S'mores Cookie Crisps...

The spirit of festive baking begins today with a decadent chewy childhood favourite we never outgrow... S'mores as a cookie! This is a recipe I make all year-round but it seems particularly scrumptious for winter... sweet graham cracker crumbs serve as the base, milk chocolate chips and snowy marshmallows dancing throughout with an avalanche of chocolate drizzle. The fun continues when during baking, the marshmallows automatically melt into caramelized crispy bits all over creating a sublime chewy and crispy texture. And surprisingly not overly sweet. If heaven can be encased in a cookie, this one is it...

S'mores Cookie Crisps

Makes two dozen cookies

3/4 cup (1-½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups graham-cracker crumbs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1-½ cups (about 240 g) milk chocolate chips, divided
1-½ cups miniature marshmallows

1/2 Tbsp. canola oil

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until smoothly blended, about 1 minute. Stop mixer and scrape sides of bowl with a spatula. Add egg and vanilla, mixing until blended, about one minute. On low speed, mix in graham cracker crumbs, flour and salt until a soft dough forms that comes away from the sides of the bowl. Mix in one cup chocolate chips and marshmallows.

Divide the dough into 24 balls and drop onto prepared baking sheets. Flatten slightly to about ¾-inch thickness. Bake sheets side by side in the centre of oven or if they don't fit on the same rack, one sheet at a time until tops feel firm and marshmallows near edges of cookies have melted and become clear and caramelized, about 15 minutes. (Some of the marshmallows in the centre will remain white, and the cookies will be slightly misshapen) Cool cookies on sheets five minutes before transferring to cooling racks. 

To Make The Chocolate Drizzle: Place remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and oil in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove from the water and let cool to thicken slightly about ten minutes. Scoop into a sandwich bag and cut a small hole at one corner; carefully press the chocolate to that end, and squeeze to drizzle cookies. You will have more control of the drizzle this way. Otherwise, use a small spoon to drizzle. Leave the cookies to firm for one hour or refrigerate for about 15 minutes.

Store in an airtight container for up to three days.

Melted marshmallows create crispy bits especially around the edges and also craters in the cookie.

My kids love rolling cookie dough and helping out with the baking!

Our floors are clean! :)

Pair it with a mug of hot chocolate on snowy days and melt into chocolate bliss!

Next up is Make-Ahead Icebox Sugar Cookies... a chameleon of a cookie that takes on many charming mix-ins to appease to every taste. Get as creative as you like or go completely classic for the holidays...