Homemade Mallomar Bars

Bite through the crunchy buttery graham cracker, the silky marshmallow, and the dark chocolate, and you just might find yourself muttering "Nabisco who?"

Four homemade Mallomar bars on a wood cutting board.
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Serious Eats / Yvonne Ruperti

Why It Works

  • These bars are no-bake, making them both easy to make and perfect for any time you don't want to turn on your oven.
  • Mallomars are only produced during the winter, so our recipe lets you have them any time of year.

In 2013 Nabisco's Mallomar cookies celebrated their 100th anniversary, which is a pretty amazing run if you ask me. It's crazy to think that a cookie has been able to stay popular for so long, but for many New Yorkers (where almost 3/4 of the stock are sold), it's easy to see why. This cookie is irresistible.

A Regional Treat Everyone Should Know

If you've never had the pleasure, let me explain the Mallomar awesomeness: it consists of a round graham cracker cookie topped with a dollop of creamy marshmallow, all of which is enrobed with a hard dark chocolate coating. It's decadent and rich, but still light enough to not make you feel sick or guilty if you inadvertently pop down half a package of the little chocolate marshmallow buttons (not that I've ever done that). And it's not just New Yorkers who crave a s'more-like pillow-y cookie. Mallomar-type marshmallow chocolate cookies pop up all over the globe, with the Canadian Whippet, New Zealand MallowPuff, Israeli Krembo, the tall German Schokokuss, or the prim Tunnock's Teacake from Scotland.

Bite through the crunchy buttery graham cracker, the silky vanilla marshmallow, and the deep dark chocolate, and you just might find yourself muttering "Nabisco who?"

I've been a huge fan my entire life, so when I had my bakery, I had to put a homemade version on the menu. The only problem was that it would have been ridiculously time consuming for me to make these cookies. Hand dip each one? Not unless I wanted to charge $5 a cookie. I decided to compromise by turning the components of my beloved Mallomar into an assemble-in-the-pan bar cookie instead. It was so easy to do that I was able to have my mallomar bars on the menu all the time.

Tips for Mallomar Success

To get the graham cookie crust, I whipped up a basic cheesecake crust mixture of crushed graham cracker crumbs and melted butter, then pressed it into a pan. Next, I whipped up a big bowl of fluffy marshmallow to pour over the base and let set. Finally, a rich slick of chocolate ganache is spread over the top. No baking is required so these bars are ideal for summer. How easy is that? Certainly easier than waiting for the next yearly batch from Nabisco to magically arrive in the stores (they're only produced during the winter months, but you New Yorkers knew that already didn't you?). Bite through the crunchy buttery graham cracker, the silky vanilla marshmallow, and the deep dark chocolate, and you just might find yourself muttering "Nabisco who?"

May 2012

Recipe Details

Homemade Mallomar Bars

Active 30 mins
Total 90 mins
Serves 24 mallomars

Ingredients

For the Base:

  • 10 ounces crushed graham cracker crumbs

  • 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

For the Marshmallow Layer:

  • 4 teaspoons gelatin

  • 1/2 cup water, divided

  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup, divided

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (about 9 ounces) granulated sugar

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Topping:

  • 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions

  1. In large bowl, stir graham crumbs and butter until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press firmly into bottom of 9- by 13-inch pan; set aside. Place 1/4 cup water in small bowl and sprinkle gelatin over top. Let sit at least 5 minutes to soften.

  2. Place 1/4 cup corn syrup in standing mixer bowl. Stir remaining 1/4 cup corn syrup, remaining 1/4 cup water, and sugar in medium saucepan over medium-high heat until dissolved. Continue to cook, without stirring, until mixture registers 240°F on an instant read thermometer.

  3. Immediately pour hot syrup into mixer bowl and add softened gelatin and vanilla. Turn mixer to medium speed and beat until combined, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium high and beat until light and fluffy, about 8 minutes.

  4. Pour marshmallow over graham cracker base and smooth top with offset spatula. Chill until set, about 30 minutes.

  5. Place chocolate in medium bowl. In small saucepan, heat cream until simmering and pour over chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Pour over marshmallow and chill until chocolate is set, about 15 minutes. Cut 4 rows vertically and 6 horizontally, to create 24 squares.

Special Equipment

9- by 13-inch pan, stand mixer or hand mixer with whip attachment, instant-read thermometer

Notes

Avoid overwhipping the marshmallow or it will cool prematurely and begin to set before you pour it into the pan, making it difficult to make smooth. Use a hot, wet knife to cut the bars.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
212 Calories
11g Fat
27g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories 212
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 6g 32%
Cholesterol 21mg 7%
Sodium 63mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 27g 10%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 19g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 20mg 2%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 66mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)