And oh my, these cookies have it ALL, people.
Love sugar cookies? It’s the base layer. A fan of s’mores? How about a filling of marshmallows and chocolate chips? And sugary-sweet meringue lovers will swoon over the topping. There is much to love about this recipe. You make the whole thing in a 9 x 13 pan, so you get 24 servings – enough to satisfy your whole Thanksgiving (or holiday) party. It adapts beautifully to variations (swap the semi-sweet chips for white chocolate, or add a ½ cup of your favorite chopped nuts). And if you’re strapped for time, or not so confident in the kitchen, you can use a package of refrigerated cookie dough for the base (NO ONE will know, pinky swear). Ready?
S’mores Cookie Bars with a Brown Sugar Meringue Topping
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 c. sugar
3 eggs, divided as follows: 1 whole egg + 2 yolks, 2 whites
1 ½ c. flour
1 t. baking powder
¼ t. salt
2 c. mini marshmallows
½ c. chocolate chips
1 c. light brown sugar
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9” x 13” baking pan with parchment paper in both directions, with a 1” overhang. This will make for clean and easy removal of the bars from the pan. If you don’t have parchment paper, you can use tin foil instead – just be sure to lightly grease the foil.
In the bowl of your mixer, beat the butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Add the whole egg and 2 yolks and beat again. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and beat till just incorporated.
(Note: if using refrigerated cookie dough, skip the above. Slice the dough into 15-20 circles and lay them into the bottom of the pan. Proceed as follows).
Spread the mixture into your prepared baking pan. Using damp fingers, press the dough to fill in the pan completely. Using a knife or small angled spatula, go over the dough to create a smooth and even layer. Sprinkle the dough with the marshmallows and chocolate chips. Clean the mixer bowl.
Place the 2 egg whites in the bowl of your mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat the whites on low speed until the surface is covered with bubbles. Increase speed to medium and beat till you see “tracks” form. Raise the speed to high and beat till whites are thick, and stiff peaks form when the whisk is raised. Gently but swiftly fold the brown sugar into the whites in three additions, and spread evenly over the marshmallows and chocolate chips (it will look like there’s not enough but there will be).
Bake for 30 minutes or till golden brown. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
When cooled, remove the bars from the pan, using the parchment paper as an aid. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into 24 squares. For the cleanest cuts run a large sharp knife under hot water and dry before slicing. Repeat this for each slice.
*Thanks Sheri for the mouth-watering (for real!) recipe. Now hop on over to Sheri's blog y'all for more delicousness.