When I was a kid I participated in Brownies and like any good Brownie, I went on the outdoor “camping” trips and I do fondly remember roasting marshmallows over an open fire. I took particular pride in my marshmallow roasting ability, making sure I never burned the marshmallow, but toasted it into a perfect light brown color evenly on all sides until the marshmallow became too hot and started spinning on my wire hanger. At that point, I would pull the marshmallow away from the fire and offer it to a fellow Brownie who would be waiting to squeeze it between two Graham crackers with a section of Hershey’s chocolate, happy that they didn’t have to toast their own marshmallow. I’d then grab a new marshmallow and start toasting it for another friend. I can count the number of times I actually ate a s’mores myself on one hand (one finger actually). Why? Well, true confessions – there are only two foods that I’ve come across in my life that I really don’t like: pumpkin (particularly pumpkin pie) and marshmallows. I’ve learned to like pumpkin in some foods like muffins and soup (pumpkin pie, on the other hand, will never cross my lips again), but marshmallows and I will never be friends. I just don’t like marshmallows.
Having said that, these cookies will never be my favorite cookie, but I understand that lots of people like marshmallows and if you do, this s’mores cookie is a lovely tribute to our childhood s’mores. The cookie itself is made with mostly Graham cracker crumbs and is delicious on its own, and even more so once the square of Hershey’s chocolate has been pressed into the center of it.
The timing of when to put the chocolate into the cookie is important. Let the cookie cool for just a a few minutes on the baking sheet and then press the chocolate into the center while the cookie is still warm. If the chocolate starts to melt too much, wait another minute before doing the next cookie.
This is the stage where I really enjoy these cookies – the delicately sweet Graham cookie with a chunk of chocolate pressed into the center. What’s not to love? If you’re making these cookies for me, stop here.
The next step is where the fun begins for true s’mores lovers. Melt the marshmallows down in a non-stick sauté pan or skillet. Since I’m being really honest with you here, I’ll tell you another truth. When we first made these cookies, we forgot about the melted marshmallow cream in the pan for just a minute and it started to brown on the bottom before we knew it. We stirred it in and realized that this was that perfect light brown toasted marshmallow color that I used to strive for as a young Brownie! Toasting the melted marshmallow became a part of the recipe and adds a nice light tinge of brown and a toasted flavor to the marshmallow drizzle. You can take that toasting as far as you like, but I’d try not to replicate the black, charred, flaming marshmallow so many kids end up with – even if that was you as a child.
A word of caution when you come to the marshmallow drizzling stage. If you’d like to use a piping bag for more precision, I suggest using a disposable piping bag or zipper sealable plastic bag instead. The marshmallow cream is a bear to clean off a cloth bag. Also, be careful – this stuff is HOT. Be sure to wrap a tea towel around the bag before you try to handle it. Alternatively, you can drizzle the marshmallow onto the cookies from a spoon if you prefer. Let the marshmallow drip off the spoon and hold the spoon about 12 inches above the cookies for the most even drizzle. Do make sure you have either a sheet pan or a piece of parchment paper underneath to catch the excess.
If you are storing these cookies for any period of time, do so in an airtight container and put a piece of parchment paper between layers. The marshmallow drizzle will harden somewhat, but it will always be sticky and while a stack of s’mores cookies is not unappealing, you probably would prefer to eat them one at a time. 😉
This finished product is a mess. The marshmallow addition did not drizzle, made a horrible mess on any surface it touched, and added nothing to the cookies. A few mini marshmallows and a few seconds with a kitchen torch might be the way to go. The dough is lovely, and baked up beautifully; however, the topping is a huge mistake. I think the next time I try these, I may toast the cracker crumbs before adding to the dough—needs a punch of crunch and flavor (and I added a bit of cinnamon to mine also).
Hi Donna. So sorry you found the topping messy. It’s hard for marshmallows not to be messy, frankly. Keeping them at the right temperature helps keep them drizzle-able, so just pop them back on the heat if they start to set up. Having said that, you can always stir mini marshmallows into the dough instead if you like. I do think the graham cookies are pretty fantastic.
So glad I tried this take on s’mores, definitely worth it. Everything went well even the marshmallow melting and drizzle. I am use to using and cooking with marshmallow for a long time. I thought the toasting technique was a great idea, I didn’t worry if the mixture blended perfectly and it worked! The grandkids and their grandpa loved the cookies. Thank you!
I am in Australia, what could I use instead of graham crackers please?
Hi Elaine. You could use either Arnotts Granita, Arnotts Shredded Wheatmeal or Plain Digestives Biscuits.
The cookie itself is really good. The cookie with the chocolate is even better. But that marshmallow frosting stuff…. no, don’t do it. It’s just too too sticky and not very appetizing. It’s kind of rubbery.. But the cookie is great without it! Sorry I put it on all of my cookies before I tried it
The marshmallow topping on these cookies is on the sticky side, just like traditional s’mores. If you like cookie and decide to make them again, you can just place a few mini marshmallows on top of the cookies for the last few minutes of the baking time. They will puff up and then melt a little on top of the cookies. They will still be a little sticky when eating, but will be a similar consistency to campfire s’mores.