S’mores Cookies

The fastest way to get “campfire vibes” without leaving your kitchen is to bake a cookie that finishes with toasted marshmallows on top. These S’mores Cookies do exactly that: crisp edges, a soft middle, pockets of melted chocolate, and little graham cracker bits that stay pleasantly crunchy. If you like the ease of quick cookie projects like my cake mix cookies, you’ll appreciate how straightforward this dough is—no chilling, no fussy steps.

The trick (and the reason these look bakery-worthy) is baking the cookies almost all the way, then pressing extra mini marshmallows, graham pieces, and Hershey bar shards on top for the final minute or two. You get that gooey, toasty finish right where you want it—on the surface—without the marshmallows disappearing into the dough.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Two-layer marshmallow effect: some minis are mixed into the dough, then more are pressed on top so you get gooey pops on the surface, not just hidden sweetness.
• Balanced chocolate flavor: a mix of milk and semisweet chips keeps it s’mores-sweet without becoming flat or cloying.
• Graham cracker texture you can actually taste: broken pieces go into the dough and get scattered on top after the first bake for crunch and that unmistakable graham flavor.
• Big, bakery-style cookies: 2–3 tablespoon scoops spread into thick, generous rounds with soft centers.
• Cornstarch for chew: it helps the cookies bake up tender instead of bready, even with all the mix-ins.
• A “finish it your way” top: you can leave the marshmallows melty, or give them a quick broil to toast—just keep a close eye.

The Story Behind This Recipe

I wanted a true s’mores cookie that didn’t rely on perfectly placed layers (which always shift in the oven), so I built the flavor into the dough—graham pieces, two kinds of chocolate, marshmallows—then added a second round of toppings right at the end so every cookie comes out with a messy, toasty-looking top.

What It Tastes Like

These are sweet, but not sugar-bomb sweet: the light brown sugar gives a warm caramel note, the semisweet chips add a little bite, and the graham crackers bring that toasty, wheaty flavor that makes it read as “s’mores” instantly. You’ll smell vanilla and browned butter-sugar as they bake, and the texture is the best contrast—crisp edges, soft centers, melty chocolate, and sticky marshmallows that stretch when the cookie is still warm.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Softened salted butter is the backbone here—it creams smoothly with the sugars and gives you that rich cookie flavor without needing anything fancy. Cornstarch is the quiet helper that keeps the centers soft and chewy. Mini marshmallows are easier than big ones for topping (they melt fast), and using both milk and semisweet chocolate chips keeps the chocolate flavor rounded. For the graham crackers, break them into small pieces (not dust), so you get little crunchy bits throughout—similar to how I keep mix-ins chunky in my blueberry oatmeal cookies so the texture stays interesting.

• 1 cup salted butter (softened)
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar (packed)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups mini marshmallows (divided)
• 2 cups graham crackers (broken into small pieces (about 9-10 crackers), divided)
• 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 Hershey’s bars (broken into pieces)

How to Make S’mores Cookies

1. Prep your pans and oven.
   Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (this helps the marshmallow topping release more cleanly).

2. Cream the butter and sugars until fluffy.
   In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened salted butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar for 2–3 minutes, until the mixture looks lighter in color and creamy (it should look smooth, not greasy or separated).

3. Add eggs and vanilla.
   Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. Scrape the bowl if you need to—streaks of butter at this stage can lead to uneven spreading.

4. Mix in the dry ingredients—just until combined.
   Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Mix only until you no longer see dry flour. The dough will be thick and scoopable.

5. Fold in the mix-ins (save some for the top).
   Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the graham cracker pieces and 1 1/2 cups of the mini marshmallows, plus all the milk chocolate chips and semisweet chocolate chips. Stop once everything is evenly dispersed—overmixing can make the cookies bake up tougher.

6. Scoop and space.
   Scoop 2–3 tablespoon portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving room to spread (these cookies grow in the oven).

7. First bake: set the cookie.
   Bake for 10 minutes, until the edges look set and lightly golden but the centers still look a touch underdone. That “almost done” moment matters—because you’re going back in after topping.

8. Top like a s’more.
   Pull the pans from the oven and press 4–5 mini marshmallows onto the top of each cookie. Add a couple extra graham cracker pieces and a few chunks of Hershey’s bar, pressing them in gently so they stick.

9. Finish baking (and toast if you want).
   Return to the oven for 1–2 minutes, just until the cookies look done and the marshmallows are soft and glossy. If you want a toasted top, switch the oven to broil briefly to toast the marshmallows—but watch closely. Mini marshmallows can go from golden to burnt fast.

10. Cool, then move.
    Let the cookies cool on the pan for 2–3 minutes (they’re fragile right out of the oven), then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

11. Store.
    Keep in an airtight container on the counter for 4–5 days.

Tips for Best Results

• Break graham crackers into small pieces, not crumbs. Crumbs disappear into the dough; small chunks give you that sandy-crisp graham bite in every cookie.
• Pull at the “almost done” mark. At 10 minutes, look for set edges and a center that still looks soft—this keeps the cookies chewy after the final 1–2 minutes.
• Press toppings in gently but firmly. You want the marshmallows and Hershey pieces to adhere, but not sink completely. A light press is perfect.
• Broil with your oven light on. If you choose to toast, don’t walk away—mini marshmallows brown in seconds.
• Let them sit on the pan first. That 2–3 minute rest helps the melted chocolate and marshmallow settle so the cookies don’t tear when you move them.

Variations and Substitutions

• Use all one type of chocolate chips if that’s what you have (all milk will be sweeter; all semisweet will be a bit less sweet and more cocoa-forward).
• Change the cookie size: scoop closer to 2 tablespoons for more cookies with slightly more edge crispness; closer to 3 tablespoons for thicker, softer centers. (Bake time will stay similar, but watch the first bake closely.)
• If you’re craving a simpler pantry-cookie day, my 3-ingredient sugar cookies are the opposite vibe—clean, classic, and fast.

How to Serve It

• Serve warm for the full s’mores effect—the marshmallows stay stretchy and the Hershey pieces on top go melty.
• For neater eating, let them cool until the tops are set; you’ll still get gooey pockets, just less stickiness on your fingers.
• These are especially good alongside cold milk or coffee, when the graham cracker bits are extra noticeable against the sweet chocolate.
• If you’re building a cookie platter, pair them with something fruity and chewy like my chewy blueberry oatmeal cookies for contrast.

How to Store It

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4–5 days. The marshmallow tops will soften as they sit (still tasty—just less crisp-toasted). If you want the prettiest tops, bake them the day you plan to serve and add the marshmallow/graham/Hershey finish during the final minutes, exactly as written. For dog-safe treats that store well (and are a totally different project), I also keep this sweet potato dog cookie recipe bookmarked for giftable batches.

Final Thoughts

These S’mores Cookies are a little messy in the best way—crisp around the edges, thick and soft in the middle, and finished with that gooey marshmallow top that makes them look like you put in extra effort (even though you didn’t). Keep an eye on that final minute in the oven, and you’ll have a tray that disappears fast.

Conclusion

If you’re in the mood to compare styles, I like looking at how other bakers handle the marshmallow topping—this S’mores Cookies guide from Preppy Kitchen is a great reference for presentation ideas. For a super straightforward approach, you can also check out this easy S’mores cookies recipe from Rose Bakes. And if you ever want a smaller-batch perspective, this S’mores cookies recipe from Dessert for Two is a helpful read for scaling your cravings to the occasion.

S'mores Cookies

These S’mores Cookies feature crispy edges, a soft middle, pockets of melted chocolate, and crunchy bits of graham cracker, finished with gooey toasted marshmallows—perfect for a campfire vibe from your kitchen.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 32 minutes mins

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 24 cookies

Calories 180 kcal

Ingredients

  

Main Ingredients

• 1 cup salted butter (softened) Backbone of the cookie for rich flavor.
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar (packed) Provides a warm caramel note.
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar For sweetness.
• 2 large eggs Bind the ingredients together.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Adds flavor.
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour Main structure for the cookies.
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch Helps keep the centers soft and chewy.
• 1 teaspoon baking soda Leavening agent.
• 1 teaspoon salt Enhances overall flavor.
• 2 cups mini marshmallows (divided) Used in the dough and as a topping.
• 2 cups graham crackers (broken into small pieces, about 9-10 crackers, divided) For texture and flavor.
• 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips Provides sweetness.
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips Adds depth to the chocolate flavor.
• 2 pieces Hershey's bars (broken into pieces) Enhances s'mores experience.

Instructions

 

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar for 2–3 minutes until lighter and creamy.
• Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
• Add flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Mix until no dry flour is visible.
• Fold in 1 1/2 cups of graham cracker pieces and 1 1/2 cups of mini marshmallows, along with all the chocolate chips.
• Scoop 2–3 tablespoon portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets.

Baking

• Bake for 10 minutes until the edges are set and lightly golden but the centers look underdone.
• Press 4–5 mini marshmallows, extra graham cracker pieces, and chunks of Hershey’s bar onto each cookie.
• Return to the oven for 1–2 minutes until cookies are done and marshmallows are soft.
• Optional: Switch the oven to broil to toast the marshmallows, watching closely.

Cooling

• Let cookies cool on the pan for 2–3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
• Store in an airtight container for 4–5 days.

Notes

For best results, break graham crackers into small pieces and ensure to pull cookies out at the 'almost done' mark. Press toppings in gently, and watch closely when broiling.

Keyword baking, chocolate, Cookies, dessert, S'mores