Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Graham Cracker Chocolate Chip S'mores Cookies.


This July, I'm wishing I was that girl who lived her summer to the max: long days by the sparkling pool, late nights by a cozy campfire. Short sundresses and sun-kissed, beach-blonde waves. Road trips, pie-baking, and grilled banana bread (it's really a thing!). Beachy drinks and totally burned s'mores. You know... adventures in unknown places, taking chances, and doing everything ever on a bucket list. That girl.



But really? I'm that girl who crushes graham crackers into her chocolate chip cookies, spends $23 on kettlecorn at a summer flower festival, and is content just to have seen fireworks on the 4th (just barely... as I was leaving work at 10 PM)... not to mention the inside of a gym three days a week (running! Purple shoes! I'm doing it!) and every new episode of True Blood this season.

Which I haven't decided if I'm in love with or not... because: Bill.

Also: Ben.  


Can we go back to that crushed graham crackers in our chocolate chip cookie thing? Because let's live summer right and, if nothing else, bake campfire dreams into our cookies.


These are the softest chocolate chip cookies ever and were totally inspired by my love for all things s'mores + my favorite cookies everchocolate fluffernutter gobs: soft, puffy peanut butter cloud cookies topped with just-melted marshmallows and a rich chocolate ganache glaze. Honestly, if I could at any moment recreate a recipe from the last three years of baking, it would be these. And I should! They're like peanut butter cup s'mores... without the graham cracker. And the peanut butter cup.

But this is summer. This is July (even if there are pumpkins at Michaels already). We're definitely going to need some graham crackers in our business.


What makes these cookies so soft? The graham crackers! 1 cup of all-purpose flour is replaced with 1 cup of crushed honey graham crackers... making these the softest, buttery-rich chocolate chip cookies. Several days later they were still soft. Cookie perfection! Don't even get me started on the cookie dough. Irresistable/I can't even deal/someone please put this in an ice cream. 


Then two minutes before they were done baking, I smashed 4-5 mini marshmallows on to and baked them until soft and puffy. 


Then I straight stole this soft, rich chocolate glaze with those chocolate fluffernutters in mind.

Chocolate sprinkles = love


Could we smash chocolate caramel Ghiradelli squares or leftover Valentines hearts on top? Yes/love/please don't judge me. 


Because yeah. I'm also that girl who still has chocolate Santas, heart-shaped chocolates, and too many to Peeps talk about. 

P.S. I love these cookie bottoms. Those mini chocolate chips! I don't bake with them enough.



Graham Cracker Chocolate Chip S'mores Cookies

Printable Recipe

Cookies
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup crushed graham cracker crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
Mini marshmallows for topping

Chocolate Glaze
9 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3-6 tablespoons of milk, depending how thick you want your glaze


Prep. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or spray with baking spray; set aside. 

Mix. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until thoroughly combined. Add the flour, crushed graham crackers, salt, and baking soda and mix thoroughly. Fold in the chocolate chips. 

Bake.Using a small cookie scoop, scoop dough into rounded tablespoons and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 7 minutes. Remove from oven and gently press 4-5 mini marshmallows into the center of each cookie. Return sheet to the oven and bake for another 2-3 minutes, until just melted. Be careful not to burn them! 

Cool. Allow cookies to cool at least 5 minutes on the baking mat before removing to wire racks to cool completely. 

Glaze it! When completely cooled, make the chocolate glaze (or smash a chocolate candy on top). To make the glaze, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the cocoa powder and mix until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Slowly stir in the powdered sugar, gradually adding the milk as needed to get the desired consistency (ideally you want it thin enough to drizzle... about the consistency of molasses. I kept my glaze as thick as ganache here and spread it with a spoon). Spoon a small amount over each cookie. Glaze will set slightly when cooled.

Source: Cookies adapted from Eat My Shortbread. Glaze from the fluffernutter chocolate gobs.