Toasted Marshmallow Pumpkin S’mores Cookies with Graham Crumbs
Under the broiler, a marshmallow can go from soft white to golden in less than a minute. That quick finish is what makes these toasted marshmallow pumpkin s'mores cookies feel…
By Ava
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Reading time: 9 min
Tip: save now, make later.
Under the broiler, a marshmallow can go from soft white to golden in less than a minute. That quick finish is what makes these toasted marshmallow pumpkin s’mores cookies feel like a real s’more, while the cookie underneath stays soft and full of chocolate and graham flavor. I bake the cookies first, then add the marshmallow so it gets its own brief turn under the heat instead of melting away in the oven.
Pumpkin brings moisture, and graham cracker crumbs give the dough a little more than the usual cookie base. The result is tender, with a gentle pumpkin-spice note and enough toasted marshmallow on top to make each one feel finished. Chill the dough before baking, and you’ll get 12 generous cookies with soft centers, set edges, and a golden cap.
Kitchen Note
Don’t step away when the marshmallows go under the broiler. They need only 30 to 60 seconds, and the change from pale to golden happens quickly.
Save these pumpkin s’mores cookies for a bake when you want soft, graham-studded centers under a toasted marshmallow top.
Why Pumpkin Cookies Need More Than Just Flour
Pumpkin puree adds moisture, which is welcome in a soft cookie but can push the texture toward cakey if the dry ingredients don’t balance it. Here, graham cracker crumbs do more than bring the familiar s’mores flavor. They add a second dry, finely textured ingredient that helps the dough bake into a cookie rather than a little pumpkin cake.
The melted butter and egg yolk support that texture, too. The butter coats the flour as the dough comes together, while the yolk adds richness without the extra moisture of a whole egg. That balance is why I fold the dry mixture in only until the last floury streak disappears. A long mix works the flour harder and can leave the cookies tougher; a few careful folds keep them tender. The 30-minute chill gives the dough time to firm up before it goes onto the hot baking sheet, so the portions are easier to handle and hold their shape in the oven.
What Pumpkin, Graham Crumbs, and Chocolate Each Bring
- Pumpkin puree — Plain puree brings moisture and pumpkin flavor without extra sweetener or spice. Canned puree is a practical choice here; pumpkin pie filling is a different product with added sugar and seasoning, so it won’t give the same balance.
- Graham cracker crumbs — These provide the graham flavor that makes the cookies read as s’mores and give the dough a fine, sandy texture. Finely crushed crumbs blend in more evenly than large cracker pieces. Regular store-brand crumbs work well; there’s no need to seek out a premium brand.
- Melted butter and egg yolk — Butter gives the dough its rich, buttery base, while the yolk helps bind it without adding the extra liquid in a whole egg. Let the butter cool before whisking it with the egg yolk so the mixture stays smooth.
- Semisweet chocolate chips — Their sweetness balances the pumpkin-spice dough and their shape leaves distinct pockets of chocolate. A standard semisweet chip is a good fit; choose a brand you like eating on its own, since the chocolate flavor comes through clearly.
- Pumpkin pie spice — This supplies the warm, familiar spice without needing to measure several individual spices. If your jar has been open a long time and smells faint, a fresh one will make a noticeable difference.
Mixing, Chilling, and Toasting the Marshmallow Tops
Whisk the wet base until smooth
Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center, and lightly grease an 18×13-inch broiler-safe metal baking sheet with neutral oil. In a medium bowl, whisk the melted, cooled butter with both sugars, pumpkin puree, egg yolk, and vanilla until the mixture looks smooth. A few small flecks of brown sugar are fine, but streaks of pumpkin or separated butter mean it needs another whisk. Keep the butter cooled, not hot, before it meets the yolk.
Fold in the dry ingredients gently
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt so the leavener and spice are distributed. Fold this mixture into the pumpkin base just until no dry streaks remain, then fold in the chocolate chips. The dough will be soft, but you shouldn’t see pockets of loose flour at the bottom of the bowl. Stop mixing as soon as it comes together instead of trying to make it perfectly uniform.
Chill, portion, and bake
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes. Divide it into 12 equal portions, about 1/4 cup each, and arrange them at least 3 inches apart on the prepared sheet; the room between cookies helps them bake without running together. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still look soft. Don’t wait for the centers to look firm in the oven, or the cookies can lose their tender middle as they cool.
Broil the marshmallows, then let the cookies set
Set the oven to high broil and position the rack about 6 inches below the broiler element. Press one marshmallow half, cut side up, onto each baked cookie, then broil for 30 to 60 seconds until the marshmallows are puffed and golden. Watch continuously; broilers vary, and the topping can darken fast. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack, so the soft cookies have time to firm up enough to lift.
Simple Swaps for a Different Batch
Make the chocolate darker
Replace the semisweet chips with the same amount of chopped dark chocolate. The uneven pieces give you a mix of small flecks and larger melted pockets, and the less-sweet chocolate makes the marshmallow topping stand out more.
Bake a dairy-free version
Use a firm plant-based butter made for baking in place of the butter, and choose dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips. The cookies keep their soft texture, though the butter flavor will be less pronounced; avoid soft tub-style spreads, which can make the dough looser.
Use gluten-free flour and crumbs
Swap the all-purpose flour for a cup-for-cup gluten-free baking blend and use gluten-free graham-style crumbs in place of the regular crumbs, matching the listed quantities. The cookies may have a slightly more delicate bite, so let them cool fully on the sheet before transferring them.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: These cookies are best kept airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days; refrigeration isn’t needed and can make them firmer.
- Freezer: Freeze the cooled cookies without marshmallow topping in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw, add the marshmallow halves, and broil before serving for the freshest topping.
- Reheating: Warm a cookie briefly in a 300°F oven, watching closely because the marshmallow can soften and brown quickly. Avoid microwaving for long intervals, which can make the marshmallow sticky and the cookie too soft.
Questions That Come Up While Baking These Cookies
Toasted Marshmallow Pumpkin S'mores Cookies with Graham Crumbs
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center.
- Lightly grease an 18x13-inch broiler-safe metal baking sheet with the oil.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin puree, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture just until no dry streaks remain.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Cover and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, about 1/4 cup each, and arrange them at least 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 13–15 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers look soft.
- Set the oven to high broil and position the rack about 6 inches below the broiler element.
- Press one marshmallow half, cut side up, onto each cookie.
- Broil for 30–60 seconds, watching continuously, until the marshmallows are puffed and golden.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.
- Transfer them to a wire rack.