Pie-in-the-Sky Marshmallow Clouds

The S'more season is just about upon us, and in preparation, the grocery stores have erected their massive displays of marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate bars, all in bright packaging and delightful towers that just scream "summertime snacks!". It's difficult not to walk by and not be tempted by the nostalgic bags of jet-puffed sugar that were an ever-present element of summer camp-outs and lake parties. Although I'm not a huge fan of S'mores anymore (don't get me wrong, I will most likely indulge in one or two before autumn comes, but I simply don't have the same craving for a summer S'more as I used to have), I couldn't pass up on the marshmallows. I knew there must be a host of other recipes that call for marshmallows, which do not involve graham crackers.

Luckily, one of my favorite cookie sages, Mrs. Fields, had the perfect recipe.

It's a simple ingredient list, certainly, but as a filled cookie, there are layers of taste that make them quite special. There is the richness of the double dose of chocolate, and the gooey texture of the melted marshmallow, both of which make for a sweet, decadent cookie. When assembling the cookies, it is very important to make sure that the mini marshmallows are entirely wrapped in cookie dough, as they will explode a bit onto the pan if not covered all the way. Even if that happens though, it won't create a major mess: just more of an open-faced marshmallow cookie.

Marshmallow Clouds

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
12 oz. mini semisweet chocolate chips
8 oz. mini marshmallows, frozen

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine sugars. Blend in butter. Add eggs and vanilla and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.
4. Add flour mixture and chocolate chips and blend at very low speed. Batter will be very stiff.
5. Gather 4-5 frozen mini marshmallows in the palm of your hand and enrobe them in the cookie batter, completely covering them and forming a 2-inch ball.
6. Place balls on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes and cool on a wire rack.