Bloodshot Eyeball S'mores Bars

This is a sponsored post by Challenge, but the text and opinions are all mine. Thank you for supporting brands that make Kylee's Kitchen possible!

These s'mores bars may very well be the easiest dessert I've ever made. The graham cracker crust requires one bowl and a spoon for mixing; everything else gets layered in an 8-inch square pan.

S'mores bars would be a delicious dessert for any time of year, but they are especially fun to turn into a spooky treat for Halloween. I'm not sure what made me think to turn marshmallows into bloodshot eyes, but I guess that's where my mind is right now.

I used Wilton Red Sparkle Gel to create the squiggly bloodshot lines, and then I stuck colored candy eyeballs on top. If you can't find the gel, use any type of red icing. You can find candy eyeballs in the baking section of most grocery stores this time of year, but if you have issues finding them, use an M&M or a Spree and draw a little black pupil on the candy with an edible marker.

You could also adapt this recipe for winter and draw snowman faces on the marshmallows.

Because this recipe has so few ingredients, it's important to make sure everything you use is of the best quality. For example, I used Challenge butter because they use fresh, hormone-free milk, and they don't add any unnatural additives which results in a superior product.

Bloodshot Eyeball S'mores Bars

Yield: One 8 x 8-inch dish, about 20 bars

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted Challenge butter, melted
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup (150 grams) all-purpose flour 
• 1 cup (100 grams) graham cracker crumbs 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 king size chocolate bars (milk or dark chocolate, 7 ounces each)
• 20 marshmallows or 10 jumbo marshmallows cut in half
• Wilton Red Sparkle Gel or other cookie icing
• Candy eyes

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit; butter 8 x 8-inch pan and line with parchment paper. Butter parchment paper.
2. Mix butter with brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract. Stir in flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt.
3. Spread evenly into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes on middle rack.
4. Cover top with chocolate bars and return to oven for about 1 to 2 minutes, or until chocolate just starts to melt.
5. Remove from oven and top with marshmallows.
6. Set oven to low broil. Return pan to oven for 1 to 2 minutes or until marshmallows start to turn golden brown. Watch marshmallows carefully to ensure they don't burn.
7. Remove from oven and cool.
8. Decorate marshmallows with red gel in squiggly lines to resemble bloodshot eyes. Place candy eyes in center. Allow icing to set before removing from pan. 
9. Cut into bars and serve.