel for your new skillet: you quickly understand how it retains and distributes heat, while the onions and oil give your pan an easy warmup for many meals to come.

A skillet has the same functionality and design as a frying pan. Some cooking professionals are more likely to use the term "skillet" for cast iron skillets. Skillets and frying pans are two terms that are often used interchangeably, and in most cases, they refer to the same type of pan.

Do you clean cast iron after every use? ›

Clean your cast-iron skillet each time you use it. Doing so prevents stuck-on food from staying on the skillet between uses. If the skillet is only slightly dirty, a quick wipe after cooking in it will work. If dirtier, or food is stuck, then scrubbing it is best.

This black residue from your cast-iron pan doesn't look great, but it's just seasoning and it's not harmful. Keep cooking in that pan, washing and drying and oiling it meticulously, and you'll see the issue clear up quickly.

Yes, you can season the pans for frying, sautéing, or baking in cast iron cookware like pans, pots, or skillets with butter, but it's not the right choice to season it for the first time. Butter immediately starts to smoke when added to a heated pan because cast iron can withstand a lot of heat.

The simple answer is yes! But to really do it right, we have some tips for keeping your cast iron in tip-top shape for the most decadent desserts and meatiest stews.