Ultimate Caramel S’mores Cookies

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Satisfy your s’mores craving with these unreal cookies. Homemade, chocolate chip cookies that are topped with toasted marshmallows and Ghirardelli Caramel squares.

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S’mores season is year-round here! While s’mores are so nostalgic and a fun summertime snack, I definitely prefer s’mores-inspired desserts over the classic treat. Yes, I went there! Combining the melty, toasted s’mores ingredients — chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers — with a fudgy brownie, gooey cookie, or even a stack of pancakes, it’s absolutely unreal.

A few weeks ago, I posted these next-level Caramel S’mores Brownies. If you haven’t made these yet, I highly recommend checking them out. Today, we’ll be borrowing that concept and using it with homemade chocolate chip cookies instead.  

These Caramel S’mores Cookies use homemade chocolate chip cookie dough. The cookies will bake for 10 minutes and then cool for about 10 minutes before topping them with a marshmallow. You can use the broiler setting on your oven or a kitchen torch to toast the marshmallow and make it soft enough to press down with the Ghirardelli Caramel Squares.

These cookies are so easy to make! The dough comes together quickly — you don’t even need a mixer. The graham crackers are mixed into the dough and each cookie is garnished with a toasted marshmallow and Ghirardelli Caramel Square. The caramel pairs so well and takes this s’mores-inspired dessert up a notch.

Read on for the full recipe for these ultimate Caramel S’mores Cookies

For the cookie, we’ll be using my Best Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe and making a few modifications. This recipe calls for brown butter (my absolute favorite!) which adds a hint of nutty flavor and really elevates the cookie. We’ll also be adding in some crushed graham cracker crumbs to the dough as they’re an essential ingredient to any s’mores recipe. You can also garnish the cookies with additional graham cracker pieces/crumbs after baking!

Ingredients you’ll need

• Unsalted butter
• All-purpose flour
• Graham crackers
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Cornstarch
• Brown sugar 
• Granulated sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract
• Semisweet chocolate chips 
• Marshmallows 
• Ghirardelli Caramel Squares

Kitchen tools you’ll need (linking my favorites below!)

• Prep bowls 
• Measuring cups
• Whisk
• Spatula
• Cookie scooper
• Baking pan 
• Parchment paper
• Cookie turner
• Cooling rack

How to make these delicious Caramel S’mores Cookies

To make these cookies, we’ll start by browning 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter in a medium size saucepan on the stove. Begin by melting the butter on low-medium heat, stirring constantly. Once the butter is fully melted, keep the butter on the stove and continue to stir. The butter will begin bubbling and turning golden in color. You will see golden, toasted milk solids at the bottom which gives the brown butter its nutty flavor. Once the butter is golden amber in color, remove from heat. Set aside to cool for 10-15 minutes.

While the butter is cooling, combine 2 cups flour, ¼ cup crushed graham crackers, 1½ tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp cornstarch in a bowl and whisk together. Set aside.

In a large bowl, add 1½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, and melted butter. Whisk together until it is smooth and combined.

Add 2 eggs and 2 tsp vanilla. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and lighter/paler in color.

Add the dry ingredients and fold in with a rubber spatula.

Fold 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips in.

Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. If you’re making the dough in advance, you can chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to bake the cookies, take the dough out about 30 minutes before and let it soften a bit before scooping.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Scoop out 16 equally sized dough balls.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the cookie dough balls on the sheet. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. The edges should be lightly golden and the tops will still look wet. Do not overbake. 

Remove the cookies from the oven. If needed, immediately shape the cookies with a spoon, bowl, or circular cookie cutter. Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes. 

Set your oven to broil. We will not be putting the cookies in the broiler, just using the broil setting on the oven. Be careful with the broil as if it gets too hot, it can start toasting the edges of the cookies.

Top each cookie with a marshmallow. Place the cookies back in the oven — I repeat, place them back on your oven rack, NOT in a broiler drawer or shelf. Keep a close eye and be careful not to burn the marshmallows. You’ll want to remove the cookies once the marshmallows are melted/soft enough to press the chocolate on top.

Remove the cookies from the oven. Immediately top each marshmallow with a Ghirardelli Caramel Square and press down lightly. Be careful not to press too hard — the cookie may start to push out and that’s okay, just make sure you don’t push through the cookie.

Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool. Once on the wire rack, let the cookies set for an additional 15-20 minutes.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Tips for success

• I say this in every post, but it’s incredibly important to measure your dry ingredients correctly. Directly scooping your flour out with your measuring cup will result in too much flour, leading to dry, crumbly cookies. To measure out your dry ingredients, use a kitchen scale or spoon the ingredient into the measuring cup and use a flat top tool to level off the top and remove any excess (aka the “spoon and level method”). Before you begin measuring, use a spoon and run through the dry ingredients, fluffing them up and removing any clumps. 
• Shaping your cookies as soon as they come out of the oven is one of my top tips to get picture-perfect, round cookies. It’s fairly common for cookies to lose their shape while baking, but you can always fix this with a circular cookie cutter, bowl, or spoons.
• Instead of using your oven broiler, you can also use a kitchen torch to melt and toast the marshmallows. Not everyone has one of these on hand, but they give you more control than the oven broiler.
• If using the broiler, play close attention when toasting the marshmallows. Everyone’s oven is different, so it could take more or less time to melt and toast them. 
• I know we always want our baked goods to be done as soon as possible so that we can try them out! But, I will always be an advocate for chilling your cookie dough. Chilling the dough will result in taller/thicker cookies, helps the cookies to keep their shape while baking, and also allows for the flavors to develop further, becoming more flavorful and delicious.

FAQs

Can I use a different candy?

Absolutely! The Ghirardelli Caramel Squares can be substituted with milk chocolate Hershey’s Bars, Reese’s Cups, other variations of Ghirardelli Squares, and more!

Can I make this dough in advance?

Yes, this dough can be stored in the fridge for up to three days. Before baking, allow the dough to come to room temperature. If freezing, scoop out individual dough balls and store them in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, start at step 10 and bake at the same temperature (350 degrees Fahrenheit) for one extra minute (11-12 minutes).

Can I freeze these cookies after they’re made?

Yes, but do not add the topping prior to freezing. For obvious reasons, the marshmallow and candy will not reheat well after freezing. Instead, freeze the chocolate chip cookies on their own. Then, when you’re ready to eat them, set them out until they come to room temperature and follow the instructions for the marshmallow and candy topping, starting at step 13.

How to store

Store the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week. If freezing, I recommend freezing the cookies without the marshmallow and Ghirardelli topping. When you’re ready to eat the cookies, set the cookies out until they come to room temperature. Then, following the instructions, starting at step 13.

Caramel + s’mores…it’s the dreamiest combination. Add it to a homemade chocolate chip cookie and it’s the perfect dessert. These cookies are super chocolatey and a serious upgrade from your classic s’more. Try them out and let me know what you think!

If you try this recipe, share and tag me on socials using @itsbrunchoklock or #itsbrunchoklock