How to Make S’mores Cookies with John Kanell of Preppy Kitchen

Updated: Dec. 15, 2023

Courtesy Preppy Kitchen

These s’mores cookies don’t require a campfire. John Kanell, Founder of Preppy Kitchen, teaches us how to make this sweet recipe.

Summertime brings many family-favorite pastimes. Heading to the beach or falling asleep under the stars are great summer activities when the weather is nice, but lately, we’ve been finding unique ways to bring the dog days indoors. Whether you’re aiming to beat the heat or staying safe at home, we have a new tradition for the whole fam: S’mores Cookies!

This campfire-food-turned-baked-good comes courtesy of John Kanell, founder of the cooking blog Preppy Kitchen. “I have so many fond memories from childhood of roasting s’mores. So I thought, what a perfect flavor profile for a summertime cookie,” says John, who shared his recipe with us. And it’s true. You get a little graham cracker, melty chocolate and toasted marshmallow in each bite.

What’s more, this is a great project to get the kids involved in. John knows this firsthand. He grew up helping his mother and grandmother bake new recipes in the kitchen and aims to pass this tradition down to his children, too. “My three-year-old twins Lachlan and George love helping in the kitchen. Right now they’re old enough to add pre-measured ingredients to a bowl, whisk things together, and do things like roll the balls of cookie dough.” According to John, “Supervision is key.”

Of course, the art of cooking with kids varies depending on age and skill level. Keep older kids engaged by encouraging them to decorate each cookie for an Instagram-worthy appeal, or set up a toddler with a bag of marshmallows to tear while you measure out the rest of the ingredients.

Ready to get started? Grab a helper and follow along to bring this campfire classic indoors.

S’mores Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 egg, room termperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp cornstarch
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows, torn in half
4 graham crackers, roughly chopped
1 bar Hershey’s Chocolate, broken into sections

Instructions

Step 1: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars until blended. A hand mixer on medium will get the job done in 4-6 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla.

Then, in a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cornstarch. Gradually beat the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, making sure it’s well combined after each addition.

Step 2: Add the S’mores Mix-Ins

Reserve a handful of marshmallows and set aside. Stir in the remaining marshmallows, chocolate chips and chopped graham crackers to the dough. It’s s’mores goodness! Refrigerate the dough for an hour.

John’s tip: Be sure to tear the mini marshmallows in half before incorporating them into the mix. If you leave them in whole, they’ll puff up and explode while baking.

Step 3: Bake!

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Roll the s’mores cookie dough into balls that are roughly two tablespoons in size and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Leave about two inches of room between each. Bake for 8 minutes.

Step 4: Put on the Finishing Touches

Remove the cookies from the oven, and carefully top each with Hershey’s bar pieces and the remaining marshmallow pieces. Stick it back into the oven for 2-3 minutes to finish baking.

Step 5: Enjoy

Let the cookies cool on a baking sheet. If some of the cookies had a marshmallow meltdown, don’t fret! Simply use a knife to scoot any melted marshmallow back in place. Besides, half the fun of s’mores is to have a little ooey-gooey fun.

How to Store S’mores Cookies

We seriously doubt you’ll have leftovers, but if your family doesn’t gobble up these yummy summer cookies right away, you can store them in an airtight container for up to four days. John recommends to (fittingly) add a large marshmallow to the container to keep the cookies soft and chewy. The moisture inside the marshmallow will slowly release over time to prevent your s’mores cookie from drying out.

You can also freeze the cookies and they’ll last for weeks.

Customize Your Cookies

John’s recalls how his mother experimented with recipes, tweaking and reworking old ones just to get it right. “That drive for constant evolution with a focus of ingredient quality is something that has stayed with me and one of the reasons I enjoy relentless recipe testing when developing for my blog,” he says.

We encourage you to do the same with this recipe. While these cookies call upon classic s’mores flavors, you can also take this summertime dessert over the top by experimenting with mix-ins like toasted walnuts, salted caramel, potato chips or shredded coconut. Or better yet, turn them into an ice cream sandwich for the ultimate summer dessert.

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Pineapple Coconut TassiesThese summer cookies may sound and look fancy, but they're rather easy to make Their simplicity makes them an ideal choice for baking with children. My granddaughter enjoys helping me measure the ingredients. Children also can help shape the dough into balls, and then you can finish them together. —Connie Shuff, York, Pennsylvania