The way you make s’mores says a lot about who you are.
Okay, maybe not a lot, but hear me out.
Are you the impatient type who immediately sets the marshmallow on fire, burning the outsides to a carbon-black crisp (guilty), or do you responsibly roast it well above the flames’ reach, until every curve is a buttery golden hue?
Do you pile on the chocolate, welcoming a little indulgence in your life? Do you eat the s’more open-faced, to spare the extra calories that second cracker would provide? Honestly, Resident Assistants should use this as a getting-to-know-you exercise, instead of all of those corny icebreakers.
Unfortunately, most schools frown on building fires on campus, so enjoying that decadent combination of crisp-yet-gooey marshmallow, cinnamon-y graham crackers and rich chocolate — and subsequently learning more about each other than any “Two Truths and A Lie” game ever could — isn’t so easy. Instead, you must improvise. S’mores Cookies — err, Campfire Cookies, if you’re a sucker for alliteration like me — to the rescue!
It took a few tries to come up with a post-worthy recipe. I achieved the best results when I baked the cookies until they were slightly springy, then added marshmallows and broiled them for 10-15 seconds. The cookies have to be eaten within a day or two, because the marshmallows quickly deflate and turn gummy otherwise.
Next, I’m thinking of creating a whoopie pie variety that sandwiches marshmallow creme for a longer laster treat. What do you think?
Send your campfire cookie mods and I’ll feature them in a future post.
Campfire Cookies
Kitchen gadgets needed: mixing bowl, measuring cups, spoonula, baking sheet
Ingredients:
- Chocolate cake mix
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/3 box graham crackers
- 1/2 bag large marshmallows
Time commitment: 10-12 minutes to prepare, 9-11 minutes to bake (and seconds to toast the marshmallows)
Steps (makes 2 1/2 dozen):
1. You know those cake mix directions on the back of the box? Ditch ’em. Pour the cake mix into a large mixing bowl, stirring in the egg, oil and water until the ingredients form a pliable dough. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. (All credit for this awesome cake-batter-to-cookie-dough conversion goes to Jan White at Cooks.com.)
2. Next, add the graham crackers to a gallon-size resealable bag. Squeeze out any excess air before closing, then use a spoon to bash it into little crumbly chunks (not dust). Anger management at its finest.
3. Fold in the graham cracker bits. Once that’s done, form the dough into one-inch balls. Place them on a cookie sheet about an inch apart.
4. Bake for 9-11 minutes. In the meantime, cut a bunch of jumbo marshmallows in half — one to top each cookie.
5. Remove the cookies from the oven and switch to the broil setting. Then, gently push a marshmallow half into the top of each cookie. Broil them in the oven for 10-15 seconds, or until the tops are lightly toasted.
6. Let them cool for about 10-12 minutes before serving.