S’mores Thumbprint Cookies

 

 

 

 

 

Happy National S’more Day!  When I think of s’mores, I think of camping.  And though I’ve never been camping (because I’m a woman who appreciates electricity, plumbing, and a barrier between myself and bugs) I certainly enjoy campfires, because campfires provide the perfect opportunity to make s’mores.

The first printed recipe for s’mores can be found in a Girl Scout publication from the 1920s.  I consider the forward-thinking individual who thought to combine graham crackers, toasted marshmallows, and chocolate to be a genius on par with the likes of H.B. Reese, pioneer of the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, and Milton Hershey, creator of the iconic Hershey’s chocolate bar.

Just a few tips for preparation here: you’ll need about 8 full sheets of graham crackers to make one cup of crumbs.  I processed mine in a food processor, but you could easily produce crumbs by placing the crackers in a large zip-top bag and crushing them with a rolling pin or mallet.  The dough is very stiff, so you’ll want to scrape the sides of your mixing bowl several times to make sure all of the crumbs are incorporated.

Ingredients

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• About 1 1/4 cup miniature marshmallows
• 3 to 4 full-size Hershey’s bars, broken into individual rectangles

Preparation  

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Line several baking sheets with foil or parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, salt, and flour; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar.

Add egg and vanilla and beat well.

Add flour mixture and beat until a stiff dough forms.

Using a one-inch cookie scoop, scoop dough and roll into balls.  Place about two inches apart on cookie sheets and press a thumbprint in the center of each.

Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven, and place two or three miniature marshmallows in each indentation.

Return to the oven and bake two more minutes; remove from oven and immediately press one Hershey’s rectangle on top.

Allow chocolate to sit for a few minutes, then spread chocolate with the tip of a knife.

Allow to cool completely and for chocolate to harden before storing.