The Ultimate S’mores Chocolate Chip Cookies
Here’s the thing about s’mores desserts: they’re never that good. I actually try to avoid ordering anything s’mores because I know it’ll lead to severe disappointment. Don’t get me wrong—s’mores themselves are a godsend. We had a firepit growing up and would invite people over every weekend in the summertime with the intention of making s’mores. It was a non-negotiable. We had a s’mores bin in the pantry well-stocked enough so that we could feed no less than two dozen people s’mores at a moments notice. Our garage was littered with industrial-sized s’mores roasting sticks. You could call us a s’mores-obsessed people. But give me a slice of s’mores pie, s’mores cake, or a s’mores bar (I’m looking at you Baked & Wired in Georgetown) and I’ll likely refuse it. The only s’mores-flavored exception was this description-defying, childhood-defining, ground-breaking toasted marshmallow ice cream I used to get as a kid in upstate New York during sleep-away camp.
That brings me to the journey of trying to make this cookie. I knew the bar was high. I couldn’t disappointment myself and follow the tarnished history of miserable s’mores-flavored confections. Of course, I brought out the usual heavy hitters for the matter: browned butter, flaky salt, and dark brown sugar. But to get the real toastiness you get from s’mores, that childhood nostalgia flavor, I made the jump to use malted milk powder in the dough. That’s what gives these cookies their edge, their flavor oomph. Also, holding back the amount of chocolate is key. S’mores are about ingredient balance: too much chocolate and the graham and marshmallow goo are too muted.
10 cookies
Ingredients
1 cup mini marshmallows (60g)
1 stick unsalted butter (113g)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar (100g)
3 tbsp granulated sugar (36g)
1 egg, chilled
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 tbsp malted milk powder (22g)
1 cup + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (150g)
~3.3 oz dark chocolate (100g), chopped into large chunks
4 graham crackers (60g), crumbled into smallish chunks/powder
Flaky salt for garnish
Directions
Place the mini-marshmallows in the freezer. Add the butter to a small saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Continue stirring until the butter turns brown, about 3-4 minutes. Dump into a large heat-safe bowl.
Add the dark brown sugar and granulated sugar to the bowl. Whisk to combine the ingredients and break up any sugar lumps. Crack in the egg and add the vanilla. Whisk for 1 minute. Whisk in the kosher salt, baking soda, and malted milk powder. Switch to a rubber spatula and stir in the flour until no dry spots remain. Add most of the chocolate and graham cracker crumbles to the batter. Stir to incorporate.
Remove the mini-marshmallows from the freezer. Using a 1/4-cup ice cream scoop, scoop a portion of the cookie dough into your palm. Flatten it and then place 7 mini marshmallows in the center. Enclose the cookie dough around the marshmallows and roll into a smooth ball. Place on a large plate and repeat with remaining dough. Top the dough balls with the remaining chopped chocolate and graham cracker crumbles. Place plate in the refrigerator and let dough chill for at least 30 minutes but best at least an hour.
Preheat the oven to 375F with a rack set in the middle position. Place 5 dough balls evenly spaced on a half-sheet tray. Bake for 12-13 minutes, or until the cookies are golden, the edges feel firm when pressed, and the marshmallows are just starting to ooze out. Remove the sheet from the oven, sprinkle the cookies with flaky salt, and let cookies cool completely on the sheet. Repeat with remaining dough balls.
