No one is sure where the tradition began, but one of the first places a recipe appeared was in 1927 in a Girl Scout campfire building guide. Since then, there have been many iterations, but the standard continues to be a toasty graham cracker, chocolate, and marshmallow-layered concoction. Though we all love the original, this year, we encourage you to break outside of the dessert box and try something with a unique, delicious spin.

Indoor S’mores

Part of the fun of s’mores is huddling up next to a blazing fire, but some nights are just too cold or wet to venture outside. Enter Indoor S’mores, which provide you with all the gooey deliciousness you crave without the biting snap of wind.

• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 8 large marshmallows
• Graham crackers for dipping

You simply fill your cast iron skillet with chocolate chips, top them with marshmallow halves, and then bake at 450 degrees for around 8 minutes or until the marshmallows turn a delicious golden brown. Gather around the skillet and scoop with graham crackers. You can still huddle under your blanket by the family room fire for authenticity!

S’More Sandwich Cookies

Everyone loves cookies, especially around the holidays. These s’mores cookies offer you tradition mixed with a dash of unique. They incorporate graham cracker crumbs and utilize a marshmallow filling to blend the best of the cookie and s’more worlds.

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 20 squares)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 24 to 28 large marshmallows

Mix the wet ingredients and then add the dry, ending with the chocolate chips before popping them into the oven at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. After the cookies are done, add marshmallows and finish off the treats in the microwave.

S’mores Pie

It’s hard to resist a decadent holiday pie. This recipe for S’mores Pie will have you going back for seconds or even thirds.

• 1 stick softened butter
• 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 whole egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs

• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 7 ounces marshmallow creme
• 8 whole Hershey’s bars
• 1 cup marshmallows
• 1/4 cups chocolate chips

At Neighbors Emergency Center, we’re dedicated to providing quality 24 hour emergency care in Houston and Austin, and to giving back to the community. We’re always looking at ways to keep being the best neighbors ever!

Don’t worry – they don’t involve flax seed or wheat germ, but they are healthier substitutes for many Halloween candy staples.

All you do is bind the kiss and the wafer with a little frosting (or cream cheese if you like) and do the same with the wafer and the chocolate chip! You can even substitute caramel, peanut butter, or butterscotch chips if you want!

If you’re looking for a snack that’s full of flavor, but lower on calories, try some spiced pumpkin-raisin cookies! You can even substitute stevia for the raw sugar. If you’re not a raisin fan, try these apple cup crisps for a festive, one bite snack! Remember that substitute applesauce for butter trick we mentioned before? Well, you can do it here, too!

As pictured at the beginning of the article, you can make witch’s broomsticks (or “Sorcerer’s Apprentice brooms) very easily! All you need is cheese sticks, pretzel sticks, and some chives. You cut the cheese sticks into thirds and then slice “straws” into the ends of the cheese. Then, you stick that on the tip of the pretzel and tie a fresh chive around the top of the cheese for more authenticity!

You’ll easily tackle any Halloween sweet tooth with these snacks and bites. For spookier options, check out these other great and simple recipes for even more creative alternatives to ordinary Halloween candy.