Craving that campfire magic without leaving your kitchen? These soft s’mores cookies are basically a childhood dream come true — gooey marshmallows, melty chocolate, and crunchy graham crackers all wrapped up in one chewy, golden cookie.
I made these on a rainy Friday night when I desperately needed something cozy, and honestly? They disappeared before they even cooled down. Fair warning: make a double batch.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love These Soft S’mores Cookies
These cookies hit every single note you want in a dessert. They’re chewy in the center, slightly crisp on the edges, and absolutely loaded with mix-ins. If you’re looking for new things to make for dessert, this recipe is going straight to the top of your list.
What makes them extra special is the two-stage bake. You add fresh marshmallows on top mid-bake, and if you’re feeling fancy, a quick broil gives them that toasty, golden campfire finish. Totally optional, totally worth it.
They’re also ridiculously easy. No chilling required, no special equipment, just a bowl and a baking sheet. That’s our kind of baking.
Sweet Soft S’mores Cookies
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Whisk
Ingredients
Fats & Sugars
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Mix-Ins
- 2 cups mini marshmallows divided
- 2 cups graham crackers, broken into pieces divided
- ½ cup milk chocolate chips
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 bars Hershey’s chocolate bars, broken
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream together softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, then stir in vanilla extract.
- In another bowl, whisk flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined.
- Fold in most of the graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate chips, reserving some for topping.
- Scoop dough into balls and place on baking sheets, spacing them apart.
- Bake for 10 minutes until slightly underdone.
- Remove from oven and top with extra marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate pieces.
- Return to oven for 1–2 minutes, optionally broil briefly for toasted marshmallows. Cool before serving.
Notes
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s everything you need to make these smores chocolate chip cookies. I’ve grouped them so it’s easy to grab as you go.
| Category | Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Fats & Sugars | Salted butter, softened | 1 cup |
| Fats & Sugars | Light brown sugar, packed | 3/4 cup |
| Fats & Sugars | Granulated sugar | 1/2 cup |
| Wet Ingredients | Large eggs | 2 |
| Wet Ingredients | Vanilla extract | 1 teaspoon |
| Dry Ingredients | All-purpose flour | 2 1/2 cups |
| Dry Ingredients | Cornstarch | 2 teaspoons |
| Dry Ingredients | Baking soda | 1 teaspoon |
| Dry Ingredients | Salt | 1 teaspoon |
| Mix-Ins | Mini marshmallows, divided | 2 cups |
| Mix-Ins | Graham crackers, broken into pieces (about 9–10 crackers), divided | 2 cups |
| Mix-Ins | Milk chocolate chips | 1/2 cup |
| Mix-Ins | Semisweet chocolate chips | 1/2 cup |
| Mix-Ins | Hershey’s bars, broken into pieces | 2 bars |
Quick note on the butter: Make sure it’s truly softened, not melted. Softened butter creams up beautifully and gives you that thick, chewy cookie texture we’re going for.
The cornstarch is the secret weapon here. It keeps the cookies soft and pillowy even after they cool — no sad, crunchy day-old cookies in this house.
How to Make Soft S’mores Cookies Step by Step
Let’s get into it. Baking smores cookies at home is way easier than you’d think, and the whole process takes under 30 minutes from start to finish.
Step 1: Preheat and Prep
Set your oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Don’t skip the parchment — marshmallows love to stick, and parchment makes cleanup a breeze.
Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugars
In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for about 2 to 3 minutes. You want the mixture to look light, fluffy, and pale — almost like frosting. That fluffiness is what gives the cookies their lift.
“Don’t rush the creaming step. Those extra 60 seconds of mixing make a real difference in texture.”
Step 3: Add Eggs and Vanilla
Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each one is fully incorporated before adding the next. Then stir in the vanilla extract. The dough will smell incredible at this point — just try not to eat it yet.
Step 4: Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring just until everything comes together.
Don’t overmix here — you want a soft, cohesive dough, not a dense one. A few streaks of flour are totally fine before you move on.
Step 5: Fold in the Good Stuff
Now for the fun part. Fold in 1 1/2 cups of graham cracker pieces, 1 1/2 cups of mini marshmallows, the milk chocolate chips, and semisweet chocolate chips. Save the rest for topping later.
The dough will be thick and chunky in the best possible way. Every scoop is basically a treasure chest of s’mores goodness.
Step 6: Scoop and Space
Scoop dough balls about 2 to 3 tablespoons each onto your prepared baking sheets. Leave enough space between them — these cookies spread a bit, and you don’t want them merging into one giant cookie slab. (Though honestly, that doesn’t sound too bad either.)
Step 7: First Bake
Pop them in the oven and bake for exactly 10 minutes. They’ll look slightly underdone — that’s perfect. You’re going for “almost set,” not fully baked, because we’ve still got one more round to go.
Step 8: Add the Toppings
Pull the cookies out and quickly press 4 to 5 extra mini marshmallows on top of each one. Scatter a few more graham cracker pieces and Hershey bar chunks over the top. Work fast — the oven’s waiting.
Step 9: Final Bake (and Optional Broil)
Return the cookies to the oven for 1 to 2 more minutes until they’re fully baked. For that beautiful golden, toasted marshmallow look, switch to broil for 30 to 60 seconds. Watch them like a hawk — the difference between golden and burned is about 15 seconds.
Step 10: Cool and Enjoy
Let the cookies rest on the pan for 2 to 3 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. They’ll look a little soft and gooey fresh out of the oven — that’s exactly right. They firm up as they cool while staying delightfully chewy inside.
Expert Tips for Perfect Soft S’mores Cookies
Use Room Temperature Butter
Cold butter won’t cream properly, and melted butter makes cookies spread too thin and flat. Pull it out of the fridge about an hour before baking. If you forget, cut it into small cubes and let it sit for 15 minutes — close enough.
Don’t Skip the Cornstarch
Cornstarch is what keeps these soft s’mores cookies from turning into hockey pucks the next day. It’s a small addition with a huge payoff. Trust the process.
Break Graham Crackers Into Rustic Pieces
You don’t need perfect, uniform pieces. Rough, uneven chunks actually give better texture because you get some that crisp up and some that stay soft and chewy from the cookie dough around them.
Reserve Mix-Ins for the Top
Adding extra marshmallows and chocolate on top after the first bake is the move. It makes the cookies look bakery-beautiful AND gives you those gooey, melty pockets right on the surface.
Variations and Fun Twists
Dark Chocolate Lover’s Version
Swap the milk chocolate chips for dark chocolate chips and use dark chocolate Hershey bars instead. It gives the cookies a slightly more intense, sophisticated flavor — great if you’re not a huge fan of super sweet desserts.
Peanut Butter S’mores Cookies
Add 1/2 cup of peanut butter chips to the dough along with the other mix-ins. Chocolate, marshmallow, and peanut butter together? Honestly unbeatable. It’s like a Reese’s cup had a campfire moment.
Brown Butter Base
For a deeper, nuttier flavor, brown your butter before using it. Let it cool to room temp before creaming. This extra step takes about 5 minutes and completely transforms the flavor profile in the most wonderful way.
If you love cookie adventures, check out these salted caramel dessert cookies or these dreamy Crumbl-style salted caramel cheesecake cookies for more indulgent baking ideas.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
My Cookies Spread Too Much
This usually means the butter was too warm or melted. Make sure your butter is softened but still holds its shape. Also check that your baking soda is fresh — old leaveners lose their power and affect how cookies spread and rise.
The Marshmallows Burned Under the Broiler
Broilers are sneaky. They can go from golden to charcoal in under a minute. Keep the oven rack in the middle position, not close to the broiler, and check every 20 to 30 seconds. If you’re nervous about it, skip the broil — the cookies are still amazing without it.
My Cookies Came Out Too Cakey
Too much flour is usually the culprit. Make sure you’re spooning flour into your measuring cup and leveling it off, not scooping directly from the bag — scooping packs in way more flour than you need. A kitchen scale is even better if you have one.
The Graham Crackers Got Soggy
This can happen if the cookies are stored with too much moisture. Let them cool completely before storing, and use a container with a tight-fitting lid. A slice of bread in the container helps absorb excess moisture too — weird but it works.
How to Store Soft S’mores Cookies
| Storage Method | How Long | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature (airtight container) | 4 to 5 days | Best option for maintaining texture |
| Refrigerator | Up to 1 week | Cookies may firm up; bring to room temp before eating |
| Freezer (baked) | Up to 2 months | Wrap individually; thaw at room temp for 30 minutes |
| Freezer (unbaked dough balls) | Up to 3 months | Bake from frozen, add 2 to 3 extra minutes |
Reheating Tips
A 10-second zap in the microwave brings these cookies right back to life — soft, gooey, and warm like they just came out of the oven. Add a tiny splash of water in a cup next to them in the microwave to keep them from drying out.
No-Waste Kitchen Ideas
Got leftover graham crackers? Use them as a topping for blueberry sourdough toast with cream cheese, or crumble them over yogurt for a quick s’mores-inspired parfait.
Extra mini marshmallows can go into hot chocolate, rice crispy treats, or even stirred into brownie batter. Nothing goes to waste around here.
And if you end up with leftover cookies somehow (unlikely, but let’s be optimistic), crumble them over vanilla ice cream. Absolute game-changer. For more creative baking ideas, this rhubarb bread recipe is another great one to add to your rotation.
Soft S’mores Cookies FAQs
Can I use large marshmallows instead of mini marshmallows?
Mini marshmallows work much better here because they distribute evenly through the dough and melt more uniformly during baking. If you only have large ones, cut them into quarters with kitchen scissors. It’s a little sticky but totally doable.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes! You can make the dough, scoop it into balls, and refrigerate them for up to 48 hours before baking. You can also freeze the dough balls for up to 3 months. Bake straight from the freezer and just add a couple of extra minutes to the bake time.
Why do my cookies need two rounds of baking?
The two-stage bake is what gives these soft s’mores cookies that gorgeous bakery finish. The first bake sets the cookie base, and the second bake melts the fresh toppings you add mid-bake — marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate — so they look as amazing as they taste.
Can I use honey graham crackers or flavored ones?
Absolutely. Honey grahams, cinnamon grahams, or even chocolate grahams all work beautifully here. Cinnamon graham crackers especially add a warm, spiced note that makes these cookies feel extra cozy and special.
What other things can I make for dessert with this dough?
This dough is super versatile. You can press it into a greased pan and bake it as cookie bars instead, which is great for feeding a crowd. Or skip the s’mores toppings entirely and use it as a base for any mix-ins you love. Think white chocolate and macadamia, or butterscotch and pecan. If you want more things to make for dessert tonight, this easy weeknight skillet dinner pairs perfectly with a batch of these cookies for a no-fuss Friday night.
Make These Tonight
These soft s’mores cookies are everything — chewy, gooey, chocolatey, and just nostalgic enough to make you feel like a kid again. Whether you’re baking smores cookies for a party, a bake sale, or just because Tuesday called for something spectacular, this recipe delivers every time.
Give them a try and let me know how they turned out in the comments below. Did you go for the broiled marshmallow top? Did you try a fun variation? I want to hear all about it.
And if you loved this recipe, please share it on Pinterest so more people can discover their new favorite cookie. It genuinely makes my day every time someone pins a recipe and comes back to say it was a hit.
Happy baking — now go make something delicious.
