Gooey S’mores Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you ask me, s’mores chocolate chip cookies are the best of both worlds.

These cozy cookies combine two classic treats we all grew up loving – gooey campfire s’mores and soft chocolate chip cookies. Graham cracker crumbs mixed into the dough bring that familiar toasted taste, while melty chocolate chips and mini marshmallows create those perfect s’mores moments.

They’re rolled in crushed graham crackers before baking, giving them a light crunch on the outside while staying soft in the middle. The marshmallows get all toasty and golden, just like they do over a campfire.

It’s a fun twist on regular chocolate chip cookies that brings back memories of summer nights, without having to build a fire pit in your backyard.

What Kind of Chocolate Chips Should I Use?

Semi-sweet chocolate chips are the classic choice for these cookies, but you’ve got plenty of options to play with. While the recipe calls for semi-sweet, you could swap in milk chocolate chips for a sweeter cookie, or dark chocolate chips if you prefer a more intense chocolate flavor. Just make sure you’re using actual chocolate chips rather than chocolate chunks or chopped chocolate – chips contain stabilizers that help them keep their shape while baking, which is important for these s’mores cookies. If your grocery store carries them, consider trying Ghirardelli or Guittard chips, which tend to melt a bit smoother than some other brands. Just stay away from white chocolate chips in this recipe, as they’d make the cookies too sweet with the marshmallows already in there.

Options for Substitutions

Let’s talk about what you can swap in these s’mores cookies if you’re missing something:

• Butter: You can use salted butter instead of unsalted – just reduce the added salt to 1/4 teaspoon. Margarine can work too, but the cookies might spread more.
• Cornstarch: If you’re out of cornstarch, just skip it! Your cookies will be slightly less soft, but they’ll still taste great. You can also use 2 teaspoons of arrowroot powder instead.
• Chocolate chips: Any chocolate chips work here – milk, dark, or even white chocolate. You can also chop up your favorite chocolate bar instead.
• Marshmallows: Mini marshmallows can replace regular ones – use about 24 mini marshmallows. Just don’t try using marshmallow fluff – it’ll melt too much during baking.
• Graham crackers: No graham crackers? Try using crushed digestive biscuits, vanilla wafers, or even gingersnaps for a fun twist.
• Brown sugar: Out of brown sugar? Mix 1 tablespoon of molasses with 3/4 cup white sugar as a quick substitute.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest challenge when making s’mores cookies is timing the marshmallow topping just right – adding them too early in the baking process will cause them to completely melt and disappear, while adding them too late won’t give them that perfect golden-brown finish. The best approach is to bake the cookies for about 10-12 minutes first, then add the marshmallow halves and return to the oven for just 2-3 minutes more. Another common mistake is using warm butter instead of room temperature butter, which can make your cookies spread too thin – let your butter sit out for about 1 hour before starting, and if you press it with your finger, it should make an indent but not sink right through. For the perfect texture, avoid overmixing your dough once you’ve added the flour mixture, as this can lead to tough cookies instead of soft, chewy ones. Finally, let these cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack – they’re quite fragile when hot, and the marshmallow needs time to set.

What to Serve With S’mores Cookies?

These cookies are already packed with all the campfire goodness you could want, but there are some fun ways to make them even more special! A cold glass of milk is the obvious choice – it helps balance out the sweet, gooey marshmallow and melty chocolate. If you’re feeling fancy, try serving them slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, letting it melt into all those chocolate chips and graham cracker pieces. For a cozy night in, pair these cookies with hot chocolate topped with mini marshmallows to really lean into that s’mores experience.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These s’mores cookies stay soft and chewy when kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. I like to add a piece of bread to the container – it helps keep the cookies perfectly soft! Just make sure they’re completely cool before storing to maintain that gooey marshmallow texture.

Freeze: You can freeze these cookies for up to 3 months! Place them in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between layers. The marshmallow might change texture slightly when frozen, but they’ll still taste great. You can also freeze the unbaked cookie dough balls for up to 3 months – just add a minute or two to the baking time when cooking from frozen.

Make Ahead: The cookie dough can be made ahead and chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Just let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before rolling into balls and baking. This actually helps develop a deeper flavor in your cookies!

Preparation Time	60-120 minutes
Cooking Time	15-20 minutes
Total Time	75-140 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2200-2400
• Protein: 28-32 g
• Fat: 90-100 g
• Carbohydrates: 340-360 g

Ingredients

• 12 tbsp unsalted butter, brought to room temperature
• 3/4 cup packed dark or light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 12 standard marshmallows, halved
• 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate bar, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup crushed graham crackers

Step 1: Cream Butter and Sugars, Add Wet Ingredients

• 12 tbsp unsalted butter, brought to room temperature
• 3/4 cup packed dark or light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

In a large bowl, use a handheld mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment to beat the room temperature unsalted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.

Add the egg and vanilla extract, then continue beating until combined.

Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well mixed.

Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients and Assemble Cookie Dough

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.

Gradually add these dry ingredients to the wet mixture, beating on low speed until just combined.

The cookie dough will be slightly thick at this stage.

On low speed, beat in the semi-sweet chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Cover the dough tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.

Chilling is essential for the cookies’ texture.

Step 3: Portion and Bake Cookies

• cookie dough from Step 2

Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to soften slightly.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of dough for each cookie and roll into balls—you may need to work the crumbly dough with your hands to bring it together.

Place them spaced apart on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 10-11 minutes, until the edges are barely golden while the centers remain soft.

Step 4: Broil Marshmallows on Cookies

• 12 standard marshmallows, halved
• baked cookies from Step 3

Turn the oven to high broil (use low if your oven runs hot).

Once cookies are baked and slightly cooled, top each cookie with a marshmallow half, sticky side down.

Return the cookies to the oven and broil for only 1-2 minutes, watching very closely, until the marshmallows are lightly toasted.

Remove the cookies and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.

If any marshmallow remains tall, gently press down with the back of a spoon to help it spread and adhere to the cookie base.

I like to keep a very close eye during broiling—marshmallows can go from lightly toasted to burned in seconds!

Step 5: Melt Chocolate and Finish with Toppings

• 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate bar, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup crushed graham crackers
• marshmallow-topped cookies from Step 4

Place the finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate bar in a medium heat-proof bowl.

Melt the chocolate using either a double boiler or in the microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring after each interval, until smooth and fully melted.

Spoon the melted chocolate evenly over the toasted marshmallow on each cookie, then sprinkle crushed graham crackers on top while the chocolate is still wet.

Allow the chocolate to set completely at room temperature for about an hour, or speed up the process by placing the cookies in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

To make the dessert even more irresistible, I sometimes add an extra pinch of salt on top after sprinkling the graham crackers.