These gooey Vegan S'mores Cookies are a real treat - and nobody would ever guess they're vegan, they're just that good!
They are created with a vegan chocolate chip recipe including dark chocolate chips and added vegan marshmallows that become wonderfully molten and toasty in the oven. The cookies have everything you could ask for: gooey marshmallows, crisp cookie edges and deliciously melty chocolate chips - definitely reminding you of that popular campfire favorite!
With the use of gluten-free flour, this recipe is easily created gluten-free.
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Recipe Background
What are S'mores?
S'mores are a popular campfire treat in the United States and Canada. They usually consist of a toasted marshmallow and a layer of chocolate between 2 graham crackers.
Traditionally, s'mores are cooked over a campfire, but they can also be prepared at home over a wood-burning fireplace, a stove flame, in the oven, in the microwave or in a panini press. Normally, the marshmallow is pierced onto a skewer and toasted above the heat until soft and gooey. Depending on personal preference, it can also be charred. It is then placed between two Graham crackers with the chocolate.
Sometimes, the preparation can involve an additional step of wrapping the s'mores in foil and heating them until the chocolate is extra melty, but this is an optional step.
Why are they called S'mores?
The name 'S'mores' is a combination of the phrase 'some more' and they have basically named this way as the flavors will have you asking for some more.
History of S'mores
S'mores have been first recorded in a cookbook in the early 1920s and called a 'Graham Cracker Sandwich. According to the cookbook text, they were a popular treat with Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.
The name 'S'mores' first appeared in a publication in 1938, and a s'mores recipe even made it into a Betty Crocker cookbook in 1957.
What goes into S'mores Cookies
These S'mores cookies are inspired by traditional S'mores by combining melty dark chocolate chips with toasted marshmallow. In this case, both are added to a vanilla sugar cookie dough and baked in the oven, which melts the chocolate and toasts the marshmallow in the process.
They can be enjoyed cold or reheated in the oven or microwave to enjoy with the full meltiness.
Are marshmallows vegan?
Regular marshmallows are often not vegan-friendly as most of them contain gelatin, which is derived from pork. Luckily, gelatin-free marshmallows are easy to find nowadays. My favorite brand is Dandies, but you can also find vegan marshmallows at Whole Foods or at Trader Joe's under their own brand.
Ingredients
Here's everything you need for this recipe:
- vegan butter - I used Flora Plant butter, make sure to use an unsalted version and keep it at room temperature.
- sugar - light brown sugar is my favorite to use in cookie recipes
- flour - I used gluten free flour from X, you can swap this for all-purpose flour if you're not gluten-free
- vanilla - vanilla extract
- plant milk - I used soya, swap for your favorite, we only need 2 tablespoons for this recipe
- vegan marshmallows - I used Dandies Vegan Marshmallows, they're quite chunky, so I cut them up into smaller pieces before adding them to the cookies. Alternatively, use their mini marshmallows.
- vegan chocolate chips - use ready-made dark chocolate chips or cut up a chocolate bar into small chocolate chunks
See recipe card at the end of the post for quantities. The entire batch makes between 6-8 cookies.
How do I replace eggs in vegan cookies?
There are loads of cookie recipes out there that call for an egg replacer such as a flax egg which is created with 1 part milled flaxseeds and 3 parts water. In this recipe however, you don't require any egg replacers as I've optimised the other ingredients to not require additional binding. That makes vegan cookie baking much easier!
Equipment
Here's everything you need for this recipe:
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 medium bowl
- 1 sieve
- 1 electric hand mixer
- 1 spatula
- 2 sheets parchment paper or cookie sheets
- 2 baking trays
- 1 cookie scoop or 1 small spoon
- cooling rack
Instructions (Step-by-Step)
Here's how you can make these delicious vegan cookies in just a few steps:
Cream together the vegan butter, vanilla and soft brown sugar.
In a separate bowl, sift the flour, salt and baking powder and stir to combine.
Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and adjust with 1-2 tablespoons of plant milk to get a thick, sticky dough.
Using a spatula, fold in the chocolate chips, then place the cookie dough into the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Scoop the chilled cookie dough into portion sizes.
Press a thumb into the middle of each cookie to create a hole.
Place a vegan marshmallow half into the hole.
Cover the marshmallow with the surrounding cookie dough.
Place the cookie dough balls onto a prepared baking sheet. Transfer the lined baking tray into the fridge and chill for at least 2 hours.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and bake the cookies for 14-16 minutes or until the edges become lightly golden.
Serving
Once the cookies have cooled down, you can remove them from the cookie sheet and enjoy them right away or keep them for later. They're delicious alongside a hot drink, such as a matcha latte or a hot turmeric latte!
Storage
You can store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
Reheating the cookies
If you want your cookies to have extra gooey marshmallows, place a cookie onto a plate and briefly heat it in the microwave for 20 seconds until soft.
Substitutions
In case you don't have everything to hand, here a few ideas and notes for possible substitutions:
- Vegan Butter - you can swap this for vegan margarine, or use coconut oil, but it will change the texture of the cookies, so I'd only recommend doing that as a last resort.
- Light brown sugar - swap light brown sugar for caster sugar or coconut sugar. If you have nothing else to hand, you can also use white sugar, but the darker sugars give you a more caramelized crisp cookie that's gooey on the inside, whereas the white sugar would be a tougher cookie.
- Flour - you can use all-purpose flour if you're not making these cookies gluten-free
- Vanilla paste - you can use vanilla powder or vanilla extract.
- Plant milk - simply use your favorite plant milk for the recipe as we only need a small amount. I used soya but you can also use almond milk, oat milk, hazelnut milk, or coconut milk.
- Vegan Marshmallows - I used Dandies Vegan Marshmallows, but you can also use another brand. Vegan mini marshmallows work best as you don't have to cut them up into smaller pieces.
Variations
If you want to shake things up, why not try taking this recipe to the next level:
- Chocolate - Try adding white chocolate to them next time, just as delicious!
- Vegan Marshmallows - the marshmallows are what makes these cookies smores cookies but you can also enjoy this recipe without the addition of marshmallows. You'll have Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies in that case! Or add some vegan smarties
- Graham crackers - for the gluten-free version of this recipe, I don't add any graham cracker crumbs but you can add some vegan graham cracker chunks into the cookie dough, if you love the full flavor of S'mores.
- Cookie bars - Instead of round cookies, bake these into a delicious vegan cookie bar!
If you love baking some delicious chewy cookies, try my homemade Vegan Matcha Cookies or these Vegan Lemon Cookies for a zesty version!
Related Recipes
This recipe is part of The Sweetest Season cookie recipe exchange that Erin from The Speckled Palate and Susannah from Feast & West create every year before Christmas - if you love cookies, you'll surely find something delicious there!
Make sure to also read the 2022 cookie roundup for more cookie recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth!
If - like me - you love Pinterest, you can find me here & if you like, you can pin any of the images on this page to your boards 😊
Vegan S'mores Cookies
Equipment
- 1 large bowl
- 1 medium bowl
- 1 sieve
- 1 electric hand mixer
- 1 spatula
- 2 sheets parchment paper or cookie sheets
- 2 baking trays
- 1 cookie scoop or small spoon
- cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1/4 cups vegan butter (70 g) at room temperature
- 1/3 cups soft brown sugar (100 g)
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 1 cup gluten-free flour (120 g) or swap for all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp plant milk
- 1/4 cups dark chocolate chips (45 g)
- 1/4 cup vegan marshmallows or 3-4 large ones
Instructions
- Place the butter at room temperature into a mixing bowl and cream it together with sugar and vanilla using an electric mixer.
- In a separate bowl, sift the dry ingredients: flour, salt and baking powder.
- Whilst mixing, slowly add the dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Add the plant milk and mix until just about combined.
- Using a spatula, fold in the vegan chocolate chips. Place the cookie dough into the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Scoop out the cookie dough with an ice cream scoop or spoon. Shape it into a cookie dough ball with your hands and press a thumb into the middle to create a little cave.
- Place a vegan marshmallow (half) inside and cover the marshmallow with the surrounding cookie dough. Repeat until you have 6-8 cookies.
- Place the cookies onto a lined baking tray or a cookie sheet and chill in the fridge for 2 hours. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Transfer the cookies to the oven and bake them for 14-16 minutes or until the marshmallow has become gooey and the cookie edges golden.
- Remove from the oven and let them cool down for 20 minutes before carefully removing the gooey cookies from the baking tray.
Notes
- Storage - You can store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
- Reheating the cookies - If you want your cookies to have extra gooey marshmallows, place a cookie onto a plate and briefly heat it in the microwave for 20 seconds until soft.
- Marshmallows - if you're using full-size marshmallows, cut them in half before you add them into the cookie dough. That may they have a more manageable size. If you're using vegan mini marshmallows, you can add 2-3 to each cookie.
- Vanilla paste - you can use vanilla powder or vanilla extract.
- Flour - you can use all-purpose flour if you're not making these cookies gluten-free
- Light brown sugar - swap light brown sugar for caster sugar or coconut sugar. If you have nothing else to hand, you can also use white sugar, but the darker sugars give you a more caramelized crisp cookie that's gooey on the inside, whereas the white sugar would be a tougher cookie.
- Vegan Butter - you can swap this for vegan margarine, or use coconut oil, but it will change the texture of the cookies, so I'd only recommend doing that as a last resort.
- Don't skip the chilling times for the cookies! Placing the cookies into the fridge is vital to get ultimately gooey and crisp cookies, so I recommend sticking to the schedule. If you're preparing these cookies in advance, you can keep the cookie dough in the fridge longer and just keep it at room temperature for 10 minutes before scooping. Once they're in cookie shape and chilled for at least 2 hours, you can move them into the oven straight away.
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Erin
These are just the perfect vegan cookies to enjoy any time! What a delicious combination of flavors!
Thank you so much for participating in this year's Sweetest Season! I am always blown away with the recipes shared and the generosity of its participants. Thank you for making this event such a success.
romylondonuk
Thanks so much for the lovely comment, Erin! It was my pleasure - cookies are one of my favorite things to bake, so it was a no-brainer that I simply had to be part of this project. Thanks for having me - can't wait to browse through all the other exciting cookie creations!