Table of Contents

You’ll find the complete list of ingredient measurements and detailed instructions in the comprehensive recipe card further down this page!

Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions

Follow these detailed steps to create perfectly gooey and delicious double chocolate s’mores cookies:

Step 1 – Cream Butter and Sugars:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using an electric hand mixer), combine the room temperature unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for a full 3 minutes until the mixture is visibly lightened in color and takes on a fluffy, aerated texture. This step is crucial for the cookies’ final texture, incorporating air that will make them tender.

Step 2 – Incorporate Wet Ingredients:

Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the large egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Mix until they are just combined and no streaks of egg yolk remain. Be careful not to overmix at this stage. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, ensuring all ingredients are fully incorporated.

Step 3 – Mix Dry Ingredients & Chill Dough:

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Gradually add these dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed, mixing only until *just combined* and no streaks of flour remain. Fold in the mini chocolate chips. Overmixing at this stage can lead to tough cookies. Once combined, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour. This chilling process is vital for flavor development and preventing excessive spreading.

Step 4 – Stuff with Marshmallows:

Once the dough is adequately chilled, use a standard two-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out balls of dough into the palm of your hand. Gently flatten each dough ball. Place one large marshmallow in the center, positioning it with the long side down for optimal melt. Carefully mold and shape the cookie dough around the marshmallow, ensuring it’s mostly enclosed but leaving just a tiny bit of the marshmallow peeking through on top. This slight exposure allows the marshmallow to brown beautifully during baking. Keep a damp towel nearby to wipe your hands as the dough can be sticky.

Step 5 – Second Chill and Bake:

After stuffing, gently press a few pieces of crushed graham crackers and some crumbs onto the exposed marshmallow top of each cookie. Return the prepared cookie dough balls to the baking tray and chill them in the fridge for another 1-2 hours. This second chill is crucial for maintaining the cookies’ shape and ensuring the marshmallows don’t melt out too quickly in the oven, giving you those perfect gooey centers. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) while the cookies are chilling. When ready to bake, place the chilled cookies spaced 2-3 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 10-11 minutes. Look for slightly set edges and a puffy, slightly browned marshmallow center.

Step 6 – Finish and Enjoy:

As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, while they are still hot and pliable, use a large round cookie cutter (slightly larger than your cookies) to gently “scoot” the edges of each cookie inwards. This creates perfectly round, uniform cookies. Immediately press a few chunks of your chosen chocolate bar onto the top of each hot cookie; the residual heat will melt them beautifully. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking pan for at least 10-15 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack. This allows the marshmallow to set slightly and prevents sticking. Enjoy your warm, gooey chocolate s’mores cookies!

Expert Baking Tips for Perfect S’mores Cookies

• Embrace a Kitchen Scale for Precision Baking: This is arguably the most impactful tip for consistent baking results. Baking with a scale is significantly more accurate than using volumetric cup measurements, especially for flour. Even a slight variation in flour can drastically alter the cookie’s texture. To use metric measurements in the recipe card, simply click the “Metric” button next to the ingredients title. If you don’t own a scale, remember to fluff your flour with a spoon, then gently spoon it into your measuring cup before leveling it off. Never scoop directly!
• The Importance of Chilling the Dough: This step is non-negotiable for these particular cookies. The initial 1-hour chill after mixing helps the flavors meld and prevents the dough from being too sticky to handle when stuffing marshmallows. The second chill (1-2 hours after stuffing) is crucial for maintaining the cookies’ shape and ensuring the marshmallows don’t melt out too quickly in the oven, giving you those perfect gooey centers. Don’t rush these chilling times!
• Keep a Damp Towel Handy: As you shape the cookie dough around the marshmallows, you might find the dough becomes a bit sticky. Having a moist paper towel or a small bowl of water nearby to lightly dampen your hands can make the stuffing process much smoother and prevent the dough from sticking excessively to your fingers.
• Don’t Overbake Your Cookies: For maximum gooeyness, these cookies should be slightly underbaked in the center when removed from the oven. The residual heat from the baking sheet will continue to cook them through to perfection. Overbaking will result in a firmer cookie and less molten marshmallow.
• The Cookie Cutter Trick: Using a large round cookie cutter (or even a glass) to gently shape the warm cookies immediately after baking is a fantastic pro tip for achieving perfectly circular, professional-looking results. Just swirl it around the edges of the warm cookie to coax them into shape.
• Use Parchment Paper: Always line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This prevents sticking, ensures even baking, and makes cleanup a breeze, especially with potentially sticky marshmallows.

While it might be tempting to use mini marshmallows for convenience, I strongly advise against it for this particular recipe. During development and testing, I consistently found that mini marshmallows tend to melt much too quickly and completely disappear into the cookie dough, leaving you with no distinct gooey center. Large marshmallows hold their shape better and create that iconic, wonderfully molten interior that defines a s’mores cookie. If you only have mini marshmallows, you could try pressing a cluster of 3-4 minis together to form a larger “marshmallow” but results may vary.

Baked double chocolate s’mores cookies are best enjoyed warm, fresh out of the oven. However, you can store any leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. For optimal freshness and gooeyness, I recommend reheating them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or in a preheated oven at 275°F (135°C) for 5-7 minutes before serving. You can definitely prepare the dough ahead of time! Prepare the cookie dough up to the point of stuffing the marshmallows (after the first chill), then wrap it tightly and refrigerate for up to 2-3 days. Stuff and bake when ready.

Yes, you can freeze s’mores cookies, but with a specific method to ensure the best results. Freeze the *unbaked*, stuffed cookie dough balls. Place them on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe airtight container or bag for up to 1-2 months. When you’re ready to bake, let the frozen dough balls defrost in the fridge overnight. Baking them straight from frozen causes the marshmallow to get too brown, melty, and often disappear into the cookie before the dough itself is fully baked, affecting the final texture and appearance.

The two chilling steps are your best defense against marshmallow ooze. First, ensure your dough is well-chilled before you even begin stuffing. Second, and equally important, is the second chill of the stuffed cookie dough balls. This firms up the butter in the dough, allowing it to hold its shape better around the marshmallow as it heats up in the oven. Also, make sure to completely enclose the marshmallow in dough, leaving only a small portion exposed on top. Don’t create overly thin sections of dough around the marshmallow, as this can lead to blowouts.

You have a few options! For a mix of fine crumbs and larger chunks, place the graham crackers in a zip-top bag and gently crush them with a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy pan. If you prefer a more uniform crumb, you can pulse them briefly in a food processor. Don’t overdo it, as you still want some texture for the topping.

More Delightful Summer Dessert Recipes

If these double chocolate s’mores cookies have ignited your passion for summer baking, you’ll love exploring more of our seasonal treats. Here are a few other fantastic dessert ideas perfect for warm weather and sunny gatherings:

• Lemon Blueberry Scones: Light, fluffy, and bursting with fresh lemon and juicy blueberries, perfect for breakfast or brunch.
• Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes: A delightful individual dessert featuring tender vanilla cupcakes, fresh strawberries, and fluffy whipped cream.
• Key Lime Pie Bars: Tangy, sweet, and refreshing, these bars are a fantastic handheld version of the classic pie.
• Classic Peach Cobbler: Warm, comforting, and filled with sweet, ripe peaches under a tender biscuit topping.

If you’ve had the pleasure of trying this recipe, or any other delicious creation from my website, I would absolutely love to hear about your experience! Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below. Don’t forget to leave a star rating while you’re there – it helps others discover these amazing treats! You can also connect with me and share your culinary masterpieces by tagging me on Instagram or Facebook. Happy baking!