S'mores Bars are a delicious twist on the classic campfire dessert. With delicious layers of graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows, these bars are chewy, gooey, and nostalgic.
This layered dessert is a lot easier to make than it looks. Spend 25 minutes of hands on prep for 16 delicious s’mores bars. Plus, no campfire required! Serve for any occasion — whether you are hosting a summer party, looking for a movie snack, or simply craving something sweet.
Why You'll Love these S’mores Bars
- Classic s’mores flavor in bar form. S’mores are an iconic American dessert made with 3 classic ingredients — a gooey roasted marshmallow sandwiched in between 2 graham crackers with rich chocolate. These bars have all the same flavors but in a convenient bar form!
- Easy to customize. Want to play around with some different ingredients and customize these s’mores bars? You can easily do so by topping these bars toasted coconut, nuts, or caramel. See our Recipe Variations below for more ideas.
- Everyone loves them. It is so much fun (and pretty easy!) to make these chocolate marshmallow bars — especially as a fun family activity that the kids can help with. Enjoy them in the summer months during camping season or all year round.
Ingredient Notes
To make these delicious S’mores Bars, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
Graham cracker base
- Graham cracker crumbs - You can also make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free Graham crackers for the crust.
- butter - use unsalted butter if you can. Otherwise, you can use salted butter, but the resulting s’mores bars will be a little saltier than normal.
- white sugar - you can substitute this with coconut sugar or your favorite granulated sugar alternative like Swerve or stevia.
Chocolate ganache
- semi-sweet chocolate - you can substitute with other chocolates such as milk, white, or dark chocolate. Note that milk and white chocolate add a lot of sweetness, so it will make the cookies sweeter.
- heavy cream - I don’t recommend substituting this with half and half or whole milk. The ganache won’t set the same and could cause the bars to be runnier than you’d like.
Marshmallow topping
- mini marshmallows - you can use full-size marshmallows if you need to, but try to cut them in quarters to help them melt evenly.
- milk chocolate (optional) - feel free to add extra milk chocolate (such as broken pieces of chocolate from Hershey’s chocolate bars) or milk chocolate chips on top.
- graham cracker (optional) - you can also add a crushed cracker on top.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, and an 8-inch square pan or 9-inch square pan.
How to Make the Best S’mores Bars
First, make the graham cracker base.
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare an 8-inch square pan or a 9-inch square pan with two sheets of parchment paper, leaving an overhang on each side for easy lifting.
- Combine ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, add graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Mix well with a fork until well combined.
- Transfer. Transfer the mixture into the prepared pan. Use a flat bottomed measuring cup and press into the pan to create a packed, even layer.
- Bake. Place into a oven to bake for 14 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to just barely warm.
Next, make the chocolate ganache layer.
- Make ganache. In a medium mixing bowl, add the chopped chocolate and heavy cream. Place the bowl into the microwave and microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until fully melted and smooth.
- Add layer to bars. Immediately pour the chocolate over the slightly cooled down graham cracker base.
- Chill. Place into the fridge for 1-2 hours to set.
Finally, add the marshmallow topping.
- Add toppings. When the chocolate ganache is mostly set (slightly soft is okay), remove from the fridge and add the marshmallows on top. If using, add the milk chocolate pieces, graham cracker pieces, and milk chocolate chips on top.
- Bake. Place into a 400°F preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes, until marshmallows are toasty. Remove from the oven and allow the bars to fully cool to room temperature (about 1 hour) before slicing with a warm knife.
Recipe Variations
- Customize the toppings. We like to add extra chocolate and crackers on top of the marshmallow layer. Feel free to substitute with your favorite toppings such as toasted coconut, nuts, dried fruit, or m&m’s.
- Add caramel and nuts. Drizzle caramel sauce over your finished S’mores Bars (try our Salted Caramel Sauce!) and sprinkle with chopped pecans or walnuts. Perfect for fall!
- Add peanut butter. Add a layer of peanut butter in between the graham cracker crust and the chocolate ganache layer. Top with chopped peanuts for extra crunch, if desired.
- Give it a Nutella twist. Switch out the chocolate ganache later with a layer of Nutella instead.
How to Serve
Serve these S’mores Bars as a dessert on it’s own or paired with other treats or drinks as part of a dessert spread such as:
- Vanilla Ice Cream
- White Hot Chocolate
- Oreo Truffles (Cookie Balls)
- Strawberry Milk Tea
- Funnel Cake
- Iced Latte
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Line the baking pan. To make it easier to remove the bars, line your baking pan with 2 pieces of parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides to use an handles to lift.
- Press the crust firmly. When preparing the graham cracker crust, use the back of a measuring cup or any hard, flat surface to press it down evenly and firmly into the bottom of the pan. This will form a packed crust that will be a stable base for the other 2 layers.
- Use a warm knife to slice. For the best clean cuts, dip your knife into hot water to warm it up, then wipe it dry, and cut the bars. Repeat for each cut. This will create bars with smooth edges.
- Toast the marshmallows. Once baked, the marshmallows should be nice and toasty. For an even more toasty effect, you can place the pan under the broiler for one minute until golden brown. Keep a close eye on them because they can burn quickly. You can also use a kitchen torch to toast the topping.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
How to Store
Allow the S’mores Bars to cool completely to room temperature. Then, transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or up to 7 days in the fridge.
How to Freeze
Allow the bars to cool to room temperature, then slice into individual portions and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Freeze for 1-2 hours until hard. Then, wrap each piece tightly in plastic cling wrap and then place in an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the entire dessert without slicing. Wrap tightly in plastic cling wrap and double wrap in aluminum foil. Place in the fridge overnight to thaw before serving.
More Bar Recipes
- Oreo Brownies
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- M&M Cookie Bars
- Sugar Cookie Bars
- Pecan Pie Bars
- Flourless Banana Brownies
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Recipe
S'mores Bars
- Total Time: 3 hours 54 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
S'mores Bars are a delicious twist on the classic campfire dessert. With delicious layers of graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows, these bars are chewy, gooey, and nostalgic.
Ingredients
For the graham cracker base:
- 1 ½ cups (180 grams) Graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons (25 grams) white sugar
- 5 tbsp (70 grams) unsalted butter, melted
For the chocolate ganache:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- ½ cup (113 grams) heavy cream
For the marshmallow topping:
- 2 ½ cups (125 grams) mini marshmallows
- 1.75 ounces (50 grams) milk chocolate bar, pieces broken (optional, for decoration)
- 1 Graham cracker, broken up into pieces (optional, for decoration)
- ¼ cup (42 grams) milk chocolate chips (optional, for decoration)
Instructions
Make the graham cracker base:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare an 8-inch square pan or a 9-inch square pan with two sheets of parchment paper, leaving an overhang on each side for easy lifting.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Mix well with a fork until well combined.
- Transfer the mixture into the prepared pan. Use a flat bottomed measuring cup and press into the pan to create a packed, even layer.
- Place into the oven to bake for 14 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to just barely warm.
Make the chocolate ganache layer:
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the chopped chocolate and heavy cream.
- Place the bowl into the microwave and microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until fully melted and smooth.
- Immediately pour the chocolate over the slightly cooled down graham cracker base.
- Place into the fridge for 1-2 hours to set.
Add the marshmallow topping:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- When the chocolate ganache is mostly set (slightly soft is okay), remove from the fridge and add the marshmallows on top.
- Optional: If using, add the milk chocolate pieces, graham cracker pieces, and milk chocolate chips on top.
- Place into the preheated oven to bake for 10 minutes, until marshmallows are toasty. Remove from the oven and allow the bars to fully cool to room temperature (about 1 hour) before slicing with a warm knife.
Notes
How to store: Allow the S’mores Bars to cool completely to room temperature. Then, transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or up to 7 days in the fridge.
How to freeze: Allow the bars to cool to room temperature, then slice into individual portions and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Freeze for 1-2 hours until hard. Then, wrap each piece tightly in plastic cling wrap and then place in an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the entire dessert without slicing. Wrap tightly in plastic cling wrap and double wrap in aluminum foil. Place in the fridge overnight to thaw before serving.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Rest Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 24 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
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