For some reason I equate Valentine’s Day with cookie butter.
This of course, can be a beautiful thing. Especially when cookie butter truffle cups are involved or in this case, a smore’s concoction comes about.
Over the years, smore’s were never really my thing. The graham crackers, chocolate and melty appeal…I totally get. But the marshmallow aspect always threw me off. As a kid, it was fun to roast smore’s by the campfire but that’s just it. I enjoyed the activity of it but always felt the damn marshmallows got in the way of my melty chocolate cravings.
Now that I’m older and wiser, my palate is open to all the foods. Mainly foods that revolve around dessert. I mean what type of homemade baked good is one suppose to reject? How can we not all try one bite to test our senses? Never discriminate with desserts. Never.
So smore’s are making a comeback in my life. They seem to be so much better with the addition of peanut butter.
In this case, cookie butter but you catch my drift. They needed a little extra va va voom and cookie butter got the job done perfectly.
I am not going to sit and tell you these bars are healthy. They are packed with copious amounts of cookie butter, chocolate and mini marshmallows…BUT they are probably healthier than any store-bought candy bar you’re contemplating. The ingredient list is short and packed with healthy things like oat flour and unsweetened apple sauce.
See, I give you sinly dessert temptation but I also give you a little added fiber. Balance.
Plus it’s Valentines month. Wether you’re single and ready to mingle or cuddling with your sweetie every night, desserts are a must. I don’t like to equate February 14th as a lovey dovey relationship holiday. It equates to rich chocolate, champagne and laughing with someone you adore (boyfriend, husband, best friend or puppies).
It’s an excuse to show appreciation and by appreciation I mean make some triple layer cookie butter smore’s bars. DO IT!
Triple Layer Cookie Butter Smore’s Bars
Ingredients
Bottom Layer
- 1 cup oat flour (rolled oats blended into flour)
- 1 cup graham flour (graham crackers blended into flour)*
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Sea salt to taste
- 1/2 cup cookie butter
- 1/4 cup apple sauce (I used unsweetened)
Marshmallow Middle Layer
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chunks
- 1/4 cup cookie butter
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
Topping
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped graham crackers
- Melted cookie butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit. Line an 8×8 baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl combine your bottom layer dry ingredients. In a seperate bowl, whisk together your cookie butter and apple sauce with a fork until fully blended. Pour into dry ingredients and stir until a dough forms. Press dough down evenly onto your baking tray and set aside.
- In a microwave safe bowl melt together your dark chocolate chunks and cookie butter from the middle layer ingredients. Do this in 30 second increments, it should be done after about a minute. Stir and pour over your bottome layer so it evenly covers. Spread marshmallows over the melted chocolate.
- Add crushed graham crackers to the top of the mellows and bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Once done, allow to coole for atleast 30 minutes before cutting into squares. You need to allow time for the bars to set completely. You can dive into these sooner but it will just be gooey, and super delicious.
- Drizzle melted cookie butter over bars and serve!
Notes
Makes 9 large squares. You can cut them smaller if you prefer.
Bars stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
*For the graham flour, I simple blended graham crackers until a flour formed. This barely took 15 seconds. I used Annie’s Homegrown Honey Bunnygrahams.