Peanut butter s’mores cookies with a brown butter peanut butter base, pools of chocolate, and torched marshmallow on top.
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peanut butter s’mores cookies
Hello hello! Warmer weather calls for s’mores so today we’re making peanut butter s’mores chocolate chip cookies. I love the flavor of s’mores but I am definitely not a fan of how messy they are, so I think they’re much beter enjoyed in cookie form. Also, when I make s’mores I like to use reese’s instead of hershey’s and I know (/hope) I’m not alone, so these cookies are for my fellow reese’s s’mores lovers.
These cookies start with a peanut butter brown butter base for that toasty campfire flavor, are loaded with chocolate (of course), and are topped with mini peanut butter cups (optional, but not really), and marshmallow creme that gets torched to amp up the toasty campfire flavor again. So let’s get into it! ☺︎
expert baking tips
Weigh your ingredients:
My recipes are all written in grams because it is the most accurate way to bake. When you use a kitchen scale, you ensure that your baked goods turn out as close to the written recipe as possible. Plus, the cleanup is way easier when using a scale! I will provide standard cup measurements but please note that I have not tested the recipe using cup measurements and therefore can not guarantee your recipe will come out how mine did. Here is my favorite kitchen scale.
Mix the dough carefully:
When adding in the flour, only fold the mixture just until no flour streaks remain. Over mixing the dough leads to more gluten formation, which can make the cookies thicker and more tough in texture.
Under bake for perfect cookies:
Cookies continue baking after they have been taken out of the oven. Once the edges turn slightly golden brown, and the cookies look just a little wet on top still, they are ready to come out. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for an additional 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.
The secret to perfectly round cookies:
Wanna know the secret to perfectly round cookies? It’s cookie scooting! Right when the cookies come out of the oven, take a bowl, cup, or biscuit cutter that is just slightly larger than your cookies and place it over one of the cookies. Gently swirl the bowl around the cookie to make the cookie perfectly round (and slightly thicker). And that’s all there is to it!
A note on oven temperature:
Ovens vary and fluctuate in temperature and might not always actually be at the temperature they claim to be at. If you love to bake like I do, I highly recommend getting an oven thermometer. They are super helpful for letting you know when your oven might be lying to you! I use this one.
ingredients for peanut butter s’mores cookies:
- All-purpose flour: for structure and chewiness.
- Baking soda & baking powder: helps the cookies rise and the edges crisp up.
- Salt: to help balance and bring out the sweetness of the cookies
- Unsalted butter: for tenderness and flavor. You can use salted butter in place of the unsalted, just be sure to omit the extra salt from the cookies. We’ll also be browning the butter for some extra delicious toasty flavor. If you’re looking to make this dairy-free, Miyoko’s Creamery vegan butter has the ability to brown just like regular butter and works like a charm.
- Peanut butter: use regular creamy peanut butter, natural peanut butter unfortunately won’t work here.
- Granulated sugar & light brown sugar: a combination of both gives us cookies with crispy edges and soft and chewy centers.
- Egg: for binding and for moisture.
- Graham crackers: it wouldn’t be s’mores without them!
- Chocolate: I used Valrhona feves which I love, but they are definitely on the pricier side and more of a treat-yourself item. If you’re not using feves, I recommend using a baking bar or guittard super cookie chips. You can also of course use chocolate chips here, just note that the cookies may end up a little thicker.
- Marshmallow fluff: or marshmallow creme, for spreading on top of the cookies.
- Mini peanut butter cups: optional, for topping.
how to make peanut butter s’mores cookies
Here are a few images going over the process of making these cookies. You can find the full recipe at the end of this blog post.
- Brown the butter by cooking it on the stove until it turns amber in color and has little brown specks in it.
- Immediately whisk in the peanut butter, then set the mixture in the freezer for 5 minutes. Mix in the sugars, followed by the egg and vanilla.
- Fold in the dry ingredients just until a few flour streaks remain.
- Fold in the chocolate and crushed graham crackers. Chill the dough for 30 minutes, then bake, top with mini peanut butter cups and marshmallow creme, serve and enjoy!
peanut butter s’mores cookies q&a
What is brown butter?
Brown butter is super simple to make so don’t worry! It’s just regular butter that is cooked on the stove until some of the moisture evaporates, allowing the milk solids in the butter to be toasted. The result is this butter with an amber hue and little speckles that has a toasted and slightly nutty aroma.
can I double this recipe?
Definitely – I’ve tested this recipe up to quadrupling it with no problem. Please be sure to use grams for the best results.
can I make these cookies ahead of time?
Definitely – cookie dough really only gets better with time. You can keep the cookie dough tightly covered in the fridge for up to 2 days before baking. For longer term storage, you can also freeze the cookie dough balls. Just be sure to take the dough out of the fridge at least 30 minutes to 1 hour before you want to bake, so that it becomes soft enough to scoop again.
How to store peanut butter cookies
Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep for up to 5 days, but will taste the best 1-3 days after baking. Unfortunately you’ll want to avoid stacking them because the marshmallow will stick to the other cookies.
tools and ingredients:
You can find all my favorite tools and ingredients that I use on my Amazon Storefront page, here!
other recipes you might enjoy:
did you make this recipe?
I’d love to see and know your thoughts! please leave a comment and review below, and tag me on instagram @freshbeanbakery. #freshbeanbakery
Peanut Butter S’mores Cookies
Ingredients
- 100 g unsalted butter (7 tbsp.)
- 60 g creamy peanut butter (¼ c.)
- 100 g light brown sugar (½ c.)
- 50 g granulated sugar (¼ c.)
- 1 egg room temperature
- ½ tsp. vanilla
- 140 g all purpose flour (1 c. + 2 tbsp. + 2 tsp.)
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ¼ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 120 g semi-sweet chocolate* chopped (⅔ c.)
- 30 g graham crackers finely chopped / crushed
- 100 g marshmallow creme or fluff for topping (~1 c.)
- mini peanut butter cups for topping, optional
Instructions
- Brown the butter: In a small saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir the butter occasionally until it turns amber in color and develops little brown specks.
- Pour the brown butter into a medium sized mixing bowl. You should be left with at least 80g of brown butter (but not more than 85g.) If you have a little less than 80g, you can add in a few grams of water until you reach 80g.
- Immediately mix the cookie butter into the hot brown butter until the mixture is smooth, then set the mixture in the freezer for 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, chop up your chocolate bar (if using) or break your chocolate feves in half.
- Once the brown butter has chilled a little bit, whisk in both sugars, followed by the egg and vanilla.
- Add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Use a rubber spatula to fold the mixture together just until a few flour streaks remain.
- Add in the chocolate and crushed graham crackers and fold just until no flour streaks remain.
- Cover the bowl tightly with a lid or with plastic wrap, and set the dough to chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, and up to 2 days.**
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Scoop out heaping 3 tbsp. scoops of dough***, placing the cookies spread apart to allow room for spreading.
- Top each cookie with additional chocolate if desired, then bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown.
- Immediately after taking the cookies out of the oven, take a bowl that is slightly larger than the cookies and swirl it around over the cookies to make them a little more uniform and circular.
- Allow the cookies to sit on the hot cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Press mini peanut butter cups into the cookies if desired, then allow the cookies to cool.
- Once the cookies are no longer hot, dollop a hefty tablespoon of marshmallow creme on to the cookies and use a spoon to spread the creme into a swoop. Toast the marshmallow with a kitchen torch if you have one, then serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that the nutrition facts are only an estimate and may vary based on different brands of ingredients and any substitutions made.
