Chocolate-Covered Cookie Dough and Marshmallow Bites (No Bake)

Do you ever just crave something sweet, but, at the same time, you're too indecisive to choose exactly what sweet thing you want? Like you can't decide if you want something chewy and sweet like a chocolate chip cookie, something fluffy like a nice warm marshmallow, or maybe something with a little crunch to it. Or is that just me LOL!

Eventually, I realized what was needed to soothe these vicious cravings;

• Something that incorporated both a fluffy, doughy, and "hard" texture
• Something chocolate (because who doesn't like chocolate!)
• Something easy to grab and run off to your next class

After decades on decades of searching for the perfect recipe, -- Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating just a little bit ;) -- the perfect recipe was created. It has a hard outer shell that lets into a gooey and doughy inner body.

Anyway, I'm going to share with you guys this amazing recipe for any indecisive sugar-craver out there like me. It's easy (and even quite fun) to make and it only takes an hour or two to prepare.

Step 1: Ingredients & Tools

Ingredients...

• 6 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 oz cream cheese
• 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (Make sure to heat up the flour in the microwave for at least a minute depending on your microwave!)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup chopped chocolate chips
• 1 cup melted chocolate chips
• 1 cup marshmallows
• Sprinkles (optional)
• Fresh fruit (optional)
• Water

***Make sure to heat up the raw flour in a microwave-safe bowl for at least 1 minute, depending on your microwave, or place it in the oven at 160 degrees F for a minute or two. This is to make sure the bacteria in the flour is eliminated :)

Tools...

• Mixing bowls
• Spatula or wooden spoon
• Tablespoon (cutlery)
• Cupcake/muffin pan
• Flat microwave-safe bowls
• Baking pan
• Baking sheets (optional if the baking pan is nonstick)
• Knife
• Chopping board
• Gloves (optional)

I tried to pick ingredients people probably have lying around their house. But if you don't have some of these, here are some alternatives...

• Cream Cheese - Greek Yogurt
• Vanilla Extract - Maple sugar + Water
• Vanilla Extract - Honey
• Brown Sugar - White sugar + Maple Syrup

Step 2: Combine the Melted Butter and Brown Sugar

In a bowl, fold the brown sugar into the melted butter with a spatula until evenly mixed.

**It's normal for there to be a layer of clear melted butter hovering over the mixed brown sugar!

Step 3: Here Comes the Cream Cheese and Classic Sugar

Plop a square of cream cheese and granulated sugar into the previous mixture.

Mix until well combined, and the dough is a cute, brown color.

**It'll take some muscle to completely combine the cream cheese with the mixture! I suggest a "plopping then smoothing" motion to reduce the time it takes :)

Step 4: It's the Dry Ingredients' Time to Shine

Sift all-purpose flour over the mixture. Then, add a dash of baking soda, a sprinkle of salt, and a splash of vanilla extract.

Mix, mix, mix until you can no longer see any white from the flour and the dough is a nice, creamy brown color.

**If you feel up for it, you can, of course, use your hands to mix in the dough..

**If you feel as if the dough is too dry, try adding a teaspoon or two of water.

Step 5: Visual of the Mixed Dough

Step 6: Chopping the Chocolate

On a chopping board, chop 3/4 cup worth of chocolate chips to about half the original size of the chip.

Don't worry if they're not all equal, they don't have to be. But if you're a perfectionist, knock yourself out! The unevenness of the chocolate chips add a little personality to the cookie dough ;)

**Please, please, please be careful with the knife! This recipe doesn't call for any bleeding thumbs!

Step 7: Now It's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Pour the chopped chocolate chips into the previously made dough. Combine until the chocolate chips are spread evenly throughout the dough.

Step 8: Creating Dough Balls

**Make sure your hands are washed and dry or wear gloves

Collect a little more than a tablespoon amount of dough from the bowl, and roll them into small spherical balls. Place the little dough balls onto a nonstick pan or parchment-lined pan.

Step 9: Flattening the Dough Balls

With a silverware tablespoon, gently flatten the dough balls until they are half the original thickness and circular.

**Make sure the tablespoon is dry to avoid cookie dough from sticking onto the spoon. You may also try dusting the spoon with some flour.

Step 10: Melting the Chocalate

In a separate, microwave-safe, bowl, melt 1 cup of chocolate chips in the microwave for around 120 seconds or until completely melted.

Every 30 seconds, check and stir the chocolate. For the 120-second time span, you should've checked and stirred 4 times.

Step 11: Do the Marshmallow Mash

Pour a cup of mini-marshmallows and 2 teaspoons of water into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 60-seconds.

Every 15 seconds, check and stir the marshmallows. For the 60-second time span, you should've checked and stirred 4 times.

Step 12: Time to Put Everything Together

1. Line the cookie/muffin pan with cupcake/muffin paper
2. Pour in a tablespoon of melted chocolate chips (make sure it covers the bottom of the cupcake paper)
3. Place the flattened cookie dough ball on top of the melted chocolate
4. Pour in 2-4 tablespoons of marshmallows on top of the flattened cookie dough ball (swirl them with a to create a flatter top surface)
5. Add another tablespoon of melted chocolate chips

Repeat steps until no more of the components are left :)

Gently shake the cookie pan to even out the chocolate.

**This is the time to add any sprinkles (or topping of choice) on top of the still melted chocolate if you desire!

**Work with the marshmallow quickly or else it might get stiff and hard to work with!

Step 13: Time to Chill Out

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until top-layer chocolate is hardened.

Step 14: Enjoy; You Deserve It!

Remove the Chocolate-Covered Cookie Dough and Marshmallow Bites from the cupcake paper and enjoy!

I love pairing these with any fresh fruit such as bananas, apples, or strawberries to also incorporate that fruity sweetness as well!

I hope you enjoyed this easy and fun recipe. As I'm typing this, I can smell the chocolatey goodness, and I can't wait to sit back, relax, and eat some of these. You have to try this recipe! You will for sure love them.

**And yes, it is okay to eat the cookie dough without baking them since there are no eggs and the flour has been toasted!