Brown Butter S’mores Stuffed Cookies
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I have a long history with s’mores. As a kid, I always burned my marshmallow to a blackened crisp, then peeled off the charred layer to reveal the perfectly gooey center. As an adult, I wanted that same nostalgic flavor but without having to build a campfire in my backyard. That is where this recipe for Brown Butter S’mores Stuffed Cookies was born.
The first time I made these, I underestimated how much the marshmallow would puff up. I ended up with a giant, sticky mess on my baking sheet. But the flavor was incredible. The nutty, toasty depth of the brown butter paired with the sweet marshmallow and rich chocolate was a revelation. I knew I had to perfect the technique. This recipe is the result of many, many trials. It solves the problem of wanting a warm, gooey, and completely decadent s’more in cookie form, without the fire. The secret is in the brown butter, which adds a complex, almost caramel-like flavor that you just cannot get from regular butter. For more on the science of browning butter, check out this article on brown butter.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 12 full-size marshmallows, for stuffing
- 12 squares of milk chocolate (from a Hershey bar or similar), for stuffing
Step-by-Step Directions
- Start by browning your butter. Get a light-colored saucepan and toss in the butter. Set it over medium heat and let it melt, whisking often. You will see it start to foam and sputter. Keep whisking. After a few minutes, the foam will subside and you will see little brown specks forming at the bottom of the pan. The butter will smell nutty and incredible. The moment it turns a deep amber color, pull it off the heat and pour it into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking. Let it cool down for about 15 minutes.
- While the butter cools, get your dry ingredients ready. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together. Set that aside.
- Once the brown butter is cool enough to touch (but still liquid), pour it into a large mixing bowl. Add both the brown sugar and the granulated sugar. Whisk them together vigorously for a full minute. The mixture will look like wet sand.
- Crack in the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each one. Then pour in the vanilla extract and give it a good stir. The batter will look smooth and glossy.
- Now dump the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold everything together. Mix just until you cannot see any more streaks of flour. Do not overmix.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and the mini marshmallows. The mini marshmallows will seem like a lot, but trust me.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and stick it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This step is non-negotiable. The dough needs to firm up so the cookies do not spread into one giant pancake.
- While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Now for the fun part. Scoop out about 2 tablespoons of dough and flatten it into a disc in your palm. Place one full-size marshmallow and one chocolate square in the center. Take another 2 tablespoons of dough, flatten it, and place it on top. Pinch the edges of the two dough pieces together to completely seal the marshmallow and chocolate inside. Roll it gently into a ball. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Place the stuffed dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 3 inches of space between each one. They will spread.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes. The edges should be golden brown and the centers will look slightly puffed and underdone. They will continue to cook on the hot sheet pan.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a full 10 minutes before trying to move them. The marshmallow inside is molten hot and will burn you if you are not careful.
Pro Tips for Success
Do not skip the dough chilling step. If you bake the dough while it is still warm, the butter will melt too fast and your cookies will spread into thin, crispy discs. You want them thick and chewy. For more on the chemistry of cookie spreading, read about the Maillard reaction and how it affects browning.
Make sure you completely seal the marshmallow inside the dough. Any tiny hole will let the marshmallow ooze out during baking, creating a sticky, sugary mess. I learned this the hard way.
Use a cookie scoop to portion the dough. It makes the process much faster and ensures all your cookies are the same size, so they bake evenly.
Servings and Timing
This recipe makes about 12 large stuffed cookies. The total time is about 45 minutes of active work, plus 30 minutes of inactive chilling time. So from start to finish, you are looking at about an hour and a half.
Variations and Substitutions
If you are not a fan of milk chocolate, feel free to use dark chocolate squares instead. You can also swap the semi-sweet chocolate chips for white chocolate or peanut butter chips. For a gluten-free version, use a good quality 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend. Just note that the texture will be slightly different and a bit more crumbly.
What to Serve With This
These cookies are fantastic on their own, but they are even better with a cold glass of milk. If you are looking for another decadent treat, try my Brown Butter S’mores Cookie Bars for a bar version that is just as good. For something completely different but equally rich, check out these Brown Butter Garlic Steak Bites Alfredo for a savory brown butter experience.
Storage and Reheating
Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The marshmallow will harden slightly as they sit. To get that gooey texture back, pop a cookie in the microwave for about 10 seconds. You can also reheat them in a 300 degree F oven for 5 minutes.
FAQs
Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted butter?
Yes, you can. Just reduce the added salt in the recipe to 1/2 teaspoon.
My marshmallow leaked out of the cookie. What did I do wrong?
You probably did not seal the dough tightly enough around the marshmallow. Make sure there are no cracks or openings before baking.
Can I freeze the unbaked dough?
Absolutely. Freeze the stuffed dough balls on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer them to a freezer bag. You can bake them straight from frozen, adding a couple of minutes to the bake time.
What happens if I accidentally leave the marshmallows out of the dough?
Then you will just have a really good brown butter chocolate chip cookie. It will still be delicious, but it will not be a s’more.
Can I use a torch to toast the marshmallow after baking?
Yes, that is a great idea. If you want an extra campfire vibe, use a kitchen torch to lightly toast the top of the marshmallow after the cookie has cooled for a few minutes.
Conclusion
These Brown Butter S’mores Stuffed Cookies are my new favorite way to enjoy s’mores without needing a campfire. The brown butter adds a depth of flavor that makes them taste incredibly special. I hope you give them a try and love them as much as my family does. Let me know how they turn out for you.
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
