S'mores Cookie Bars {recipe, dessert}

Tomorrow it is my birthday!  Yay for another year older. *sarcasm*  Hopefully, this next year will have more ups and less surgeries.  Hopefully this year will come with better health, and continued knowledge. Hoping this year is full of family, fun, and adventure. Hopefully this next year is the best yet!

I might as well start the birthday off with some yummy treats. Sure, cake is always involved, but these S'mores Cookie Bars are pretty darn delicious!  You might as well enjoy them too.  
 yum!

S’mores Cookie Bars

Recipe: Alohamora

Active Time: 20 minutes

Inactive Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 9-12, 1 9x9 inch pan

Ingredients:

1 c. butter, softened

2/3 c. brown sugar

3 Tbsp honey

1 ¼ c. flour, unbleached

1 1/3 c. graham flour

1 tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

½ c. peanut butter

2 XL Hershey candy bars, chopped

Scant 2 c. mini marshmallows

Directions:

1. Grease and flour with a baking spray a 9x9 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl or a stand mixer, mix on low the butter, brown sugar, and honey for a few minutes or until light and fluffy.
3. Add the graham flour, unbleached flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until just combined.
4. On a clean floured surface separate your graham cracker dough into two.  You should have one slightly larger half and one slightly smaller half. 
5. Take the slightly larger half and use your clean hands to press it into the bottom of the prepared 9x9 inch pan. Cover that half with plastic wrap.
6. Take the slightly smaller half and place it on a long (about 20 inches) piece of plastic wrap.  Roll the smaller half into an almost 9x9 inch square. Wrap the square up and place it on top of the covered half in the pan.
7. Place your pan in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes to an hour.
8. Remove pan from the fridge, place the wrapped smaller half on the counter, and remove the plastic wrap top from the bottom larger half. 
9. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
10. Melt your peanut butter in the microwave for 30 seconds, and spread the melted peanut butter evenly over the graham cracker dough that is pressed down in the pan.
11. Top the peanut butter with the chopped candy bars, spread the chocolate evenly and completely over the entire pan. 
12. Top the chocolate with the mini marshmallows, and evenly spread them over the top of the chocolate.
13. Finally, top the cookie bars with the remaining dough in a cobbler like, scattered, and evenly distributed manner.
14. Bake the s’more cookie bars at 325 degrees for 20-30 minutes until the dough isn’t shiny and the bars are cooked with a light golden color.
15. Allow your bars to cool for 5-10 minutes before enjoying.
16. Cookie bars are delicious warm or cooled.
17. Enjoy!
18. Store leftovers covered in an airtight container on the counter for 3-5 days. 

Cookies and Cream S'mores Cookie Bars aka The BEST Cookie Bars!

I have a 2 and 3 year old.  

Before Children (BC) my husband and I would go camping a handful of times a year.  There is something really fun about getting no sleep, sitting by a campfire, cooking meals over the fire, eating s'mores, and all around enjoying the stars and the outdoors.

We haven't been camping since BC.  

Last Friday night, we decided it was time for a camping trial for the kiddos and ourselves.  

We set up the tent in the backyard, and enjoyed these banging Cookies and Cream S'mores Cookie Bars.  

The smores cookie bars were a million times better than the quality of sleep we got that night.

The kiddos actually did better than expected, and they keep begging to go camping again.  Which I am sure we will do soon.  

However, I can't wait for our next backyard campout to make these Cookies and Cream S'mores Cookie Bars.  They are far too amazing!

My husband refers to these cookie bars as evil geniuses aka he pretty much thinks they are absolutely delicious hence the genius aspect, but they are evil b/c he wants to eat all of them.  They are absolutely the very best cookie bars ever!  

The flavors are far too delicious and absolutely perfect together to even compare them to normal joe shmoe cookie bars.  The cookie bars layer is so soft and amazing, the graham crackers give you a little crunch, the cookies and cream candy bar is slightly melted, and the marshmallows are toasted just perfectly for some tasty ooey gooey goodness.  

They are yummy!  Make these bad boys for your next backyard camp out, barbecue, potluck, or just to enjoy.  Just make them!  You will love them!

You can even make these s'mores cookie bars ahead of time; I personally think the flavors are even better the second day. 

Cookies and Cream S'mores Cookie Bars
Recipe: Alohamora slightly adapted from Deals to Meals Blog 
Active Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8-10 servings

Ingredients: 

For the Cookie Bars:
3/4 c. butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1 egg, large
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 1/4 c. flour

Topping:
2 graham crackers crushed (about 1/4-1/3 c.)
1/4 c. chocolate chips
1 King sized Hersheys Cookies and Cream candy bar, chopped
3/4 c. mini-marshmallows

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray or grease a 9x9 inch pan.
2. In a medium bowl or a stand mixer cream the butter and sugar together until light and creamy.  
3. Add the egg and vanilla one at a time mixing well between each one. 
4. Add the salt, cornstarch, baking soda, and baking powder to the bowl and mix until just combined.  
5. Finally, add the graham cracker crumbs (these are finer crumbs than you'll use for the topping) and the flour and mix until just combined. 
6. Pour the dough into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly. 
7. For the topping, crush 2 graham crackers with your hands.  This will give you some finer crumbs as well as some larger chunks.  Spread the graham crackers across the entire pan. 
8. Next, evenly distribute the chocolate chips and then the chopped cookies and cream candy bar on top.  
9. Finally, evenly top it all with mini-marshmallows. 
10. Bake at 325 degrees for 18-22 minutes until the edges are barely golden brown.  You do not want to over bake these delicious bars. 
11. Enjoy! 
12. Store any leftovers in a covered container. 
13. This recipes doubles well for a 9x13 pan. 

Happy ooey gooey absolutely delicious cookies and cream s'mores cookie bars eating!


MeganRuth