Baked S'mores

I know, I have done 4 whole posts without dessert. 
I am making it up to you with this one, o man. 


Another awesome birthday present I got was this gorgeous thing:


This is the Aqua color in case you want to know :)
So of course I have been baking up a storm!! Now let me tell you, you BY NO MEANS, ever have to have a mixer to bake-I have done everything for years by hand or with a hand mixer. But it is pretty darn cute and it does make things easier and faster. 


Ok. Have I ever mentioned that I am obsessed with all things S'mores? So when I needed to bring something to a church Halloween party I thought these were perfect so I could try them without having to have the whole pan sitting around at my house. 


These were a hit! Everyone loved them and sadly, I had no leftovers to bring home. 



Anyways, 


Start by making your crust by creaming butter, sugar, then adding vanilla and egg. Finally add the graham cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder and salt. 




Once the dough is made, divide it in half and press one half into the bottom of the pan for the bottom crust. 




**Note the main recipe calls for an 8 by 8 but I stretched mine to a 12 by 8 pan with one extra chocolate bar just fine! So pictures are with a 12 by 8 not 8 by 8. 


Add the large Hershey's bar, 2 or 3 depending on your pan size. I even threw some chocolate chips around the edges just to make sure every bite was perfectly chocolatey.



Next spread a jar of this good stuff on top of the chocolate. Just try to not get sticky. It's impossible! 



Now comes the trickiest part but it's still easy. 


Put the remaining dough in a gallon size Ziploc bag and spread it to the size of your pan. Then you will cut the bag open like a book and drop the top dough crust on top [you can't spread it out because of the sticky marshmallow creme] 




That's it! Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cut into squares. Using an 11 by 7 will give thinner bars, 8 by 8 will be fatter bars. The recipe says to let cool all the way but let me tell you they were divine like this:  cooled for 30-45 minutes but still melty. 




Try to eat just one. Or to NOT lick your fingers.

***UPDATED!***
Because of the huge response to this recipe, I have made these several times in several different ways and here are my notes:

What size pan should I use?

I have made this recipe in an 8 by 8, 11 by 7, 12 by 8 and 13 by 9. ALL of them worked! That being said, I definitely prefer the thinner bars, as pictured above. The best way to get that result is with the 12 by 8 or 11 by 7. The 8 by 8 was still a hit with friends but has much thicker layers and not everyone likes that. The crust does dry out faster in the 8 by 8 version because it's so much thicker. (And its quite a stretch to fit it in a 13 by 9, the top crust layer barely covered it and they weren't as pretty, but it was possible!)

Can I use marshmallows instead of marshmallow fluff?

Some readers have said this worked for them but others have said they disappeared so to be safe, stick with the marshmallow fluff. Bon Appetit has a homemade version and all you need is sugar and egg whites if you don't have fluff on hand!

That marshmallow stuff is so hard to deal with, any suggestions?

Several readers recommended microwaving the fluff to make it easier to smooth out. Another reader also suggested using a spoon that had been dipped in hot water. You are going to get sticky no matter what! It's inevitable! But if you are following the recipe and placing the fluff on top of the bottom crust, it shouldn't matter if it is a little hard to spread, it will be fine :) 

There isn't marshmallow fluff where I live, what should I do?

You can make it from scratch! Here is a recipe from Bon Appetit: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/08/homemade-marshmallow-creme 


Can I use chocolate chips instead of Hershey's bars?

Yes, but again, I like the authenticity of the Hershey's bars but semi sweet or milk chocolate chips will work too! 

Do I have to roll out the crust for the top layer?

In a nutshell, yes! In order to be able to easily spread the top layer on, this is the easiest way. Seriously, roll it out to the right size and then open up your Ziploc bag and plop it on top, then smooth out any wrinkles and seal up the edges. It really isn't that hard, I promise!

I don't have Ziploc bags or I don't like using them because they are expensive, is there anything else I can do?

You can also use 2 pieces of clear saran wrap or wax paper to roll out your crust and then drop it on top. 

Can I put the marshmallow fluff down first and then the Hershey's bars so I don't have to roll out the crust?

You can definitely put the Hershey's first or the fluff first, it is up to you! Again, rolling the crust will be easiest, but if you still don't want to roll it out, definitely put the fluff first and then the Hershey's as this will make it easier if you want to push the crust around instead of "plopping" it on top. 

Can these be made ahead of time? How well do they store? Can they be frozen?

The BEST way to eat these, without a doubt is within an hour after baking, when the chocolate is still melted and they are the most authentic! 

That being said, you can make them the day of or the day before and they are still delicious but don't have that melted goodness. People can zap individual bars in the microwave for a few seconds if they want to obtain that melted factor though! 

I wouldn't go much beyond making them a day in advance so they don't get stale or soggy. Several readers have frozen them before baking and said it worked great!

I hope that helps clear up any questions about the recipe! Please feel free to still email me or leave comments below!


Baked S'mores
recipe courtesy Baked Perfection


Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla 
1 1/3 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (approximately 5 full graham crackers)
1 tsp baking powder
2 or 3 super-sized (5 oz.) chocolate bars (e.g. Hershey’s)
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff (or mini marshmallows if you must!)


Directions


Preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom of  pan.


In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt.
Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined. 

Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place chocolate bars over dough. Two 5 oz. Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly [for 8 by 8] side by side, but break the chocolate (if necessary) to get it to fit in a single layer. [use 3 Hershey's for 12 by 8 pan]

Spread marshmallow fluff evenly over the chocolate layer.

Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the creme. This is most easily done by putting the second half of the dough in a gallon size freezer bag. Use your palms or rolling pin to flatten it out, and then use scissors to cut down both long sides of the bag, so it will open up book-style. Open it up carefully, and the dough will stick on one side of the bag. Then place the bag, dough side down, on the other three layers. From there peel the bag up and carefully spread the dough where it is uneven.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely or almost completely for the melty factor before cutting into bars. 

Enjoy!

10 comments:

  1. These look awesone!

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  2. I just made these today and wow, so yummy! Thanks!

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  3. The ziploc dough trick is brilliant! I made them tonight for a monthly dinner get together tomorrow. I can't wait to try them! Might have to try reheating them a bit since I love the idea of melted chocolate. Thanks for the recipe and great photos!

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  4. Do you think you could avoid the trouble with putting the dough on top by putting the marshmallow fluff UNDER the chocolate bars? That way you could spread the dough normally over the less-sticky chocolate...?

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  5. The comment above me is very clever i like that! I made them the other night Nd for some reason the dough part didnt come out the same? It was dry and crumby? Idk if some how i didnt put enough of one of the liquids? Or if i didnt break up the graham crackers enough? I also found that there wasnt as much dough as id expect there to be.. I must have went wrong some where but cant fogure it out. Ill have to try it again

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  6. I made these last week and they were phenomenal. Tasted like something from an expensive bakery. My husband loved them so much that he didn't want to take the rest to work to share (which is where all my baking Usually goes). I will be making these again for sure! Thanks!

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  7. If I put it together the night before, but bake it the day of will that be ok?

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  8. Why dont you put wax paper in your pan press out your dough...remove dough. Press in second batch of dough add chocolate and marshmallow. Then put the top on that you presses out earlier?

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  9. Why dont you put wax paper in your pan press out your dough...remove dough. Press in second batch of dough add chocolate and marshmallow. Then put the top on that you presses out earlier?

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  10. Oh I just made these they are so yummy but of course I was out of gallon ziplocks.... So I used 2 sheets of the Glad press and seal wrap. I rolled the dough so the sticky sides were touching the dough and when it was the correct length I peeled one of the sheets off leaving the other with the dough on it. It stuck to the wrap while I flipped it making it super easy to place on top and the wrap just peeled off from there!!! I think I will use the press and seal again

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