Cast-iron skillets are the heroes of quick weeknight dinners, but they’re often overlooked for their ability to work magic on desserts. Their ability to go from stovetop to oven means you can give fruit a head start when baking cobblers and crisps, so the fruit gets juicy and tender faster, and the topping cooks all the way through. And skillets are also terrific vessels for communal cookies, Dutch baby pancakes, and the ultimate skillet dessert, tarte Tatin.

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  Recipe

  Chocolate Chunk Skillet Cookies with Toasted Coconut and Pecans

  These cookies are excellent made into sundaes; the slight dip in the middle of a mini skillet cookie makes a perfect hollow for the ice cream. If you don't have mini skillets, you can bake these as one big cookie in an 8-inch skillet.

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  Apple Cornbread Skillet Cobbler

  Honey, cinnamon, and coarse sugar lend a sweet sparkle to the topping on this rustic cobbler. A few McIntosh apples in the filling break down during baking to form a sauce that ties everything together. Serve this right from the skillet for a casual alternative to apple pie.

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  German Pear Pancake

  This light and airy German-style pancake is traditionally made with apples, but Bosc pears are a delicious variation. Puffy right out of the oven, the pancake will deflate a bit by the time you slice it.

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  Vanilla-Fig Skillet Cobbler with Spiced Shortbread Topping

  Toasted hazelnuts and warm spices give the cookie-like topping on this cobbler a deep, rich flavor that’s reminiscent of linzer cookies.

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  Ultimate Tarte Tatin

  This French caramelized upside-down apple tart is great to serve to guests, because they either know it and adore it, or they've never heard of it before and they fall in love with it right at your dinner table. It isn't hard to make, but it is a bit of a project. A good time to make your pastry is while the apples are cooking.

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  Double Chocolate-Tahini Skillet Cookie

  Tahini (sesame paste) adds a welcome savory element to this brownielike cookie.

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  Apple-Pear Cobbler with Crisp Brown Sugar-Pecan Topping

  Any kind of sweet-tart apple will work well in this cobbler; I like Braeburn and Cortland. For the pears, try Anjou or Bartlett, two of my favorite pears for baking.