S’mores cookie bars with graham cracker crust, loads of marshmallows, chocolate and cookie middle will become a summertime favorite!
Making s’mores around a campfire should be a rite of passage into summer. Not only is the combo of graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows one of the best out there, but it’s so exciting sitting and chatting around the flames after the sun goes down while roasting those marshmallows until they’re crusty golden brown around the outside.
We’re actually planning on building a fire pit in our yard, and it can’t happen soon enough. There will be plenty of s’mores making in our near future! And, of course the kids will have to entertain us with ghost stories while they wait patiently for their marshmallows on a stick to do that magical ooey gooey thing.
My kids have the best imaginations and can come up with the spookiest of tales. I, on the other hand, get nightmares easily and would rather hear blissful narratives that involve a happily ever after. 🙂
Making that perfect s’more may seem like quite a simple task, but it is really an art form. It’s so funny watching people create what, to them, is “the perfect s’more”. And it’s different for every person. Some may insist on double the marshmallows and easy on the chocolate. Whereas, I want to load up on the chocolate with a normal dose of marshmallow. Some prefer a toasty brown marshmallow, others like it with a little charring.
But, no matter how you prefer your s’mores, when you bite into that melty, gooey, crunchy sandwich for the first time, the only thing going through your head are thoughts of the complete deliciousness of what you’re experiencing.
So I came up with a perfect cookie bar that provides all those wonderful flavor sensations when enjoying s’mores around the campfire, but without the hassle of the fire! Because, you know how annoying it can be when the wind is blowing and the smoke is making everyone in the circle cough and choke? But they’re bound and determined to roast that perfect marshmallow. They’re not going to leave s’mores-less. So they end up persevering, while hacking the entire time, and desperately trying to wave that billow away?
Yea, that happens all too often here. It’s pretty much windy year-round.
So, if you’re wanting the s’mores taste without the total experience (wind, smoke, and all), these are the bars for you!
S’mores Bars
Ingredients
- Crust:
- 1 1/2 c. graham crackers finely crushed
- 5 Tbsp. butter melted
- 2 1/2 c. mini white marshmallows sprinkle on after crust has baked
- Cookie layer:
- 1 c. 2 sticks salted butter, softened
- 3/4 c. packed light brown sugar
- 3/4 c. granulated sugar
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 2 chopped chocolate bars 1.5 oz. each
- Garnish:
- 2 chocolate bars chopped coarsely
- 1 c. mini white marshmallows
- 1/2 c. coarsely-chopped graham crackers
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly coat a 9x13" pan with nonstick spray. For the crust, stir together graham crackers and melted butter. Spread evenly into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 4 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle 2 1/2 c. marshmallows over the top.
- While the crust is baking, make the cookie layer by creaming together butter, brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla and eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix in flour, salt and baking soda. Stir in chopped chocolate bars. Grab a big handful of the cookie dough and flatten it in your hand. Place it on top of the marshmallows. Continue doing this until all the area is covered.
- Bake for approximately 20 minutes, checking at about 15 minutes and every minute after that. Don't overbake! The bars will be done when the edges just barely start turning a golden brown. Remove from the oven and immediately press the chocolate bars, mini marshmallows and graham cracker pieces into the top. Let cool. I put mine in the fridge, just for about 30 minutes so the chocolate could solidify because it will melt when you press it into the hot cookie bars. But I like to store mine at room temperature, covered. Cut into squares and serve.
Cookies, chocolate, marshmallows, graham crackers…all in one dessert…what could be better? Everyone will think they’ve died and gone to heaven!
I hope you’re having a wonderful summer and that you get to enjoy these phenomenal s’mores cookie bars soon!
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