This Moon Pie Recipe Is Full of Nostalgic Snack Bliss and Bakes to Sweet Perfection

Feel stress melt away as you’re transported to those lazy, care-free days of your childhood in just one bite — that’s the power of a moon pie! This sweet little taste of summertime as a kid combines graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate into one treat that many consider to be an all-American classic. In fact, moon pies have been around for more than 100 years. Read on to learn about their fun history, then grab your mixer and try our favorite recipe for making moon pies from scratch. They’re not only easy and delicious, they bake up as minis so you can indulge in more than one!

What is a moon pie?

A moon pie traditionally consists of two graham crackers filled with fluffy marshmallow creme and then dipped in chocolate. The standard version of moon pies is covered in chocolate, which adds a decadent touch to this sugary dessert. But the options don’t end there! Bakers have coated them in all sorts of flavors, including salted caramel, banana, vanilla and strawberry.

The history of moon pies

This sandwich-like treat originated in 1917, around the time when Earl Mitchell Sr., a salesman for Chattanooga Bakery in Tennessee, was selling graham crackers to coal miners. During a trip to Kentucky, one coal miner reportedly asked Mitchell to make a snack “as big as the moon.” Taking up this request, Mitchell tasked the bakery with creating a treat that uses their graham crackers along with marshmallow creme and melted chocolate. This snack became known as the “MoonPie” and was an instant hit because they were inexpensive and fit perfectly into a coal miner’s lunch pail.

In the decades to follow, this treat became more commercially available and a favorite among parents who wanted their kids to eat a filling snack. Moon pies not only flooded grocery store shelves, but they gained mainstream popularity thanks to country singer Big Bill Lister’s 1951 song “Gimme an RC Cola and a Moon Pie“.

Does all of this talk about moon pies make you crave one (or few)? Us too! Keep reading for a no-fuss moon pie recipe that’s sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.

A mouthwatering moon pie recipe

Our test kitchen loves cookbook author Christina Lane‘s recipe for Mini Moon Pies. The recipe comes from her cookbook Sweet & Simple. The best part of this recipe is that it yields the right amount of moon pies for snacking and sharing. “Most dessert recipes make enough for eight to 10 people, but I don’t need eight extra slices of cake from tempting me from my fridge,” Lane says. Follow the recipe below to make a DIY version of the snack you’ve known and loved since childhood!

Mini Moon Pies

Ingredients:

• 4 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• 1 Tbs. honey
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp. fine sea salt
• ½ cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
• 1 cup chocolate chips (your favorite kind)
• 1 Tbs. coconut oil
• ¼ cup marshmallow fluff

Directions:

• Yield: 6 pies (1 per serving)

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Using electric mixer on medium speed, beat first 4 ingredients until fluffy. Add salt and flour; beat to combine. Chill 30 minutes.
3. Transfer dough to floured cutting board; sprinkle flour on top. Press into 6-inch square. With 2-inch wide biscuit cutter or rim of juice glass, cut 12 circles. Spread out on prepared baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Let cool.
4. In double broiler over medium heat, melt chocolate chips and coconut oil.
5. Spread bottoms of 6 cookies with one teaspoon marshmallow fluff; sandwich with remaining cookies. Dunk half of each sandwich in chocolate. Chill on wax paper-lined plate 10 minutes before serving.

---

Keep reading for more cookie recipes!

Carrot Cake Cookies Combine 2 Treats in 1 Delicious Bite — Easy 30-Minute Recipe

This Mexican Wedding Cookies Recipe Bakes Up to Buttery, Crumbly + Nutty Perfection

Blueberry Cookie Recipes for Soft + Chewy Summer Treats That Bake in 30 Minutes