Graham Cracker Houses & S’mores Bars

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In our home, gingerbread houses (graham cracker houses) are made to be eaten.  I mean, who wants to torture kids by asking them to play with cookies, icing and candy and then tell them – “Don’t eat it! It’s just for decoration!”

Try that, and you’ll have some angry monsters on your hands. Besides, I don’t know about you, but I’d prefer not to have food out for days on end.  Can you say “welcome home” to all of the ants that need a warm place to stay for winter?

Yeah, no thanks.

When you take out the “decoration” component out of the graham cracker house activity, the pressure for perfection goes with it.  The only things left that matter: Taste and FUN!


Which is why this year we turned down the “fancy” gingerbread house kits and went with some of my boys’ favorite ingredients available at at Walmart: Honey Maid Graham Crackers, some Skippy Peanut Butter, and all of their favorite candies.  Oh yeah….

I’m not sure these creations even merit a blow-by-blow tutorial, but just in case, here’s what you do:

1- set out your decorating candies in trays to make it easy for peanut butter covered hands to grab

2 – coat a tissue box or shoe box with Skippy Peanut Butter which will act as your glue

3 – slap on some Honey Maid Graham Crackers for your siding

4 – create a lean-to roof, or for simplicity’s sake, go flat-roofed.  Gingerbread trailer? 🙂


5 – decorate with candies dipped in peanut butter!

6 – Bon Appetit!  Hands not necessary.  I mean…. why bother?

Leftover supplies?  Hurray!  Whip up these Peanut Butter S’mores Bars!  These super easy (and super addictive!) bars incorporate your graham crackers, peanut butter, marshmallows, and chocolate candies into one ooey-gooey bar, which I think is the perfect blend of Peanut Butter Cup meets S’mores.

To make the dough, you’ll need to pulse about 12 “full sheet” graham crackers in a food processor. When I made them, I pulled off some of the undecorated panels from the graham cracker houses! They had some peanut butter, but who cares?

After you schmoosh 2/3 of the dough into the pan, add in your candies. We used up the chocolate chips, and all of our chocolate flavored candies, then topped with a half cup of warmed peanut butter, and a bag o’ mini marshmallows.

Seal it with your remaining bit of dough (precision not necessary), bake and be sure to bring to room temp before cutting!

Peanut Butter S'mores Bars

A great recipe to make post-Gingerbread house building. Mix and match your favorite candies!

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Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup sugar, packed
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 Honey Maid graham crackers, pulsed into crumbs
• 4 full-size chocolate bars, divided into chunks
• assorted candies and chocolate chips (approx. 1 cup)
• 1 bag of mini marshmallows
• 1 cup Skippy peanut butter

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper.
2. Beat the butter and sugars until fluffy, then add in egg and vanilla. Mix well. Add in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat in the graham crackers.
3. Press two-thirds of the dough into the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle on the chocolates and candy. Warm the peanut butter for 30 seconds in the microwave then pour over top. Add the marshmallows.
4. Between two sheets of wax paper, roll out the remaining dough to fit the top of the dish. Gently transfer and press down on top of candy mixutre.
5. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown on top. Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.

Save $0.50 when you buy one (1) Honey Maid Grahams (12.2 oz. or larger). Looking for more great graham cracker snacks? Check out Honey Maid on instagram!