An Easter Twist on a Firepit Tradition
Through the years, as we've grown and started our own families, we've gathered and developed new traditions. With the arrival of children, neices and nephews, comes the advent of new and fun traditions that the whole family can participate in. One such tradition is a campfire after Easter dinner- with a twist. Rather than using plain marshmallows to make s'mores, my sister-in-law started the tradition of roasting peeps. Offered just in the spring time, these offer a special and sweet treat that we all look forward to every year.
AN IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE
The sugar coating on peeps make them extra sweet and delicious when roasted, but it also will burn you if you accidentally touch them. Make sure the peeps cools completely before touching it after cooking or use a graham cracker to take peeps off the skewer. Adults should remove peeps from the skewer for kids.
You Will Need:
Wood and other firestarter supplies
Skewers
Peeps
Optional
Graham Crackers
Chocolate
Ritz Crackers or Pretzel Thins
Oreos
Popcorn
Salt
Butter
To start
Start your fire off in a firepit or fireplace with a nice neutral base, like our hardwood mix selection. While all hardwoods are safe to cook over (and use inside), we'd advise the hardwood mix for this one, as it will offer a more neutral flavor to cook over rather than oak or hickory. Pine is not usually considered safe to cook with (and NEVER safe to use inside), and will provide a very distinctive and smokey flavor that should be avoided. Cedar is also not safe to cook with.
Once your fire is nice and hot, add a peep to the end of your skewer. Roast it just like you would a marshmallow (though we don't recommend letting it catch on fire). When it's done, the peep will be lightly toasted and crunchy. Because of the sugar coating on the outside reacting to the heat, the roasted peep will also be slightly carmelized and super sweet!
Some tips
Peeps expand more than marshallows do over the heat, so don't overcook it, or it may melt off your skewer.
Because of how they expand, for smaller bases (like ritz crackers), one peep can be split between two smores.
Peeps cook more quickly than traditional marshmallows!
Beause they are very sweet, a roasted peep doesn't necessarily need any toppings like traditional s'mores. But if you're a kid (or an adult) with a sweet tooth, peep s'mores are sugar Heaven. Check out some ideas below.
Traditional Peep Smore:
Roasted Peep
Graham Craker
Chocolate Square
It's just like a traditional s'more. Roast your peep, stack on graham cracker with a few squares of chocolate. Enjoy.
For a nutty twist, use almond hersheys or add a thin layer of peanut butter to the graham crackers.
Salty Smores:
Roasted Peep
Ritz cracker or pretzel thin
Who doesn't love a salty sweet combination? After roasting your peep, add it to a Ritz cracker or pretzel thin. We thought the sweet/salty balance was right without needing to add any chocolate.
Because the Ritz offer a smaller bases, we found that the peep was able to be split between two different s'mores.
If using pretzels, be mindful of the holes in the pretzels that a hot peep might drip through!
The perfect salty/ sweet combo!
Popcorn Peeps:
Air popped or microwave popcorn
Salt
Butter
Rosted Peep
Pop your popcorn by your method of choosing. Salt and butter to preference and let cool. Set to side in a small bowl
Roast the peep. While it is still hot, use a non-conductive utensil to remove it from the skewer and put it in the popcorn bowl.
Mix the still-hot peep and popcorn together. It should stick together in a popcorn ball shape! Let cool completely before enjoying.
The perfect peep for movie nights!
Chocolate Peeps:
Oreos
Peeps
Chocolate Square
Separate both sides of the oreo. Scrape off the filling or leave it on for extra sweetness.
Roast peep. Add it to the oreo cookie sides (with or without a piece of chocolate). Like the Ritz, oreos provide a small base that mean peeps can be split between two s'mores.
Chocolate peeps to exist for those interested in maximum chocolaty-ness!
Enjoy!
*Special thanks to the Fitzpatricks for starting this Easter tradition in our family!
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