Chocolate Chip Pizookie vs. Brownie Skillet: Which Has More Protein?
Few desserts are as tempting as a warm skillet treat topped with melting ice cream. Two of the most popular choices are the chocolate chip Pizookie, a giant skillet cookie made famous by BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, and the gooey brownie skillet. If you’re trying to keep an eye on your protein intake, you might wonder which one gives you a little more. The short answer: the chocolate chip version usually comes out slightly ahead, but the difference is smaller than you might think.
What’s the Difference Between the Two?
A Pizookie is basically a big chocolate chip cookie baked in a skillet, usually served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. A brownie skillet uses a fudgy brownie batter instead, made with more chocolate or cocoa and often more butter and sugar. Both rely on the same basic ingredients: flour, sugar, butter, eggs and chocolate. That’s why their nutrition profiles look so similar, and why neither one is a strong source of protein.
How Much Protein Is in Each?
At restaurants, a full skillet dessert with ice cream is a big serving, often well over 1,000 calories. BJ’s Chocolate Chunk Pizookie has been reported at around 17 grams of protein per order, while Chili’s Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie comes in at about 13 grams. BJ’s richer Triple Chocolate Pizookie, which is closer to a brownie-style dessert, is listed by nutrition trackers at roughly 16 grams. At home, the numbers are much smaller per slice. A typical homemade chocolate chip skillet cookie has about 3 to 6 grams of protein per serving, and a brownie skillet slice usually falls in a similar range of about 2 to 5 grams. Keep in mind that recipes and menus change, so exact numbers will vary.
Why the Chocolate Chip Version Usually Wins
Cookie dough generally contains a bit more flour than brownie batter, and flour adds a small amount of protein. Many cookie recipes also call for a whole egg plus an extra yolk, while some brownie recipes lean more heavily on butter, sugar and chocolate. The ice cream topping adds a few grams to both. In the end, though, protein makes up only about 4 to 5 percent of the calories in either dessert, so the gap between them is minor. If protein is your goal, neither should be your go-to source.
How to Add More Protein to Your Skillet Dessert
If you love these desserts but want more protein, a few easy swaps can help. Replace part of the flour with vanilla or chocolate protein powder, which can push a homemade skillet dessert into the 10 to 13 grams per slice range. Add chopped nuts such as walnuts, almonds or peanuts, or swirl in a spoonful of peanut butter. Use Greek yogurt in place of some of the butter for a softer texture and extra protein. You can also top your skillet with high-protein ice cream or a dollop of Greek yogurt instead of regular vanilla ice cream.
Which One Should You Choose?
If you’re simply deciding between the two, the chocolate chip skillet cookie is likely to give you a few extra grams of protein. But since both are rich desserts with plenty of sugar and calories, the best choice is the one you’ll enjoy most. Share it with friends, savour a few bites and keep your protein goals for the rest of your meals. And if you want the best of both worlds, try a homemade protein-boosted version so you can have your dessert and your protein too.
