How to Make Award-Winning S’mores Cookies

Featured image: Anna Beth Hubbard Blow

Every summer, the Williamson County Fair draws crowds in from all over Middle Tennessee with its mix of nostalgia and hometown charm—livestock shows, Midway rides, contests, and more.

This year, it was a humble plate of s’mores cookies that stole the show. Crafted by Anna Beth Hubbard Blow—an 8th generation Middle Tennessean—the cookies featured gooey pockets of chocolate, mini marshmallows, and notes of vanilla in every bite. Judges selected the s’mores cookies as the first place winner in the gluten-free cookie category in the Culinary Arts Cookie Competition.

Read our Q&A with Anna Beth on her first place win, plus, see her award-winning recipe below to make your own S’mores Cookies at home!

Have you been baking for a long time or was this a newer venture?

I have been baking for as long as I can remember. Growing up, my mom always let me make a mess in the kitchen and experiment with baking! It started with baking cakes for holiday parties which then evolved into baking cookies.

Is this a recipe you created yourself or adapted from somewhere else?

I researched a lot of different kinds of recipes and pulled ideas to make my own unique recipe. 

Can you describe the cookies for someone who hasn’t tasted them?

The best cookie you have ever eaten, ha! Soft and gooey with a buttery marshmallow and chocolate crunch in every bite. It’s not your ordinary cookie!

What makes your cookies stand out from others?

They are pleasing to the eye. The toppings stand out—the marshmallows, chocolate, and salt are pleasing to the eye.

Are there any unique or unexpected ingredients in your cookies?

Yes! I use organic flour, pasture raised eggs, Irish butter, real vanilla paste, and European chocolate.

Do these cookies have any special meaning to you or your family?

It’s the number one request at every family gathering and birthday party.

What was it like entering the Williamson County Fair Culinary Arts Cookie Competition?

There are multiple categories you can enter and I won first place in the Gluten-Free Cookies category, plus third place in the Oatmeal category with my Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookie recipe! It was good for me to get out of my comfort zone and enter a competition because I didn’t really know what to expect since there were so many people entering their baked goods. It was a lot of fun and I am glad I did it!

Did you expect to win or was it a surprise? And how did you feel when you found out you won first place?

I knew I was going to win because I am very confident in my cookies, ha! I have heard from countless people that they are the best cookies they have ever had and so I was really excited when I found out that I actually did win.

Do you plan to enter more competitions or do anything else with baking in the future? 

I would love to do some more local baking competitions, given the opportunity. I currently sell these cookies (along with Brown Butter Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter, Sprinkle Sugar, Oatmeal Raisin, and Snickerdoodle variations) and I would love to continue growing my business. All of the options can be made Gluten-Free, but you can’t tell the difference from regular cookie batches because they truly look and taste the same. My mom and my grandmother have always been my biggest cheer leaders and one day, my dream is to own my own cookie and ice cream food truck!