These s'mores cookies put a fun, tasty twist on your regular chocolate chip cookies! Made with decadent dark chocolate, gooey marshmallows, and sweet graham cracker crumbs, they are a family favorite that you will want to make over and over again!
Best S'mores Cookies recipe
There are many ways to make s'mores cookies, but this may be one of the best recipes yet! Unlike some s'mores recipes that simply pack graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate on top of baked cookies, this recipe uses a signature technique that infuses each cookie with each ingredient both before and at the end of baking.
After testing the recipe several times, now each bite is loaded with that gooey, classic s'mores flavor that children and adults know and love.
This easy s'mores recipe is simple yet fun. It uses easy-to-find ingredients (many of which you likely already have at home) and equipment. It also has a straightforward technique that provides delicious, bakery-style results while educating you on the science behind the method. My s'mores cookies will very quickly become a family favorite!
Katalin's key take on how to avoid flat cookies
I don't know about you, but to me, there's nothing worse than a flat, lifeless cookie. In all my cookie recipes, I prioritize the best techniques and top-quality ingredients to ensure your cookies turn out thick, chewy, and perfectly gooey, with a texture your teeth can sink into. However, even the smallest mistakes can turn fluffy, gooey cookies into boring, flat ones. Here are a few ways you can avoid them:
Start by ensuring your butter is lightly softened (a/k/a room temperature) but not melted. Melted butter won´t blend with the rest of the ingredients very well, hence risking flat cookies.
The temperature of your oven is also critical (which is why I always recommend having a digital oven thermometer handy)! If the oven is not hot enough or too hot, it will prevent the dough from baking properly.
The type of ingredients and ingredient quantities you use also make a difference. You absolutely have to start using a digital scale, as cup measurement is simply not accurate enough and often results in inconsistent results depending on how you scoop the flour.
It is important not to skip the chilling period, which helps firm the dough and keep it from spreading too much in the oven. Finally, don't forget the parchment paper! Not only does it help prevent sticking, but it also acts as a buffer between the pan and the cookie dough, creating even heat distribution.
Read my guide, Why Are My Cookies Flat, for more tips on how to avoid and fix flat cookies.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- ▢150 g (⅔ cups) Unsalted butter
- ▢100 (½ cups) Brown sugar
- ▢50 g (¼ cups) Granulated sugar
- ▢1 Egg at room temperature
- ▢200 g (1½ cups) All purpose flour
- ▢1 Teaspoon Salt
- ▢1 Teaspoon Baking soda
- ▢150 g (¾ cups) Callebaut Dark Chocolate (callets) or use chopped Hershey's chocolate
- ▢80 g Graham crackers 10 pieces, broken into smaller pieces
- ▢1 Marshmallow 1 large or 2 small per cookie
Let's make these cookies
Before starting the recipe, ensure that the butter and egg are at room temperature so they blend easily into the batter. To quickly bring your egg to room temperature, stick it in a bowl of hot water for five minutes. See my guide on softening butter quickly for tips on how to do so without microwaving.
Using your electric hand mixer, cream your room-temperature butter and sugar (both granulated sugar and brown sugar) for a few minutes until they become light, fluffy, and voluminous.
Then, whip in your room-temperature egg. Using a rubber spatula (do not use the electric mixer for this part), sift your dry ingredients (all purpose flour, salt, and baking soda) into the wet ingredients and gently fold them together, only until just combined. Do not skip the salt; it plays a crucial role in balancing the sweetness!
Next, fold in some crushed graham cracker pieces and chocolate chips. I use dark, semi sweet chocolate chips, but you can also use milk chocolate if you don't mind the additional sweetness. Leave some to top the cookie dough and half-baked cookies later.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using an ice cream or cookie scoop, divide the dough into 10-12 equally-sized cookie dough balls. Your digital scale will also come in handy here!
Place 5-6 cookies on each lined baking sheet, leaving enough space between each cookie to spread.
Press more of your chocolate chips and graham crackers into the tops of the cookies, then place each cookie sheet in the fridge to chill for an hour before baking.
How to bake
Preheat the oven to 350 F/ 175 F. To save time, start preheating the oven as soon as you reach the end of the dough's chilling period.
After the dough has chilled for an hour, place it in the preheated oven and bake for 12-13 minutes. Then, leaving the oven on, remove the tray to put the remaining graham crackers and chocolate chips on top, followed by the marshmallows.
Bake for an additional 3-4 minutes to allow the marshmallows to soften just enough to achieve a nice gooey texture and clean appearance without over-browning.
Once fully baked, remove the s'mores cookies from the oven and let them rest for a few minutes. Then, carefully transfer the cookies from the parchment paper to a cooling rack, sprinkle them with sea salt, and let them continue cooling. They will continue to set as they cool.
Serve fresh, and enjoy!
Storage and freezing
These s'mores cookies have the best flavor and texture when served freshly baked. However, if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days.
I do not recommend refrigerating or freezing the baked cookies, as it will change the texture of the marshmallows.
If you prefer to make and freeze the dough for later, see my guide on how to freeze and bake frozen cookie dough.
Flavor Variations
While this s'mores cookies overall are a pretty precise recipe that doesn't allow for many modifications without changing what they are, there are a few ways that you can enhance the flavor:
With nuts: Fold in crushed nuts to add crunch and a nutty flavor, as I do in my pecan chocolate chip cookies and chocolate chip walnut cookies.
With other biscuits: Try the cookies with any other biscuits of your choice like I do in my Biscoff Butter Cookies recipe.
With added flavor: A splash of vanilla extract or almond extract will give the base cookie added flavor and aroma that complements the chocolate and marshmallows quite well. Try it with peppermint extract to make mouthwatering mint s'mores. Or, add a bit of espresso powder to the dry ingredients to make tasty mocha s'mores!
With toppings: Before serving, drizzle your cookies with my homemade caramel sauce or white chocolate sauce to give them a delicious finishing touch.
Ingredient substitutions
Making substitutions may require adjusting other ingredients to maintain the perfect balance of flavor and texture. While I can't offer customized recipe modifications for every diet, below are a couple of common alternatives:
Gluten-free cookies: Swap out your all-purpose flour for gluten-free flour. See my flour guide for more details on different types and their best uses in baking.
Egg-free/Dairy-free cookies: Opt for dairy-free butter and milk and try one of these egg substitutes. Just remember, the final result may vary from if you were to use egg and dairy ingredients.
Expert tips to make S´mores Cookies
- Always use unsalted butter when baking so you know how much salt is in the recipe. You can also make your butter at home!
- If you are short on time, you can chill your cookie dough for 20 minutes in the freezer instead. However, never skip the chilling time (unless you like flat cookies)!
- You can also use mini marshmallows instead of one large marshmallow. If your marshmallows melt over the sides of the cookies during baking, you can use a circular cookie cutter or spoon to shape the edges back in place as soon as you remove them from the oven.
- For the best results, use a light-colored cookie sheet. Dark nonstick pans tend to generate heat too quickly, resulting in cookies that brown too quickly and burn on the bottom.
- Did you leave your cookies in the oven too long? No worries! See my guide on How to Fix Burnt Cookies for ways to salvage and make the most of them!
And for even more fun desserts that put a delicious twist on their traditional counterparts, check out my roundup of the 41 Best Unique Desserts.
More Cookies
These are hands down the best brown butter chocolate chip cookies that everyone needs in their baking repertoire! Crispy and chewy, gooey and buttery, sweet but very well balanced with some sea salt on top. Brown butter (beurre noisette) is a classic French gold that will take your chocolate chip cookies to the next level! It has a deep, nutty, complex flavor and really elevates butter to the next level.
Go to the recipe: Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Almond Croissant Cookies
These almond croissant cookies are a dream come true for almond lovers! This delightful handheld treat features a buttery, chewy cookie filled with creamy frangipane and topped with almond flakes. Whether you pair them with your morning coffee or enjoy them alongside a scoop of ice cream, they're the perfect treat to satisfy your cravings at any time.
Go to the recipe: Almond Croissant Cookies
Lemon Curd Cookies
These tart and tangy lemon curd cookies explode with citrus flavor in your mouth! Packed with fresh lemon flavor and topped with creamy, homemade lemon curd, these bright and fragrant treats are a dream come true for those who love lemon!
Go to the recipe: Lemon Curd Cookies
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