Gluten-free Cherry S'More Brownies

Yield: 24 brownies

Ingredients

• 1 cup + 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided use
• 1 1/2 cups Gluten Free Graham Style Crumbs
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar , divided
• 1 cup all purpose gluten free flour blend
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder or dried coffee crystals
• 1 (12 ounce) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
• 1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained, blotted dry and cut in half
• 2 cups miniature marshmallows

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan with gluten-free, non-stick cooking spray.
2. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the graham style crumbs with 1/4 cup sugar and the melted butter. Pat firmly into the prepared baking dish covering the bottom with an even layer.
4. Bake for 10 minutes. Leave the oven on.
5. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour blend, baking powder, salt and instant espresso, set aside.
6. Measure 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips and set aside.
7. In a large, microwave or heat safe mixing bowl combine the rest of the chips with the remaining 1 cup butter and microwave for 3 to 3 1/2 minutes or until the butter is totally melted and most of the chips are melted. (Alternately you can melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pot of barely simmering water making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.)
8. Stir the chocolate and butter together until the chocolate is fully melted, the mixture is combined and glossy. Stir in the remaining 1 cup of sugar then the eggs, flour mixture and vanilla extract. Pour the batter over the Graham crust and bake for 20 minutes. Leave oven on.
9. Top the brownie layer evenly with the reserved 1/2 cup of chocolate chips, the chopped walnuts or pecans, drained, dried and halved cherries and the marshmallows.
10. Return to the oven and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out almost clean.
11. Turn on the broiler and broil for just about 30 seconds or so to brown up the marshmallows – watch carefully so they don’t burn. Let cool.
12. Cut into squares.

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: National Cherry Growers Foundation
Recipe developed by Carol Kicinski.