Graham Cracker S'mores Cookies

My sister made these S'mores Cookies at my house sometime last year.  For some reason when she described them to me, they didn't sound all that exciting. Then, I tasted one and was addicted!  They combine all the components of S'mores into a less messy cookie-form without the need for a campfire.  The graham cracker base adds a nice crunch and helps hold the cookies intact.  The cookie dough has a touch of cinnamon, which adds another flavor dimension.  I made these for a Memorial Day BBQ we had with my sister and her family, and they were the perfect summer dessert!  They are best served the day of or 1 day after, as the graham crackers start to lose some of their crispness after that- at least they did for me.

Graham Cracker S'mores Cookies 

Note: The "Hershey" name is supposed to show on the finished cookies. I had Bob pick up some Hershey bars for me and he got the giant ones, so my pieces were bigger.  The bars were a bit too soft when I pressed the chocolate into the tops of the cookies so mine melted more than they should. To be safe, it may be best to chill your Hershey bars prior to placing on the warm cookies.

Ingredients:
2/3 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli bittersweet chips)
1 cup mini marshmallows, plus 1/4 cup for adding on top (as directed below)
2 regular sized Hershey bars (milk or dark chocolate), each piece with "Hershey" cut in half (chilled if the chocolate has started to soften or it's a warm day)
2 sleeves graham crackers (from a standard sized box) – broken into squares (1/2 of a full graham cracker sheet)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375F. Line a jelly roll pan or rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, if desired. Break graham crackers in half so they are squares. Lay crackers next to each other, in a single layer on a baking sheet (the size of your baking sheet will determine exactly how many crackers you need).

2. Bake graham crackers in pre-heated oven for 4 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

3. Cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla and mix until combined.

4. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until just combined.  Fold in chocolate chips and 1 cup marshmallows.

5. Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop dough onto graham crackers (on baking sheet).  Bake for 5 minutes. Then remove pan from oven. If your dough is not spreading, carefully use the back of a spoon to spread the dough evenly over the graham crackers. (I added this step. My scoops of dough may have been too large and spread out to form a single layer of cookie).  Press about 2 pieces of chocolate and 2-3 marshmallows (or more!) into each cookie.

6. Bake for 5-7 minutes more. Cool completely, then cut cookies into squares (where the graham crackers meet).

Source: Adapted from Glorious Treats