Pizookie

A Pizookie[lower-alpha 1] 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.[1]

Pizookie
A Pizookie at a BJ's in Burbank
TypeCookie
CourseDessert
Place of originUnited States
Region or stateSouthern California
Created byBJ's Restaurants
Main ingredientsCookie and vanilla ice cream

Description

Pizookies are served in small 8 in (20 cm) frying pans and are meant to be eaten when the cookie is warm.[2] The name is a portmanteau of the words "pizza" and "cookie," as the cookie resembles a deep-dish pizza cooked in a skillet.[3] 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.[4] Free Pizookie Day is held annually on July 18.[5][6]

History

BJ's Restaurants was founded in 1978 in Santa Ana, California, with the dessert mashup being created shortly after.[7]

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.[8]

In celebration of National Cereal Day in 2019, BJ's sold Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Fruity Pebbles Pizookies for a limited time.[4][9] In 2022, the Peanut Butter S'more Pizookie returned for National S'mores Day.[10][11] A "Spooky Pizookie" debuted in 2023, having a Halloween theme.[12]

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.[2][13]

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.[1][4][14][15][16] It is also occasionally accompanied with toppings such as syrup, nuts, and chocolate chips.[17]

A similar dessert is the cookie cake, a cookie decorated with frosting on top.[7]

In 2021, to celebrate 25 years in the beer business, BJ's created a Pizookie-flavored porter.[18]

Notes
  1. Sources are conflicted as to whether or not the word should be capitalized.

References
  1. "World Famous Pizookie". BJ's Restaurants. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  2. Painter, Alysia Gray (2020-08-12). "Pizookie People, Dig Deeper Into Your Go-to Dessert". KNBC. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  3. "Pizookie". Simple Joy. 2023-03-16. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  4. Pomranz, Mike (2019-03-08). "A Pizookie Is Exactly What It Sounds Like (and So Much More)". Food & Wine. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  5. Reinert, Melissa (2018-07-18). "Eat dinner at BJ's, have dessert for free". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  6. Miller, Bob (2019-09-10). "BJ's Offers Any Pizookie For $3 With Any Purchase Though October 6, 2019". Chew Boom. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  7. Dale, Jonathan (2022-07-13). "A Brief History of Cookie Cake, Everyone's Favorite Hybrid Dessert". The Takeout. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  8. "BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse to Donate all $3 Pizookie Proceeds on September 5 to Support Hurricane Harvey Relief Efforts". Restaurant News. 2017-09-01. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  9. Miller, Bob (2019-07-19). "BJ's Introduces New Fruity Pebbles Cereal Pizookie". Chew Boom. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  10. Painter, Alysia Gray (2022-08-10). "A Gooey Goodie Is Back in Time for National S'mores Day". KNBC. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  11. Wethington, Caleb (2022-08-10). "Popular dessert Peanut Butter S'Mores Pizookie returns at popular sit-down restaurant with several Texas locations". KDAF. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  12. McQuarrie, Laura (2023-09-26). "Spooky Skillet Cookies". TrendHunter. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  13. "BJ's to Share Pizookie Secrets on Facebook Live". FSR. 2020-08-10. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  14. Kirn, Eloise (2016-05-03). "A restaurant created a dish that combines pizza, cookies, and ice cream". Business Insider. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  15. Ayrouth, Elie (2011-05-12). "BJ's Restaurant & Brewery Reveals a Red Velvet Pizookie". Foodbeast. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  16. Kennedy, Naomi (2022-03-16). "A Fan-Favorite BJ's Pizookie Is Returning To The Brewhouse Menu". Mashed.com. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  17. Denton, Korey (2021-09-13). "The Untold Truth Of BJ's Brewhouse". Mashed.com. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  18. Zavoral, Linda (2021-04-21). "BJ's Brewhouse introduces its first-ever Pizookie-flavored beer". East Bay Times. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
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