I recently discovered a TikTok video showing how to make chocolate chip stovetop cookies in a skillet. And no, not the version where you bake one giant cookie in the oven. In the video, user @iankewks uses the same cook-and-flip method you'd follow for making pancakes but with chocolate chip cookie dough. While it appeared flatter than your average cookie, the final shot shows a perfectly crispy-meets-gooey treat dipped in milk.

I was intrigued and had to find out whether this actually works. Spoiler alert: it does, but the process is trickier than the video makes it look. After several attempts, I finally got some delicious results. Here's how to make chocolate chip cookies in a skillet and a few tips to keep in mind if you try it.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Stovetop Cookies in a Skillet

To start, I whipped up the dough from this classic Better Homes & Gardens chocolate chip cookie recipe. (You can also use store-bought dough.) Using the TikTok video as a guide, here are the steps I followed:

1. Prepare your skillet by lightly greasing it. The video used butter but I used nonstick cooking spray. You can also skip greasing and use a nonstick skillet instead.
2. Using a cookie scoop or rounded tablespoon full, drop a few cookies on the skillet and press them down lightly with the back of a spoon.
3. Place skillet on the stove and set the burner to low heat. Cover with a lid (aluminum foil works, too) and cook for 15-20 minutes, carefully flipping once halfway through or when the edges start to get golden brown. This was the trickiest part, but I found 16 minutes total to be the sweet spot.
4. Take the skillet off the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and (for the hardest part) wait until they cool before digging in.

Stovetop Cookie ("Pancookie") Baking Tips

Many skillet baking methods resulted in variations similar to those you'd have when baking cookies in the oven. For example, the cookies I attempted on my darker skillet turned out more brown on the bottom than on my lighter skillet. If you have a preference for your chocolate chip cookies, use some trial and error with one or two cookies until they're just the way you like them. Here are a few tips that helped me achieve my favorite cookie version: crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.

• Starting with a cool pan is critical. Make sure your stovetop is off, or your skillet is off the heat to prevent the cookies from spreading too much. If your dough seems greasy, give them a quick chill (at least 30 minutes) in the fridge.
• Use low heat to start. I used medium heat during my first attempt, which caused the cookies to darken too quickly before they had a chance to cook through.
• Some of the comments on the video asked if you need to flip the cookies halfway through baking. If you choose not to flip the cookies as I did, they still turn out tasty and have a more classic cookie appearance.
• If you decide to flip your cookies, wait until the edges are golden brown. They will be delicate either way (I had a few break), so try to get your spatula all the way beneath before trying to turn them.

Although I mastered stovetop chocolate chip cookies in a skillet, I won't use it often. I'd rather just plop all the dough onto a baking sheet knowing there's a better chance they'll bake evenly in a temperature-controlled oven. There's too much guesswork and risk of burning the cookies for me to want to make them stovetop cookies. But if you don't have a functioning oven and love to cook, this is definitely a way to satisfy your cookie craving.