S'mores Cookie Squares

If the words: 'ooey', 'gooey', 'sticky' and 'messy' scare you off when used to describe a dessert, then these bars are not for you. These S'mores Cookie Squares are very sweet and rich, a small piece goes a long way. 

Versions of these are all over the internet these days, particularly over the summer months. They've always appealed to me, but what held me back from trying them was the idea of having to spread cookie batter over top of a marshmallow layer. They sounded like too much trouble. But yesterday, we were going to my sister's for what will likely be the summer's last BBQ, and I decided it was time to tackle this. What dessert is more appropriate for a summer BBQ than S'mores? And while assembling, I figured out a great way to get that second layer of cookie dough over top of the marshmallow layer without squishing it. See pictures below.

The verdict? These were really good. The empty plate at the end of the night is always the best indicator of a dessert's success. So, yes, these definitely get filed under the "make again" category. 

Recipe for S'mores Cookie Sqaures

(adapted from: Let's Dish who adapted it from Paula Deen)

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1 1/3 cups flour

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 6 sheets of graham crackers)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 100 gram Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bars (family size)

1 (7 oz.) jar marshmallow creme

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8-inch baking pan. In a small bowl, combine flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt and set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until creamy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.  Add dry ingredients to butter mixture, and beat until combined. Press half of the dough evenly in the pan.  

Now this is where I deviated from the instructions. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit over top of your base layer of cookie dough.

Press the second half of the cookie dough over top of the parchment paper and base layer of dough, until it evenly covers the paper. You'll now have two layers of dough, separated by one piece of parchment. Peel the first layer off by pulling at the parchment paper.

Set the top layer of cookie dough aside.

Spread marshmallow cream over the dough that's pressed into the pan. I sprayed an off-set metal spatula with cooking spray to prevent it from sticking and to make it easier to spread.

Lay the chocolate bars on top of the marshmallow creme, breaking apart as needed to create an even layer of chocolate. 

Carefully peel your second layer from the parchment paper and lay that on top.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown and slightly puffed.

Allow to cool to room temperature before cutting into squares. I made mine earlier in the day and so before serving, I let them warm up in the oven (which was turned off but still warm from earlier) and left the door ajar. This allowed the squares to return to their previous state of softened chocolate, gooey marshmallows with a warm cookie crust. Delicious!