Chocolate-Topped Marshmallow Sticks

Halloween. Amara is four and she went as a cook again. Same costume, upgraded: this year Kayla sewed her a real apron with "Amara" embroidered on it, and Devon carved a tiny wooden spoon for her trick-or-treat bucket. The child walked the Thunderbolt neighborhood with the confidence of a Michelin-starred chef at a food festival, knocking on doors and saying, "I'm a COOK." Not trick or treat. "I'm a COOK." She has priorities.

I sat on the porch with candy, same as always. The trick-or-treaters are getting younger or I'm getting older — probably both. A little boy dressed as a dinosaur asked me, "Are you the lady who wrote the book?" His mother, standing on the sidewalk, mouthed "sorry" at me. I said, "Yes, baby, I wrote a book." He said, "My mom reads it to me at bedtime." His mother said, "He likes the shrimp and grits chapter." A child is being read my book at bedtime. A cookbook is a bedtime story. I cannot think of a higher compliment.

I gave the dinosaur extra candy. That's the rule: children who know about your book get extra candy. That's not favoritism. That's marketing.

The wedding planning continues. Kayla showed me fabric samples this week — for the tablecloths at the reception. I said, "Which one goes best with my food?" She said, "Granny, the tablecloth doesn't have to match the food." I said, "In my family it does. The food is the centerpiece. The tablecloth is the frame. You don't put a masterpiece in an ugly frame." She went with the ivory linen. Smart girl.

Made caramel apples and candied pecans. Halloween tradition. The smell of caramel is the smell of October becoming November. The bridge between seasons.

Now go on and feed somebody.

Between the caramel apples and the candied pecans, I always make a batch of chocolate-topped marshmallow sticks to keep on the porch — not for the trick-or-treaters, but for the parents standing on the sidewalk in the cold, doing the hard work of being patient while their little dinosaurs and tiny cooks negotiate candy. That dinosaur boy’s mother deserved something warm and sweet for raising a child who reads cookbooks at bedtime, and these were exactly right: simple enough to make by the dozen, fancy enough to feel like a gift.

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 5 min | Total Time: 20 min + 15 min chill | Servings: 18 sticks

Ingredients

18 large marshmallows
18 lollipop sticks or 6-inch wooden skewers
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon coconut oil or vegetable shortening
1/4 cup orange and black sprinkles, or festive sanding sugar
1/4 cup finely crushed graham crackers (optional)
Pinch of flaky sea salt (optional)

Instructions

Prep the marshmallows. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Push a lollipop stick or skewer into the flat bottom of each marshmallow, pressing firmly until it’s about halfway through. Set on the prepared baking sheet.
Melt the chocolate. Combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until fully melted and smooth — about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes total. Do not overheat.
Dip and coat. Holding each marshmallow by the stick, dip the top two-thirds into the melted chocolate, letting any excess drip back into the bowl. Give it a gentle shake or two to smooth the coating.
Decorate immediately. While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle on your chosen toppings — sprinkles, sanding sugar, crushed graham crackers, or a pinch of flaky sea salt. Work quickly before the chocolate sets.
Chill to set. Stand the sticks upright in a foam block or tall glass, or lay them flat on the parchment-lined sheet. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, until the chocolate is fully firm.
Serve and store. Serve at room temperature. Store in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Nutrition (per serving)

Chocolate-Topped Marshmallow Sticks — The Sweetest Tradition on the Porch