S’mores Chocolate Chip

Here’s the thing about s’mores desserts: they’re never that good. I actually try to avoid ordering anything s’mores because I know it’ll lead to severe disappointment. Don’t get me wrong—s’mores themselves are a godsend. We had a firepit growing up and would invite people over every weekend in the summertime with the intention of making s’mores. It was a non-negotiable.

We had a s’mores bin in the pantry well-stocked enough so that we could feed no less than two dozen people s’mores at a moments notice. Our garage was littered with industrial-sized s’mores roasting sticks. You could call us a s’mores-obsessed people. But give me a slice of s’mores pie, s’mores cake, or a s’mores bar (I’m looking at you Baked & Wired in Georgetown) and I’ll likely refuse it. The only s’mores-flavored exception was this description-defying, childhood-defining, ground-breaking toasted marshmallow ice cream I used to get as a kid in upstate New York during sleep-away camp.

That brings me to the journey of trying to make this cookie. I knew the bar was high. I couldn’t disappointment myself and follow the tarnished history of miserable s’mores-flavored confections. Of course, I brought out the usual heavy hitters for the matter: browned butter, flaky salt, and dark brown sugar. But to get the real toastiness you get from s’mores, that childhood nostalgia flavor, I made the jump to use malted milk powder in the dough. That’s what gives these cookies their edge, their flavor oomph. Also, holding back the amount of chocolate is key. S’mores are about ingredient balance: too much chocolate and the graham and marshmallow goo are too muted.