First of all, I must tell you that these cookies are not photogenic. The above picture was the prettiest shot I could get, but really, they more often look like the photo below.

My baking friends Jill and Deb recently challenged me to try to reproduce the “Mackles’more” cookie from our local cookie shop, Hello Robin. I tried to ignore the challenge, but then I was at U Village the other day and had to try one. I tried to pick apart the elements of the cookie… I thought it was yummy, and seemed like it would be easy to make. So when at the grocery store that same day, I picked up all the necessary ingredients to make s’mores. Game on!

The way I made the cookies was kind of a mess, as I was shooting from the hip. I made divots into chilled chocolate chip cookie dough (I used Matthew’s Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie dough recipe, but added an extra 1/4 cup of flour so the cookies would be less gooey. I figured there would be enough gooey factor with the addition of marshmallows and chocolate on top). I put the cookie dough balls with the divots on top of graham crackers, then put a marshmallow into each divot, and baked as I normally would.

I was dismayed that the toasted marshmallow slid over to the side, even though I had made those divots! So when I took the cookies out of the oven, using a fork, I scooched the hot marshmallow back to the center of the cookie, and then placed a piece of Hershey’s milk chocolate on top. It was a hot mess.

At first they were tall and awkward, but once the cookies cooled a bit, everything sank down,  just like a chocolate chip cookie does once it cools. And they ended up looking like that pretty picture I took :).

But listen to this: after I went through all the trouble of making these cookies based on guesswork, I decided to look online, and it turns out that the actual Hello Robin recipe is out there for anyone that wants it!! I had to laugh. Turns out they make theirs with mini marshmallows mixed into the dough, and the chocolate they use is Theo’s, which is extra fancy. So you know I had to do a side-by-side comparison.

The two on the far right are my recipe, the six on the left are the Hello Robin Recipe.

I think Jill and Deb and I all agree that there is something rather exquisite about my version, with the big marshmallow on top. First of all, it melts all over the place and makes this caramelized, crispy sugar around the edge of the cookie, which is divine. And then, I do like the idea of each cookie having the same amount of marshmallow! Marshmallow in every bite! Plus, my daughters both absolutely prefer my version, and that’s all I need to know.

My version are the two on the right; messy and glorious.

Yes, it is a bit messy, but tell me, don’t you just love a big messy s’more? The kind with marshmallow oozing out of the sides? That’s what this cookie is about. And as for the square of chocolate on top, I went for good old Hershey’s milk chocolate, since that is what we always use for s’mores. Why change a good thing?

Chocolate Chip S’more Cookies

(Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies)

• 1 – 14.4 ounce box Honey Maid Graham Crackers*
• 4 – 1.55 ounce Hershey’s milk chocolate bars*
• 1 – 12 ounce bag Jet-Puffed marshmallows*
• 1 batch Matthew’s Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie dough

1. Prepare a batch of your favorite cookie dough, or if you like, use my recipe for Matthew’s favorite cookie dough. If you choose to make my recipe, go ahead and add an extra 1/4 cup (30 grams) of flour, and use regular all-purpose flour instead of bread flour. Scoop the cookie dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon balls (use a cookie scoop to make this easier) and place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet (they don’t have to be far apart for this) and chill in the fridge for at least two hours.
2. Once dough has been chilled for at least two hours, preheat oven to 375°.
3. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place 8 graham cracker squares (each square is 1/2 cracker) on each sheet. Set aside.
4. Break each chocolate bar into 8 squares. You should end up with 32 squares.
5. Preheat oven to 375°.
6. Using a spice jar, press a little well into the center of each cookie dough ball. Dip the spice jar into a little bit of flour to keep it from sticking. (I actually have a little tool for this job, but a spice jar is the perfect circumference for a marshmallow and works nicely also.)
7. Once the dough balls have been pre-shaped with a little well in the center, place one on each of the graham crackers. Then place one marshmallow standing up in each well.
8. Bake cookies on center rack of oven, one tray at a time. You will need to bake a total of four trays, but no need to bake all of these at once. You can save half of the cookie dough balls in the freezer for a later date. Or even just bake one tray, and save those cookie dough balls for another time. You get the idea.
9. Bake cookies for about 11 minutes, or until the marshmallows have browned and melted, and the edges of the cookie dough are browning. The marshmallows will slop over to the side. It’s okay.
10. As soon as you take the tray out of the oven, use a fork to scooch the marshmallow to the center of the cookie**, then press a chocolate square gently down into the center of the cookie. Be careful because the marshmallow will be hot! Repeat with all eight cookies. Let the cookies cool completely on the cookie sheet before transferring to a serving dish. Repeat with other tray(s) of cookies.
11. In my opinion, these cookies are best if allowed to cool for at least an hour before eating. And they are still really good the next day, if there are any left.

Notes:

* For best results, use the brands I have mentioned. I haven’t tried other brands, so I don’t know how they will perform.

** Jill had the idea of using the chocolate square to scooch the marshmallow back to the center of the cookie before pressing it into the center. Try it!

*** I have to mention that I was at a school concert a couple of weeks ago, and I brought my molasses cookies for the bake sale. My friends absolutely love my molasses cookies, but I realized that they were not really flashy enough to get a lot of attention at the bake sale. They were being overshadowed by cookies with pink frosting, huge brownies, and giant cupcakes. You just know that next time I’m bringing these s’more cookies. Gotta raise money for the school orchestra! I’ll let you know if they go quickly.

And now more pictures, just because.

You can use a spice jar if you don’t have a tool like this one.

Nine can fit, but I think eight works a bit better. So cute!

Don’t panic!

Scooch the chocolate back to the center with a fork or the chocolate square!

I like how you can still see the word “Hershey’s”, even after the chocolate has gotten melty. Adorable!

And they make surprisingly nice gifts! You will make new friends for sure.

And even though I said these cookies aren’t photogenic, I think they are very pretty.