Sourdough S’mores Cookies with Marshmallows and Brown Butter

S’mores are a beloved campfire treat, but have you ever considered combining these gooey, chocolatey delights with cookies? Sourdough S’mores Cookies with Marshmallows and Brown Butter offer a delightful twist on the classic campfire snack. 

S’mores Cookies – A Combo of Two Desserts

S’mores cookies represent the perfect marriage of two beloved desserts: the classic s’mores and the timeless chocolate chip cookie. These cookies capture the essence of a campfire experience, featuring all the elements of s’mores – graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate – combined with the comfort of a soft and chewy cookie. 

They bring together the joy of a childhood summer night’s treat and the familiarity of a classic American dessert, resulting in a delightful indulgence that’s impossible to resist.

The History of S’mores

To truly appreciate s’mores Cookies, it’s essential to understand the history of the s’mores.

The origin of the s’more dates back to the early 20th century and camping culture in the United States. The first recorded recipe for “Some Mores” appeared in the 1927 publication “Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts,” where they referred to it as a “goodnight kiss.”

The term “s’more” is a contraction of “some more,” as a treat was so delicious that everyone wanted “some more” after the first bite.

S’mores consist of fire-roasted marshmallows, usually sandwiched between graham crackers and a piece of chocolate, creating a sweet and gooey combination. The heat from the roasted marshmallow melts the chocolate, resulting in a heavenly experience cherished by generations.

Using Sourdough Starter as an Egg Replacement in S’mores Cookies

One of the most intriguing aspects of these s’mores Cookies is the sourdough starter as an egg replacement.

Sourdough starter, a mixture of flour and water fermented by wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria, is typically used in bread-making. However, it can also be employed in various baked goods, including cookies, to add moisture and a subtle tangy flavor.

By substituting sourdough starter for eggs, you can make your cookies egg-free, which is particularly useful for those with dietary restrictions or allergies. The acidity of the sourdough starter can also help balance the sweetness in the cookies, enhancing their overall flavor profile.

The Order You Should Mix Cookie Dough Ingredients

Achieving the perfect s’mores cookies requires a strategic approach to mixing the dough. The order in which you combine the ingredients can significantly impact the texture and flavor of your cookies. Here’s a recommended order for mixing cookie dough ingredients:

1. Butter: Start by creaming room-temperature browned butter with your sugar. Creaming the butter and sugars together helps create a light and tender cookie texture.
2. Sourdough Starter: add the sourdough starter as an egg replacement, along with any additional wet ingredients, like vanilla extract, to the butter and sugar. The starter adds moisture and a unique tangy flavor to the cookies.
3. Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine your dry ingredients – flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add this mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Overmixing can result in tough cookies, so be careful not to overwork the dough.
4. Chocolate Chips and Mix-Ins: Gently fold your chocolate chips and other mix-ins, like crushed graham crackers or marshmallows. These additions are what give your cookies their distinct s’mores flavor.
5. Chill the Dough: Refrigerate the dough for a few hours or overnight. Chilling the dough allows the flavors to meld and the cookies to hold shape during baking.
6. Scoop and Bake: After chilling, use a cookie scoop to portion the dough onto a baking sheet. Bake until the cookies are golden brown on the edges but still slightly soft in the center.

By following this order, you’ll ensure that your s’mores cookies turn out just right – soft, chewy, and flavorful.

Sourdough S’mores Cookies with Marshmallows

With the marshmallows included, the cookies can get quite puffy. So, I have a little trick to fix that.

While the cookies are still hot, lift the parchment paper off the pan about a foot above it and drop it onto the pan, then let the cookies cool. The drop will flatten the cookies to the perfect texture. Because of the marshmallows, you may need to use a butter knife to fix the shape of the cookies to be more circular. 

Sweet S’mores Cookies with Marshmallows Need Salt

Balancing flavors is crucial in baking, especially for sweet treats like s’mores cookies. While it might seem counterintuitive, adding salt to your cookie dough enhances the flavor.

Salt acts as a flavor enhancer, and just a pinch can make the sweetness of the cookies more pronounced. It also helps to balance the richness of ingredients like butter and chocolate, preventing the cookies from becoming cloying.

In S’mores Cookies, the combination of sweet chocolate chips, sugary marshmallows, and graham cracker crumbs can be tempered with a touch of salt, making the cookies more complex and satisfying to the palate.

The interplay of sweet and salty elevates these cookies to gourmet status and keeps you reaching for “some more.” You can also add some finishing flake salt to the baked cookies before they cool. 

Sourdough S’mores Cookies with Marshmallows and Brown Butter take the classic campfire dessert to a new level. So, the next time you’re craving the nostalgic taste of s’mores, consider whipping up a batch of these delectable S’mores Cookies – a delightful fusion of two beloved desserts that will leave your taste buds wanting “some more.”

S’more Cookie Recipes to Try

• Sourdough Miso Chocolate Chip Cookies with Brown Butter
• Sourdough Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
• Lemon Blueberry Cookies (Blueberry Muffin Cookies)
• Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pumpkin and Pecans

Sourdough S’mores Cookies with Marshmallows and Brown Butter

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S’mores are a beloved campfire treat, but have you ever considered combining these gooey, chocolatey delights with cookies? Sourdough S’mores Cookies with Marshmallows and Brown Butter offer a delightful twist on the classic campfire snack.

• Author: Kaitlynn Fenley
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Chilling: 2 hours
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
• Yield: 12 cookies
• Category: sourdough
• Method: baking
• Cuisine: american

Ingredients

• 170 g all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 115 g salted butter
• 150 g sugar (or brown sugar)
• 130 g sourdough starter*
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chunks
• 1/2 cup crushed graham crackers
• 1/2 cup mini marshmallows (or cut-up big marshmallows)

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Instructions

1. Brown the butter in a small saucepan until bubbly, and dark golden. Stir it continuously, careful to not burn it.
2. Remove from heat and allow the butter to cool completely to room temperature.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt).
4. Once the butter has cooled completely but is still liquid, to a large bowl add the brown butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and sourdough starter. Combine with a whisk or hand mixer until even.
5. Fold the combined dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir until well combined.
6. Add your chocolate chunks, chocolate chips, graham crackers, and marshmallows.
7. Place the dough in the fridge for at least 2 hours or refrigerate overnight, covered.
8. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of your chilled cookie dough and shape into balls.
9. Preheat the oven to 375° and place the cookie dough balls about two to three inches apart on the lined cookie sheet.
10. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven. Your cookies may be puffy and some marshmallow may ooze out the sides, but it’s fine, do not panic, proceed to the next step.
11. While the cookies are still hot, lift the parchment paper off the pan about a foot above the pan and drop it onto the pan. This will flatten the cookies to the perfect texture. Because of the marshmallows, you may need to use a butter knife to fix the shape of the cookies to be more circular. Just pat the cookies around the side with a butter knife to make them a circular shape.
12. Let them sit on the cookie sheet until they are completely cool.

Notes

• You can use discard from the fridge or active starter. Either way it is “discarded” into this recipe since it is not used for rise. I keep a thick starter, so a thin watery starter will give you a different texture in these cookies.
• if you do not like a cookie with a balanced salty-sweet flavor, use unsalted butter or reduce the added salt.

Kaitlynn Fenley Author, Educator, Food Microbiologist

Kaitlynn is a food microbiologist and fermentation expert teaching people how to ferment foods and drinks at home.

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