So I just got back from a blogger retreat in beautiful Carmel, CA. More on that soon in an upcoming post 🙂
But I have to say, a good portion of the night I was scared.
Scared… of mountain lions.
You see, Carmel is a beach town nestled among a pretty countryside. And within every pretty countryside there’s a ferocious beast sniffing me out to eat me alive, and that ferocious beast is a mountain lion. AKA, my worst fear ever.
Well. Besides being burglarized and heights. And monkeys. And sandals.
At nighttime, we kept the doors open to let a breeze in, and of course it’s pitch black outside with no light except for the one illuminating the room we were in. And the ranch we stayed at had huge windows everywhere, just begging to be squinted through into the midnight-black courtyard where I could only assume a family of hungry, rabid mountain lions waited.
And so amidst conversation with the girls and sipping on cocktails, I continued to glance out the windows in prayer that no critters – beastly or otherwise – would emerge from the darkness and kill us all. It didn’t help that I was sitting right next to the open doors and thus would be first pick among rabid monsters.
Naturally.
So in conclusion, next time, I’m bringing a Xanax. And I’ll also suggest having a retreat in a bustling city. I much prefer traffic noise over the eerie silence of a mountain lion’s playground if you know what I mean.
I also prefer the ooey gooey goodness of these S’mores Cookie Bars which are out of control amazing. Gooey and rich, they’re packed with a huge, thick layer of marshmallow creme and creamy chocolate and sandwiched between two big ol’ layers of soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies. They’re the perfect treat!
You could say I went a little beastly on them.
Gooey S'mores Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 2 pkgs (24 count each) refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
- 1 (7 oz) jar JET-PUFFED Marshmallow Creme
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8" baking pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil with cooking spray and set aside.
- Press one of the packages of cookie dough into the bottom of the pan in an even layer. Top with the chocolate chips; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the marshmallow creme and the condensed milk, stir to blend together. Pour over the chocolate chips. Carefully and evenly top with the remaining package of cookie dough. It's okay if some of the marshmallow peeks out through the cracks.
- Bake for approx. 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the center appears set. Cool completely, then refrigerate for at least an hour to help set up, preferably overnight. Allow bars to come to room temperature slightly before cutting into squares.
Supremely gooey, packed with sticky marshmallow creme… these cookie bars are a forced to be reckoned with! You’ll love how thick and chewy they are, with pockets of rich chocolate in every bite! And they’re the perfect way to end S’mores Week.
I hope you’ve enjoyed S’mores Week.. I know I have!!
xo, Hayley
Shelby @ Go Eat and Repeat says
I LOVE smores everything! I love even more that you combined it with cookies! These are great for Memorial Day weekend!
thedomesticrebel says
Thanks Shelby! They’re definitely perfecto for Memorial Day Weekend! xoxo!
Meagan @ A Zesty Bite says
We are both on the S’more bandwagon today! I would love a bite of these cookie bars.
thedomesticrebel says
Thanks Meagan! S’mores bandwagon is the best bandwagon!
Liz says
Ooh, so ooey, gooey and outrageously delicious! And I’m so glad you made it back safely from Carmel with no mountain lion sightings. Whew.
thedomesticrebel says
Haha nope, no mountain lion sightings! Phew indeed!
ashley says
Quick question. For the top layer of cookie, do you just set them on top of the marshmallow? If so how far apart? Should they be flattened a little? I so wanna make these tonight
thedomesticrebel says
Hey Ashley! Hope I got to you in time. Yes, you flatten the cookie dough in your palms and kind of puzzle piece it on top of the marshmallow. It’s okay if some marshmallow peeks through, but try to form it so it covers it as much as possible. Hope that helps! Enjoy!!
Julianne @ Beyond Frosting says
Oh no!!! Not more mountain lions 🙁 I hope you had some S’mores cookie bars to keep you cozy!
thedomesticrebel says
No more! Phew! Thanks Julianne!
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says
These bars look insanely delicious! Love how gooey they are!
thedomesticrebel says
They’re SO gooey! 🙂
June @ How to Philosophize with Cake says
Those look awesome! So gooey and rich, mmm 🙂
thedomesticrebel says
Thanks June!
Cyndi - My Kitchen Craze says
Your not the only one that would be stressed out either over mountain lions. I would be on pins and needles the whole time that door is open. I’d probably drink an entire bottle of wine just so I didn’t stress. Hehe. These S’mores bars sound amazing! I am obsessed with bars and these look amazing! 🙂
thedomesticrebel says
Glad I’m not alone, Cyndi!
Erin @ Miss Scrambled Egg says
These are the perfect summer time treat, Hayley. I love all of your s’more inspired treats. 🙂
thedomesticrebel says
Thanks Erin!! xoxo!!
Ashley B. says
Hi,
I made these tonight and followed all of your directions, then baked them at 350 for 25 mins. They were not done. So I baked them for another 10 mins. Everything turned so golden brown that if I baked them for any longer, they would have burnt. But still nothing is set. They are jiggling around in the pan when I move it, and squishy to touch. I’m afraid they are not going to set even after a night in the refrigerator, and I won’t have the delicious dessert I promised my family for tomorrow’s BBQ. Please help!
thedomesticrebel says
Hi Ashley! I’m so sorry it appears they’re still jiggly, but I’m hoping that after a night in the fridge they’ve since set up. They are very gooey but they should still hold their shape, and I’m thinking once they’ve been adequately chilled they’ll set up more. Hope that helps and worked!
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says
awww poor Hayley! I would’ve been scared too!!!
in other news–these bars are my favorite. They’re gooey and cookie-y and smores-y andddd I want ’em. end ‘o’story!
Patti says
I made these bars for a fall cookout and glad I made them ahead of time. They were set and nice and golden brown when I took them out of the oven. I put them in the fridge for a day, but when I cut them they were still ooey gooey and really didn’t take on a bar shape. I think parchment paper would have worked better than oiled aluminum foil. They were difficult to get out of the pan and the foil didn’t help matters as it was stuck to the bottom of the cookie. Threw them all in the trash out of sheer frustration. They did taste good though!
thedomesticrebel says
Patti, so sorry you didn’t have a great experience with these bars.