Marshmallow Gingerbread Kiss Blossoms.

Pillowy-soft gingerbread cookies topped with puffy marshmallows, white chocolate Hershey's Hugs, and caramel Kisses. 

It's December (for a few more days)... and that means we can add marshmallows to absolutely anything.

Lately I've been thinking about the gingerbread bundt cake I baked two years ago. Or, as I like to call it, the bundt cake that finally made me fall in love with all things gingerbread. Not the crispy cut-out, iced, old-fashioned gingerbread men (my least favorite Christmas cookie ever), but actual molasses-rich, spicy, cakey gingerbread.

Or maybe I'm just blinded by the creamy cheesecake center and sprinkles of merry-Christmas-to-me powdered sugar. Either way: it's love.

But it's not the time for the cake (even though it's always the time for cake). I'm deep in peppermint and chocolate, baking every holiday cookie ever to gift this season this week and you just can't put a bundt cake on a cookie platter.

These bite-size gingerbread blossoms were just what I needed to add some Christmas sass to my cookie platters. They're pillowy-soft, rolled in sparkling sugar, and full of holiday spice. To top these cookies off, literally, we're throwing mini-marshmallows in the mix, just before they're finished baking, giving them enough time to puff up nice and toasty.

On top of it all: a frozen Hershey caramel Kiss or white chocolate Hug (you could also use milk or dark chocolate Kisses!). The frozen Kiss is my secret/not-so-secret way of keeping your chocolate from melting.

It's a s'mores twist on a holiday favorite. You know... just without graham crackers. Gingerbread, white chocolate, and marshmallows. It's exactly everything I want this Christmas.

I'm obsessed with baking blossom cookies. This is just one of my many Hershey-kissed cookies:

•  Chocolate Crinkle Kiss Cookies 

•  Cinnamon Pumpkin Spice Kiss Blossoms

•  Oreo-Stuffed White Chocolate Raspberry Kiss Cookies

•  Peanut Butter Blossoms

•  Pumpkin Spice Kiss Gingerdoodle Blossoms

Marshmallow Gingerbread Kiss Blossoms

Printable Recipe

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup mini marshmallows
60 Hershey Kisses, unwrapped and frozen (For mine, I used Hershey's Hugs and Caramel Kisses)

Whisk. In a large bowl, whisk together the first six ingredients (flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt). Set aside.

Mix. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add molasses, egg, and vanilla, and mix until nearly combined. Mix in the flour mixture and beat until full combined. 

Chill. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 2-4 hours or overnight. 

Prep. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with a baking mat or spray with baking spray. Remove dough 20 minutes prior to baking- dough should be firm,but still easy to work with and roll. 

Roll. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, roll in sugar, and place 2-inches apart on baking sheet. 

If topping with just Hershey Kisses: Bake 8-10 minutes (mine were perfect at 8 minutes). Remove from oven and immediately press a frozen chocolate Kiss into the center of each cookie. Allow to cool completely.

If topping with marshmallows and Kisses: Bake for 6 1/2 minutes. Remove from oven and gently press 3-4 mini-marshmallows into the center of each cookie. Return to oven and allow cookies to finish baking for another 1-2 minutes, or until marshmallows begin to puff up. Remove from oven and immediately press a frozen chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. Allow to cool completely.

Makes about 4 1/2 dozen cookies.

Source: Adapted from Baked by Rachel.

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 ever- chocolate 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.  

White Chocolate S'mores Sugar Cookie Bars.

Today I wanted to bake the thickest, chewiest, richest sugar cookie bars ever... and smash a layer of white chocolate s'mores inside.

Because it's summer. And because white chocolate s'mores. 

In the perfect summer I've dreamed up inside my head, I would eat nothing but s'mores, margaritas, giant slices of banana bread, and kettlecorn... especially s'mores. Two graham crackers, a burnt, crispy, gooey marshmallow, and melty milk chocolate = love. What, you put peanut butter cups in your s'mores? Just stop it. I can't even think about it/how amazing would mini peanut butter cups taste sprinkled inside these cookie bars?

And yes... I will forever be that girl who set her s'mores mallows on fire. On purpose.

In my real-life summer, I'm trying to be about my new Couch to 5K app I've downloaded for absolutely no reason (peanut butter cupcakes) onto my phone. I'm two weeks in and I'll be honest and real with you: this writing is just pure and simple me needing someone, anyone, to know about it, and maybe high-five me a little... because it means bright purple running shoes (not ashamed), just... just a whole lot of running, waking up early, and running. 

Oh and daydreaming about all the buttery, sugary things I wish I was eating. 

Like s'mores. And white chocolate. And sugar cookies.

Another confession? I love sugar cookies, almost more than any other cookie... because they usually come with buttercream frosting, twinkle lights, red and green sugar sprinkles, and Christmas trees. In fact, I think this is the first time I've ever baked sugar cookies outside of December. Just the smell of these sugar cookie bars baking, even on a hot June day, made me stress out a little... like I had some presents to wrap or some shopping to do. 

Calm down. Cookie bars. 

These cookie bars could not be any easier... and it all starts with a thick, sugary cookie dough base.

 I made the biggest batch ever (5 cups of flour!) of rich, chewy, buttery-soft sugar cookie dough, pressed half of it into the bottom of a 9x9 pan, layered it with squares ofgraham crackers, mini marshmallows, and white chocolate chips, and pressed the remaining cookie dough over the top of everything ever. It felt a little bit like baking a pie. A cookie pie. Be about it.



Sugar cookie + graham cracker + marshmallows + white chocolate chips  + sugar cookie = a blonde twist on the traditional chocolatey campfire treat.

Could you cut corners and use pre-made dough from the store? Of course. It's summer. Less whisks and spoons = more time at the pool. Live your life.

The thickest cookie bars ever. Two hands totally needed. Tip: I think if I made these again, I would bake them in a 9x13-inch pan for thinner squares and easier cookie bar-handling... and drizzle some kind of white chocolate/vanilla bean/caramel icing on top of everything. Let's definitely do that.

Summer baking = the best thing ever. Smash a s'more in it!    

White Chocolate S'mores Sugar Cookie Bars

Printable Recipe

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
5 1/2 graham cracker sheets
1 (10-ounce bag) white chocolate chips
2 cups mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x9-inch baking dish with foil, making sure the foil extends over the sides and spray with a non-stick baking spray; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. 

With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined. 

Divide cookie dough in half. Press half of the dough into the bottom of the baking dish. Layer graham crackers side-by-side on top of the cookie dough. Sprinkle with marshmallows and white chocolate chips. Top with the remaining cookie dough, pressing down gently. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cookie bars tests clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. When cooled, use the foil to lift bars from the pan, cut into squares, and serve. 

Source: Inspired by Picky Palate's white chocolate s'mores cake bars. 

Peeps Rice Krispie Treats {...or how I accidentally browned butter.}

Real quick. Before I head off down the coast for a spring weekend vacation (and, let's just all be honest, to avoid packing) I need to tell you a few things.

Like how I am not ashamed to be posting a Peeps recipe twenty-five days after Easter. I'm just not. 

Like how the only thing my boyfriend ever wants me to bake him is Rice Krispie treats. A bundt cake? He is just not impressed. Oh there's bourbon in these chocolate chip cookies? I mean... I love you. But could you just melt some marshmallows and cereal?

Or how between Instagram, counting marshmallows, and catching up this season of the Vampire Diaries (what is even happening with this show?!?) it's definitely and totally possible to accidentally brown butter. 

Yes. It happened. It's real. I accidentally browned butter. 

But honestly... I can't think of anything wrong with brown butter Rice Krispy treats. So I'm just going to own it. Like it was all on purpose. 

Okay. So sometimes baking is simple. Sometimes it's not even baking at all... it's just melting bright, colorful, sugary marshmallows and stirring in crispy cereal. That could totally be a thing, right? 

This is a melt, bake, and eat situation. It's the perfect way to live like it's spring, while getting ready for easy, no-oven summer baking.

A tip: I was impatient and chose not to let the Peeps get fully melty. I wanted marshmallow-y chunks of Peeps and it was fully a good decision. 

I mean, what else was I going to put in these crispy bars? Bourbon? Stop it.

Another tip: one ounce of Rice Krispies cereal = one cup. So you don't have to google it in the cereal aisle. Don't be like me. 

Peeps Rice Krispie Treats

Printable Recipe

3 tablespoons butter
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
35 (7 sleeves) assorted colors of Peeps (I used pink, purple, blue, & yellow)

Prep. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with baking spray.

Melt. Melt butter in a large pot over low heat. Add Peeps, keeping each different color in it's own section in the pot. Do not stir. Remove from heat once Peeps have melted (about 8-10 minutes).

Mix. Add the Rice Krispies cereal and stir to combine until well-coated. Pour into prepared baking dish and press down evenly. 

Eat. Allow to cool completely, then cut into squares and serve.

Source: Serious Eats.

Chocolate Chunk S'mores Brownies.

How To Hunt for Your First Apartment Together 101. 

1. When you walk in the door... does it feel like home? Can you imagine living here and making memories together? Hint: If you're already planning date nights of making dinner in the tiny kitchen, shutting out the world, and catching up on Once Upon a Time, with a couch against the wall here and the TV right there... the answer is yes.

2. Start a Pinterest board. Obviously.

3. Check out the closet situation. Preemptively claim 3/4 of it. 

4. The kitchen: can you bake cookies in this kitchen? Does it feel like home too? Is it bright and full of natural light? Does it make you want to bake banana bread, late-night s'mores, Christmas dinner, and pumpkin pies?

5. Remind your boyfriend that this is a model apartment. The flatscreen is just for show. Also not sure what you're looking in the refrigerator for.

6. Decide where will the Christmas tree will go. No, seriously.

7. This deck is cute... but can I photograph stacks of brownies out here without the neighbors noticing?

8. So... these bright orange accent walls. We can paint, right?

9. Allow yourself a full minute to panic over lease lengths, deposits, rent, square footage, and the fact that you no longer have an excuse to avoid the gym. 

10. Let's be honest: how close are we to a Starbucks?


Can I be honest with you for a tiny moment? Looking for an apartment can be completely overwhelming.

There. I said it.

You know what's not overwhelming?

Making chocolate chunk brownies on a lazy summer day.

Except, at the last minute, like the total adult you are, you swirl in marshmallow fluff and a handful of crushed graham crackers.

Just because.

I think we can agree... s'mores need no reason. Especially s'mores in the form of thick, fudgy brownies full of chocolate chunks, dark chocolate chips, swirls of marshmallow dreams, subtle, crunchy bits of graham crackers... and a crackly graham cracker top.

Impulsive baking. It's now a thing.

This is summer. This is easy-living. This is not an accent wall. I can handle this. 

Chocolate Chunk S'mores Brownies

Printable Recipe

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1/3 unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder 

3/4 cup chocolate chunks (I used a mixture of chocolate chunks & dark chocolate chips)

1/2 cup crushed graham crackers

1 cup marshmallow fluff

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Grease or line an 8x8-inch baking dish with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix together the melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Mix in cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder until well-combined. Fold in chocolate chunks and crushed graham crackers using a wooden spoon.

Microwave marshmallow fluff for about 10-20 seconds, give it a quick stir, then add to brownie batter. Fold in a few times until just combined. You want there to be visible ribbons of marshmallow cream throughout the brownies.

Pour into baking dish and spread evenly. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until done and a toothpick inserted into the center of brownies comes out clean. 

Allow to cool completely before serving.

Chocolatey Avalanche Bars.

It may be April, but as far as I'm concerned... it's summer. 

Today I had iced coffee for breakfast. Like.. just iced coffee. At 6 AM. Totally a thing. 

I bought a bright buttercup-yellow tank top. I drove with the windows down and the Katy Perry up. I daydreamed about tropical beaches, the scent of Pirates of the Caribbean/Splash Mountain waterfalls, flowy, flowery dresses, pancakes/waffles/my face with coconut syrup, and streaking my hair sunkissed-blond. I baked Rice Krispie treats that took six hours to set in this spring heat. My boyfriend texted me, "What do you want for dinner?", and my first thought was, "Churros. Ice cream. No, definitely funnel cakes."

I wish I was joking.

So... summer! Melty chocolate, baking without ovens, and lazy camera-phone photography. It's a thing and it's nothing to be ashamed of.

Also, let's be real. Rice Krispies + marshmallows + white chocolate chips + mini chocolate chips + peanut butter is never going to = a bad thing. 

... except that's not just any kind of peanut butter. 

It's this stuff. 

Made of dark chocolate and peanut butter and dreams. 

Basically a perfect match for rich, white chocolate crispy squares and funnel cake dinners. 

Get into it!

Chocolatey Avalanche Bars 

Printable Recipe

12 ounces white chocolate chips

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter 

3 cups Rice Krispies cereal

1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips + extra to sprinkle over the top

Spray a 9x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.

In a large microwave-safe bowl, heat white chocolate chips for 1 minute. Stir, then continue microwaving for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each increment, until chips are melted.

Stir in the peanut butter and Rice Krispies. Let cool for 15 minutes, stirring every five minutes.  

Stir in the marshmallows and chocolate chips. 

Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and spread evenly, pressing lightly with the back of a wooden spoon (but not too much or they'll get hard). 

Sprinkle a handful of mini chocolate chips over the top and press them down lightly. 

Cut into squares when completely cooled, swoon, and enjoy!

Source: Cookies & Cups.