S'mores Cups

Happy National S'mores Day! Ok, so it's probably not a national holiday, but I like to pretend everyone gets the day off to enjoy the deliciousness of sugar and carbs. Unfortunately, I don't go camping and I'm nowhere near a bonfire. You aren't either, huh? That's ok, you don't have to in order to eat these mini s'mores cups! My husband said they're the best thing I've ever made and he'd pay to eat them again, they're that crazy good. However, they are the messiest thing I have ever made, from beginning to end. You have been warned.


If you like s'mores, here's what you'll need to make s'mores cups:

* Graham crackers (I used 8 long pieces which probably could have made 10 or 11 mini s'mores but I just made 6)
* 1/2 cup of milk chocolate chips
* Marshmallows (since I made 6 cups, I only needed 3 marshmallows)
* 2 Tablespoons of butter




Start by crushing your graham crackers. Don't have a food processor? Neither do I. I prefer hammers.

Once they're thoroughly crushed, melt your butter and combine the two in a bowl. Here's where the messiness began.

Attempt to pour in the crumbs into your greased up mini muffin tin and make a little divot in each with your fingers. You will most certainly make a mess, but it's ok. Messes are fun. And delicious.

Brush off the excess and stick in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. While they're baking, prepare your chocolate chips and marshmallows. Each cup will get 4 chocolate chips and half of a marshmallow.

Once they're done baking, put 4 chocolate chips in the center and then place your half marshmallow (sticky side down) directly on top of the chocolate chips (which are probably starting to melt).

Stick the pan back in the oven for another 3 minutes. When you take them out, your marshmallows will have grown in size and will be nice and fluffy. Let them cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pan.

Melt your remaining chocolate chips in the microwave for 30-45 seconds, drizzle over the marshmallows, and top with your extra graham cracker crumbs. Warning: you will want to eat these over a plate, a napkin, or something because even eating them will be very messy but oh so gooey and delicious!

Why can't we have more holidays like this?

TOTAL COSTS: About $8 (if you don't have any ingredients - prices from Vons)
$1.67 for marshmallows
$2.50 for graham crackers
$2.50 for chocolate chips
$.99 for butter

TOTAL AMOUNT OF TIME: About 30 minutes

EASY-PEASY SCALE (1 super easy - 5 very difficult): 2 out of 5
I wouldn't say they're difficult, they're just very messy. Be careful not to burn the cracker crusts, or burn the chocolate while it's melting in the microwave. Other than that, they're easy enough and, dare I say, more delicious than a conventional s'more!

DIY Brown Sugar

Ok, why didn't anyone tell me how easy it was to make brown sugar?! I'm passing this along to you so hopefully you never have a baking emergency where you need brown sugar and think you don't have any on hand. All it takes is two ingredients: sugar and molasses. That's it. I thought there was more to it but nope, that's everything. For every 1 cup of sugar, you need 1 1/2 Tablespoons of molasses. So for example, 3 cups of sugar equals 4 1/2 Tablespoons of molasses.

Add the molasses to the sugar and using a hand mixer or spatula, mix thoroughly.

Note that there will be clumps of molasses so you have to mix and mix and mix. I spent 6 minutes using the hand mixer and 2 minutes using a spatula, just to get it all combined.

Put the brown sugar into an airtight container.

I've heard if you put a marshmallow in the same container as the brown sugar, it will keep it from clumping. I don't know if that's true or not but you're free to add one, if you like. If you do, let me know how it works for you!

TOTAL COSTS: About $7 to make as much as you want!

$4.19 for molasses

$2.69 for sugar

TOTAL AMOUNT OF TIME: Less than 10 minutes

EASY-PEASY SCALE (1 super easy - 5 very difficult): 1 out of 5

Whoever says this isn't the easiest thing to do is either lazy or is adding a step that isn't necessary. It tastes just like store-bought brown sugar!... or... so I've been told... excuse me, I have to go make a dentist appointment now...