Pizookie

A Pizookie is a dessert made from a large cookie usually topped with vanilla ice cream. It is mainly a signature dish of the restaurant chain BJ's Restaurants and has become one of the most well-known aspects of the company.

Description
Pizookies are served in small 8 in frying pans and are meant to be eaten when the cookie is warm. The name is a portmanteau of the words "pizza" and "cookie," as the cookie resembles a deep-dish pizza cooked in a skillet. In 2019, they sold for US$6.95 to US$7.50 apiece (depending on the flavor), although certain locations offer a $3 special on Tuesdays. Free Pizookie Day is held annually on July 18.

History
BJ's Restaurants was founded in 1978 in Santa Ana, California, with the dessert mashup being created shortly after.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, BJ's donated all proceeds from their $3 Pizookies on Tuesdays to the American Red Cross to help with disaster relief.

In celebration of National Cereal Day in 2019, BJ's sold Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Fruity Pebbles Pizookies for a limited time. In 2022, the Peanut butter S'more Pizookie returned for National S'mores Day. A "Spooky Pizookie" debuted in 2023, having a Halloween theme.

BJ's held a virtual event on their Facebook Live page in August 2020, educating the public about the behind-the-scenes of the Pizookie.

Variations
BJ's has many flavors of cookie included in their Pizookies, including caramel, cookies and cream, red velvet cake, chocolate chip, white chocolate macadamia, strawberry shortcake, oatmeal raisin walnut, churro, and chocolate brownie. It is also occasionally accompanied with toppings such as syrup, nuts, and chocolate chips.

A similar dessert is the cookie cake, a cookie decorated with frosting on top.

In 2021, to celebrate 25 years in the beer business, BJ's created a Pizookie-flavored porter.