Desserts
Moon Pies
For your Mardi Gras dessert, ditch the king cake and go with a popular New Orleans throw, Moon Pies. Once you try this homemade version, you’ll toss out the original. Sandwich billowy marshmallow between two crisp graham cookies, then dip in chocolate — yes, please!
Be sure to check out our video for step-by-step instructions on How To Make Moon Pies.
Ingredients
FOR THE COOKIES, WHISK:
CREAM:
FOR THE MARSHMALLOW, SPRINKLE:
FOR THE CHOCOLATE COATING, MELT:
Make-Ahead Tip
Moon pies can be made in stages:
Day 1: Bake the cookies.
Day 2: Make the marshmallow & assemble.
Instructions
For the cookies, whisk together graham crumbs, flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
Cream butter, brown sugar, syrup, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth. Add crumb mixture and mix on low just until combined; slowly add milk and mix until dough comes together.
Divide dough in half; shape each into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350°. Line baking sheets with parchment.
Roll dough halves between two sheets of parchment to ⅛-inch thick.
Cut cookies using a 2½-inch-round cutter; reroll scraps once. (If dough starts to feel warm, refrigerate between rolling and cutting.) Place cookies on prepared baking sheets spaced 2 inches apart.
Bake cookies until bottoms are golden brown and tops are set, 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool completely.
For the marshmallow, sprinkle gelatin over ¼ cup cold water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Boil sugar, corn syrup, ¼ cup water, and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat until mixture registers 240° on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes; immediately remove from heat.
With mixer on low speed, slowly drizzle syrup down the side of mixer bowl into gelatin mixture. Once all the syrup is added, gradually increase speed to high. Whip sugar mixture until billowy and lukewarm, about 6 minutes more; add vanilla during the last minute of whipping.
Flip half the cooled cookies over, top each with 2 Tbsp. marshmallow, then top with remaining cookies, pressing until marshmallow reaches the edges; chill 15 minutes.
For the chocolate coating, melt chocolate in a double boiler over low heat, stirring until smooth. Line baking sheets with parchment.
Dip cookies in chocolate using two forks. Tap forks holding the cookie on the edge of the bowl to thin the coating, then scrape excess chocolate from beneath forks on lip of bowl, and place cookies on prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with jimmies if desired.
Chill cookies until chocolate sets. Store cookies in the refrigerator
Check out our video! To see the entire process in action with step-by-step instructions, watch our How To Make Moon Pies video.
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional Facts
Per cookie
Calories: 292
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 20%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Cholesterol 21mg 7%
Sodium 200mg 8%
Carbs 43g 14%
Protein 3g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.