Hamdi Saidani Pioneer Woman S’mores Cookies are a nostalgic American dessert snack. Melted butter, honey, and graham cracker crumbs create a chewy base loaded with milk chocolate chips and topped with a toasted, gooey marshmallow half.
If you do nothing else, chill the dough balls for the full thirty minutes before they go into the oven. That’s the difference between a thick, soft cookie and a flat puddle of melted sugar. I’ve tried skipping the fridge time when I was in a rush, and the marshmallows inside just disintegrated into the batter instead of staying chunky.
The honey is doing more work than you’d think here. Without it, the dough loses that specific graham cracker sweetness and the edges don’t get that slightly tacky, chewy pull. I always make sure to use a local clover honey so the floral scent doesn’t overpower the chocolate.
Pioneer Woman S’mores Cookies Ingredients
- 1 cup (225g) salted butter, melted
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (170g) honey
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups (315g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (60g) graham cracker crumbs (about 4 whole crackers)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (170g) milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup (50g) mini marshmallows
- 3 (1.5-ounce) milk chocolate bars, broken into squares
- 6 large marshmallows, halved
How To Make Pioneer Woman S’mores Cookies
- 1. Make the cookie dough: Whisk the melted butter, sugar, honey, vanilla, and egg in a large bowl until the mixture looks smooth. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and use a spatula to mix them until no white streaks of flour remain.
- 2. Add the mix-ins: Gently mix in the milk chocolate chips and the mini marshmallows. Don’t overwork the dough at this point or the mini marshmallows might start to tear and smear before they even get to the oven.
- 3. Scoop, top, and chill: Use a large 1/4-cup scoop to form the dough into big balls and place them on parchment-lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Press a square of the milk chocolate bar firmly into the top of each ball. Put the sheets in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up the butter and honey.
- 4. Bake the cookies: Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and bake the chilled cookies for about 12 minutes, turning the pans halfway through so they brown evenly. You want the edges to look set and golden, but the centers should still look slightly soft and underdone.
- 5. Toast the marshmallow topping: Take the cookies out and turn your oven to the broil setting. Place a halved large marshmallow, cut-side down, right on top of the hot chocolate square on each cookie. Put one tray back in at a time and watch them like a hawk for 1 to 2 minutes until the tops are browned.
Don’t walk away from the oven during the broiling step. Marshmallows go from perfectly toasted to a flaming black mess in about five seconds, so keep your eyes on the oven light the whole time.
- 6. Cool and serve: Let the cookies sit on the hot baking sheets for 5 minutes so the bottoms finish setting. Move them to a wire rack and serve them while they’re still warm and the topping is stretchy.
Recipe Tips
- Use a food processor for crumbs: To get the best texture, pulse your graham crackers until they look like fine sand. If the chunks are too big, they’ll create dry pockets in the dough that make the cookies crumble when you bite into them.
- Measure the honey carefully: Lightly grease your measuring cup with a tiny bit of oil or cooking spray before pouring the honey in. It’ll slide right out into the bowl so you get the full half-cup without leaving a sticky layer behind.
- Keep the dough cold: If you’re baking in batches, leave the second tray of dough balls in the fridge while the first one is in the oven. If the dough sits out on the counter and gets warm, the cookies will spread too thin.
- Don’t use parchment under the broiler: If your parchment paper isn’t rated for high heat, it can singe or catch fire under the broiler. Trim any excess paper hanging off the edges of the pan or use a silicone mat if you’re worried about it.
- Substitute dark chocolate if preferred: While milk chocolate is traditional for s’mores, using dark chocolate chips inside the dough helps balance out the heavy sweetness from the honey and marshmallows.
What To Serve With Pioneer Woman S’mores Cookies
A cold glass of whole milk is the classic choice to wash down these heavy, sweet treats. The fat in the milk helps cleanse the palate from the sticky marshmallow and chocolate.
If you’re serving these at a party, a hot pot of coffee or some bitter dark cocoa works well too. You don’t need any extra fruit or toppings since the cookies already have so much going on.
How To Store Pioneer Woman S’mores Cookies
- Fridge: Keep these in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend putting them in the fridge because it makes the toasted marshmallow topping get tough and rubbery.
- Reheat: The best way to get that campfire texture back is to pop a cookie in the microwave for just 5 to 8 seconds. This softens the chocolate and makes the marshmallow center gooey again without melting the whole thing.
- Freeze: You can freeze the raw dough balls for up to 2 months, but don’t freeze the baked cookies. The texture of the toasted marshmallow doesn’t survive the freezing and thawing process well at all.
Pioneer Woman S’mores Cookies Nutrition Facts
Per serving (1 large cookie):
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Protein: 4g
- Fat: 18g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Sugar: 34g
- Sodium: 210mg
FAQs
Why did my Pioneer Woman S’mores Cookies spread so much?
This usually happens if the butter was too hot when you mixed the dough or if you skipped the chilling step. Make sure the melted butter has cooled slightly and give the dough the full 30 minutes in the fridge.
Can I use fluff instead of marshmallows in my Pioneer Woman S’mores Cookies?
No, marshmallow fluff will melt completely into a sticky syrup in the oven and won’t hold its shape as a topping. Stick to the large halved marshmallows for that toasted campfire look.
Can I make these Pioneer Woman S’mores Cookies smaller?
Yes, you can use a smaller scoop, but you’ll need to cut the baking time down to 8 or 9 minutes. You might also need to use mini marshmallows for the topping instead of large halves.
How do I stop the marshmallows from sticking to the pan?
Make sure the marshmallows are placed directly on top of the cookie dough rather than touching the parchment paper. If they slide off and hit the pan, they’ll glue the cookie down as they cool.
Is there a substitute for graham cracker crumbs?
You can use crushed digestive biscuits or even vanilla wafers if you can’t find graham crackers. The flavor will be slightly different, but the texture will still give you that signature crunch.
Try More Recipes:
- Pioneer Woman Pumpkin Cookies Recipe
- Pioneer Woman Angel Sugar Cookies Recipe
- Pioneer Woman Candy Cane Cookies Recipe
Pioneer Woman S’mores Cookies Recipe
Description
The Pioneer Woman’s S’mores Cookies capture all the gooey, toasted magic of a summer campfire without ever having to step outside. By incorporating finely crushed graham crackers and honey right into the buttery dough, the cookie itself perfectly mimics that classic graham shell. Stuffed with mini marshmallows and chocolate chips, and finished under the broiler with a melting square of milk chocolate and a beautifully toasted marshmallow half, these massive, bakery-style cookies are a spectacular, nostalgic indulgence.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Make the cookie dough: Whisk the melted butter, sugar, honey, vanilla, and egg in a large bowl until the mixture looks smooth. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and use a spatula to mix them until no white streaks of flour remain.
- Add the mix-ins: Gently mix in the milk chocolate chips and the mini marshmallows. Don’t overwork the dough at this point or the mini marshmallows might start to tear and smear before they even get to the oven.
- Scoop, top, and chill: Use a large 1/4-cup scoop to form the dough into big balls and place them on parchment-lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Press a square of the milk chocolate bar firmly into the top of each ball. Put the sheets in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up the butter and honey.
- Bake the cookies: Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and bake the chilled cookies for about 12 minutes, turning the pans halfway through so they brown evenly. You want the edges to look set and golden, but the centers should still look slightly soft and underdone.
- Toast the marshmallow topping: Take the cookies out and turn your oven to the broil setting. Place a halved large marshmallow, cut-side down, right on top of the hot chocolate square on each cookie. Put one tray back in at a time and watch them like a hawk for 1 to 2 minutes until the tops are browned.
- Cool and serve: Let the cookies sit on the hot baking sheets for 5 minutes so the bottoms finish setting. Move them to a wire rack and serve them while they’re still warm and the topping is stretchy.
Don’t walk away from the oven during the broiling step. Marshmallows go from perfectly toasted to a flaming black mess in about five seconds, so keep your eyes on the oven light the whole time.
Notes
-
Use a food processor for crumbs: To get the best texture, pulse your graham crackers until they look like fine sand. If the chunks are too big, they’ll create dry pockets in the dough that make the cookies crumble when you bite into them.
Measure the honey carefully: Lightly grease your measuring cup with a tiny bit of oil or cooking spray before pouring the honey in. It’ll slide right out into the bowl so you get the full half-cup without leaving a sticky layer behind.
Keep the dough cold: If you’re baking in batches, leave the second tray of dough balls in the fridge while the first one is in the oven. If the dough sits out on the counter and gets warm, the cookies will spread too thin.
Don’t use parchment under the broiler: If your parchment paper isn’t rated for high heat, it can singe or catch fire under the broiler. Trim any excess paper hanging off the edges of the pan or use a silicone mat if you’re worried about it.
Substitute dark chocolate if preferred: While milk chocolate is traditional for s’mores, using dark chocolate chips inside the dough helps balance out the heavy sweetness from the honey and marshmallows.
