S’mores + Cookies = S’mookies! Prepare to embark on a culinary journey where the classic campfire treat meets the comforting embrace of a chewy, buttery cookie. Every bite of these delightful S’mookies promises a blissful experience, transforming the nostalgic flavors of graham crackers, melted chocolate, and toasted marshmallows into an irresistible, year-round indulgence. Forget the struggle of perfectly toasting marshmallows over a flame; now, you can savor the iconic taste of s’mores with unmatched ease and a sophisticated twist.
As a child, the allure of traditional s’mores, with their sticky, gooey goodness, was undeniable. However, as palates evolve, so do preferences. Today, I find myself craving these extraordinary gooey s’mores cookies, meticulously crafted to elevate the classic experience. Infused with the delicate sweetness of graham cracker crumbs, studded with generous pieces of Hershey’s milk chocolate, and crowned with miniature marshmallows, these cookies offer a flavor boost that truly sets them apart. They deliver all the beloved elements of s’mores in a convenient, portable, and utterly delicious cookie form.
Why S’mookies Will Be Your New Favorite Treat
There are countless reasons why these incredible s’mores cookies, affectionately known as S’mookies, deserve a prime spot in your baking repertoire. Beyond their undeniable deliciousness, they offer a perfect blend of nostalgia, convenience, and pure culinary joy that makes them a standout dessert for any occasion.
- Year-Round S’mores Enjoyment: The beauty of s’mores traditionally lies in their association with campfires, summer nights, and outdoor adventures. However, with these S’mookies, you can savor the delightful flavors of s’mores regardless of the season. Whether it’s a chilly winter evening or a bustling holiday gathering, these cookies bring the warmth and comfort of a campfire right into your kitchen.
- Effortless Delight for Everyone: This S’mores cookie recipe is designed for ease, making it accessible even for novice bakers. The simple steps and readily available ingredients ensure a stress-free baking experience. Furthermore, every person who tastes these cookies falls in love with their irresistible combination of textures and flavors. They are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, perfect for parties, potlucks, or a cozy night in.
- A Superior Spin on a Classic: While the original s’mores hold a special place in our hearts, these S’mookies truly elevate the experience. The harmonious blend of a buttery, graham-infused cookie base with the melty chocolate and chewy marshmallow topping creates a more refined and intensely flavorful dessert. Many who try them, myself included, often declare them even better than the traditional campfire version, offering a delightful twist that’s both familiar and exciting.
S’mores are, by tradition, a quintessential summer treat: those irresistible sandwiches made from crisp graham crackers, gooey toasted marshmallows, and rich milk chocolate Hershey bars. They are the epitome of outdoor indulgence, a highlight of camping trips, picnics, and backyard barbecues, typically enjoyed gathered around a crackling campfire, armed with whittled sticks and bags of fluffy marshmallows. The sensory experience of a s’more—the warmth, the stickiness, the contrasting textures—is deeply ingrained in the fabric of American summer culture.
While I cherished the traditional s’mores during my childhood, my adult palate now seeks a broader array of s’mores-inspired desserts. Among my top favorites are s’mores in cookie form, affectionately known as S’mookies. This innovative creation captures the essence of the classic treat in a convenient, chewy, and utterly addictive cookie. The magic begins by incorporating finely crushed graham cracker crumbs directly into the cookie dough, alongside a generous scattering of mini chocolate chips. Then, just before the cookies are fully baked, they are adorned with soft mini marshmallows and generous chunks of Hershey bars. A quick return to the oven allows these toppings to melt and toast to perfection, resulting in incredibly gooey s’mores cookies – the ultimate S’mookies!
Baking Perfection: Your Guide to Gooey S’mookies
These S’mookies, or gooey s’mores cookies, have been a universal sensation among everyone who has tried them. Their widespread appeal is a testament to their irresistible combination of textures and flavors. I had the pleasure of sharing them with my sister and brother-in-law in Denver; despite being on crutches and experiencing post-surgical pain, my brother-in-law made numerous trips to the kitchen for more! My son’s roommate, Allison, emphatically declared them the best cookies she had ever tasted, and his other roommate, Alex, found them so delicious that they became his breakfast. This level of enthusiasm highlights just how universally loved these cookies are. Crafting them is a straightforward and rewarding process:
- Prepare Your Baking Environment: Begin by preheating your oven to the specified temperature, ensuring it reaches optimal heat for even baking. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper; this crucial step prevents sticking and makes for easy cleanup, ensuring your cookies slide off effortlessly.
- Whip Up the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the wet and dry ingredients as instructed to form your rich, buttery cookie dough. Pay attention to the order of ingredients and mixing times to achieve the perfect texture.
- Portion and Place: Using a cookie scoop, or simply a spoon, carefully scoop uniform balls of dough onto your prepared baking sheets. Leave adequate space between each dough ball to allow for spreading during baking, preventing them from merging into one giant cookie.
- Initial Bake and Garnish Prep: Bake the cookies for the initial directed time, usually a few minutes less than the full baking duration. This step ensures the cookie base begins to set before the toppings are added. Pull the baking sheets out of the oven a few minutes early for the next crucial step.
- The S’mores Touch: With extreme caution, as the baking sheets will be incredibly hot, gently press a few mini marshmallows and several pieces of Hershey’s chocolate into the partially baked cookies. This strategic timing allows the toppings to melt and adhere beautifully without sinking to the bottom.
- Final Bake to Golden Perfection: Return the adorned cookies to the oven for an additional few minutes. This final bake allows the marshmallows to puff and lightly toast, and the chocolate to become perfectly melty and gooey, completing the iconic s’mores transformation.
- Cool and Indulge: Once baked to golden perfection, remove the cookies from the oven. Let them cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This brief resting period helps them set. Then, dig in and savor every warm, gooey, and utterly delicious bite!
Expert Tips for Unforgettable S’mookies
Achieving S’mookie perfection is easier than you think with a few insider tricks. These expert tips will help you master the art of creating perfectly chewy, gooey, and flavorful S’mores cookies every single time.
- Dough Dynamics: This s’mores cookie recipe follows the classic cookie dough preparation method. Begin by creaming the softened butter and sugars together until light and fluffy – this incorporates air for a tender crumb. Eggs are then added one at a time, followed by the dry ingredients. The key here is the addition of graham cracker crumbs alongside the flour, salt, and baking soda, which provides that distinctive, foundational graham cracker flavor and texture integral to their namesake.
- Gentle Mixing for Optimal Texture: For the best cookie texture, it’s highly recommended to mix your dough using a wooden spoon or a silicone spatula. If you opt for a stand mixer, use the lowest speed setting and mix only until the ingredients are just combined. Overmixing vigorously develops gluten, which can lead to tough cookies, and also incorporates too much air, potentially causing them to rise too much then collapse. A gentle touch ensures your S’mookies remain delightfully tender and chewy.
- PRO-Tip: The Grand Finale Toppings: To truly capture the iconic s’mores trio of flavors and textures, always have extra Hershey bars and mini marshmallows on hand. These are essential for pressing into the warm cookies immediately after their initial bake. This step ensures that you get those distinct pools of melted chocolate and puffy, toasted marshmallows right on top, creating that irresistible visual and taste experience.
- Achieving Uniformity with a Cookie Scoop: For perfectly sized and evenly baked cookies, a medium cookie disher is your best friend. Using a scoop ensures consistency in dough portioning, which leads to all cookies baking at the same rate and achieving the same desirable texture and appearance. This little tool makes a big difference in the final presentation and quality of your S’mookies.
- Strategic Topping Application: You might wonder why the chocolate bar pieces and marshmallows aren’t simply mixed into the dough from the start. The reason is simple: if mixed in, they would likely lose their iconic shape, melt prematurely, or get lost within the dough. By gently pressing them into the cookies when they are partially baked and warm, these toppings retain their distinct forms, melt beautifully on the surface, and create that irresistible gooey layer central to the S’mookie experience.
- Proper Storage for Lasting Freshness: Once your S’mookies have cooled completely to room temperature, store them in an airtight container. For optimal freshness and to prevent them from sticking together, layer the cookies between sheets of parchment paper. Stored this way, they will remain wonderfully fresh and delicious for several days. For longer enjoyment, these delectable cookies can also be frozen for approximately 3 months, ready to be thawed and enjoyed whenever a craving strikes.
- PRO-Tip: Reshaping Warm Cookies: If you find that some of your cookies have come out of the oven slightly misshaped or spread unevenly, there’s a simple trick to perfect their appearance. While the cookies are still hot and pliable on the baking sheet, use the side of a spatula to gently press and nudge their edges, rounding them into a more desirable, uniform shape. This quick fix ensures every S’mookie looks as good as it tastes.
- PRO-Tip: S’mookies as the Ultimate Base: For an outrageously decadent and innovative twist on the traditional s’mores, bring these S’mookies to your next cookout, picnic, or bonfire. Instead of using plain graham crackers, substitute them with your freshly baked S’mookies to create next-level s’mores. Imagine a S’mookie sandwiching an extra toasted marshmallow and chocolate – it’s an explosion of s’mores flavor that will leave everyone wanting more!
Frequently Asked Questions About S’mookies
For those unfamiliar with this iconic treat, traditional s’mores are a delightful concoction consisting of a piping hot, fire-toasted marshmallow nestled between two squares of crisp graham cracker, along with a square of milk chocolate. The warmth from the marshmallow masterfully melts the chocolate upon contact, creating a heavenly, sticky, and utterly delicious dessert that requires no utensils – just plenty of napkins! The name “s’mores” is actually a playful contraction of “some more,” reflecting the universal desire for “some more” after indulging in the first bite. Believed to have been first developed by the Girl Scouts, the recipe for s’mores made its official debut in a 1927 publication titled “Tramping and Trailing,” cementing its place in culinary history.
To maintain their delightful freshness and gooey texture, S’mores cookies should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. When stored correctly, they will remain delicious for 3 to 4 days. If your kitchen tends to get warm, especially during the summer months, it’s advisable to store them in the refrigerator to prevent the chocolate from becoming too soft. Should you refrigerate them, simply pop them into the microwave for a few seconds before serving; this will gently warm the cookie, melt the chocolate back to its gooey state, and soften the marshmallows, bringing them back to their optimal deliciousness.
Yes, S’mores cookies do freeze remarkably well if you’re looking to extend their shelf life. However, if your primary goal is to preserve their pristine, freshly baked appearance and texture upon defrosting, a more effective strategy might be to prepare the cookie dough and freeze that instead. You have a couple of convenient options: you can freeze the dough as an entire log, which can then be sliced and baked as needed, or you can form individual dough balls and freeze them on a sheet pan until solid. Once frozen, transfer these dough balls to a freezer-safe Ziploc bag for long-term storage. When you’re ready to bake, simply defrost the dough overnight in the refrigerator. This method allows you to bake and garnish fresh cookies without the mess, ensuring a perfect batch every time while minimizing kitchen cleanup.
Explore More Decadent Dessert Recipes
If these S’mookies have sparked your craving for more s’mores-inspired delights or other irresistible treats, be sure to explore these fantastic recipes:
- No Bake Oreo Marshmallow Cheesecake from Nutmeg Nanny
- S’mores Cookie Bars
- Chocolate Marshmallow Fudge
- Skillet S’mores Dip
- S’mores Pie
- S’mores Cookie Cake
- More Dessert Recipes
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Gooey S’mores Cookies Recipe
20 minutes
13 minutes
33 minutes
4 dozen
Experience all the terrific s’mores flavor, transformed into a delightfully chewy and gooey cookie form!
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups miniature chocolate chips
- 1 ½ cups mini marshmallows
- 2 Hershey’s milk chocolate bars, chopped into small pieces (or equivalent snack-sized Hershey bars)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Line several baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup and non-stick baking.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking soda, and salt. Whisk these dry ingredients together thoroughly to ensure they are well distributed.
- In a separate, larger mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar, packed brown sugar, and vanilla extract until the mixture is light, creamy, and well combined.
- Add the eggs to the butter mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Gradually, and on low speed if using a mixer, beat in the flour mixture until just smooth and no streaks of dry ingredients remain. Be careful not to overmix.
- Gently stir in the miniature chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough.
- Using a large cookie scoop or spoon, drop rounded portions of dough onto your prepared baking sheets, ensuring sufficient space between each cookie for spreading.
- Bake for 9 minutes. At this point, the cookies will be set at the edges but still soft in the center. Carefully remove the baking sheets from the oven.
- Immediately and carefully, push 3 to 4 mini marshmallows and a few pieces of chopped Hershey’s bar into the top of each warm, partially baked cookie.
- Return the baking sheets to the oven and bake for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the marshmallows are lightly golden and puffed, and the chocolate is perfectly melted. The cookies should be fully cooked with lightly golden edges.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps them firm up slightly.
Notes
Recipe inspired by Hugs & Cookies XOXO.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24 servings
Serving Size:
2 cookies
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 280Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 234mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 1gSugar: 25gProtein: 3g
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