3 Sweet Treat Recipes: Smoked Nova Scotia-Style 6-Star Cookie Bars + Giant Chocolate Chip & Walnut Cookies + Skillet Gingerbread Recipes

Special Thanks to Pitmaster Andrew Plaza for sharing his art of baking on a Yoder Smoker. 

Go ahead and shock your significant other this Holiday Season – Bake up a storm on the grill in your backyard and be the hero this season. Remember your Yoder loves the colder weather.

In case you haven’t seen it, here is a link to our favourite YODER SMOKER.

December’s baking lineup brings the warmth of the holidays to the smoker with three Atlantic-inspired recipes, each elevated by the Yoder YS1500, a gentle kiss of cherry wood smoke, and the subtle depth of BBQ rubs. These festive treats blend classic East Coast comfort with modern outdoor craftsmanship.

First up are the Nova Scotia-Style 6-Star Cookie Bars - a layered indulgence of buttery graham crumbs, sweet coconut, Aero chocolate, and condensed milk. Smoked at 375°F, the bars set into a gooey creation where cherry smoke softens the sweetness and the tiniest sprinkle of warm BBQ rub adds surprising dimension.

Next are the Halifax-Inspired Giant Chocolate Chip & Walnut Cookies, big enough to share but irresistible enough not to. Loaded with chopped walnuts and dark chocolate, these cookies are baked directly on the Yoder. The smoker infuses the dough with a mellow, toasty flavour. The edges crisp beautifully as the centers stay soft and gooey.

Rounding out the month is the Peggy’s Cove-Inspired Skillet Gingerbread Cookie, a rustic holiday showstopper. Ginger, molasses, cloves, and brown sugar blend into a fragrant dough that bakes evenly in the cast-iron skillet. Cherry smoke deepens the spice character, creating a coastal-comfort aroma perfect for winter nights.

These three recipes honour Atlantic Canada’s holiday spirit, transforming traditional sweets into smoky, festive masterpieces straight from my favourite Yoder to my heart – now that’s the spirit of giving.

NOVA SCOTIA STYLE 6 STAR COOKIE BARS

INGREDIENTS: 

• ¼ Cup Butter (melted)
• 2 Cups Graham Crumbs
• 2 Cups Sweetened Coconut
• 14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 6 Whole Aero Chocolate Bars
• 1 tsp Heath Riles Cherry Rub

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Preheat smoker/grill to 350°F
2. While pre-heating grill, prepare an 8x8 pan (line with parchment paper)
3. Add butter, vanilla, cherry rub, sweetened condensed milk into a bowl.
4. Blend together (do not beat!  .. just blend with mixer)
5. Add coconut and graham crumbs
6. With the mixer on low, add the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla
7. Pour mixture into 8x8 pan, and press until flat and into the corners
8. Bake for 30 minutes
9. While the bars are baking, break the Aero chocolate bars into chunks.
10. Remove bars from smoker, and top with Aero chunks
11. Bake for another 10 minutes
12. Remove bars, and use a spatula to spread melted Aero chunks across the top evenly
13. Let bars sit at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate for 2 hours
14. Remove from fridge and cut into squares (or cut into squares prior to placing into the fridge) serve at room temperature.

HALIFAX INSPIRED GIANT CHOCOLATE CHIP AND WALNUT COOKIES

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 Cup Cold Butter (cut into small cubes)
• 1 Cup Brown Sugar
• ½ Cup White Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 1 ½ Cups Cake Flour (if no cake flour, use AP flour)
• 1 ½ Cups AP Flour
• 1 tsp Cornstarch
• ¾ tsp Baking Soda
• ¾ tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Smoke’s Cherry Chipotle BBQ Rub
• 1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 Cups Dark Chocolate Chips (can use semi-sweet like Ghirardelli)
• 1 ½ Cups Crushed Walnuts

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Preheat smoker/grill to 400°F
2. Add a baking matt or parchment paper to a cookie tray or baking sheet
3. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, cream together cold butter, brown sugar and white sugar (roughly 5-6mins) until creamy.
4. Add eggs (one at a time) mixing well after each one
5. Stir in flour(s), cornstarch, baking soda, cherry chipotle BBQ rub and salt.
6. Mix until just combined to avoid overmixing.
7. Stir in Chocolate Chips and Walnuts.
8. Separate dough into large ball and place on your cookie sheet. (should have 4 rolls per sheet, as this makes 8 large cookies)
9. Bake for 12-20 minutes or until golden brown on the top
10. Remove and let rest for at least 20 minutes to set.

PEGGY’S COVE INSPIRED SKILLET GINGERBREAD COOKIE

INGREDIENTS: 

• 2 Tbsp butter softened
• ⅓ Cup White Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Molasses (dark)
• 1 Tbsp egg (beaten)
• ½ Cup AP Flour
• ½ tsp Baking Soda
• ¼ tsp Ground Cinnamon
• ¼ tsp Ground Ginger
• ⅛ tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Prairie Smokie and Spice Maple Candy
• ¼ Cup Toffee Bits

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Preheat smoker/grill to 375°F
2. Coat your Cast Iron Pan with butter so every inch is covered.
3. Cream butter with the back of a spoon in a mixing bowl.
4. Add in sugar and mix until fluffy and combined.
5. Add in molasses and egg. Stir to combine
6. Pour in dry ingredients including flour, salt, maple candy BBQ rub, baking soda, ginger and cinnamon.
7. After dry ingredients are almost incorporated, pour in toffee bits.
8. Form into cast-iron skillet
9. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
10. Allow to cool then transfer to a cooling rack.

Enjoy!   

& Happy Holidays.