Smores Bars Graham Chocolate

My cousin texted me last summer asking if I could make s'mores for a backyard gathering, but without the mess of an actual campfire. I laughed at first, then realized these bars were exactly what she needed—all the gooey, chocolate-forward nostalgia of roasting marshmallows over flames, except you could eat them with one hand and not get sticky all over your shirt. The first batch came out almost by accident when I was experimenting with layering techniques, and by the time I'd cooled and sliced them, everyone at that gathering forgot about traditional s'mores entirely.

I made these for my sister's book club on a rainy Tuesday night when she panicked about what to serve. She pulled them out of the fridge, cut them into perfect squares, and watched people's faces light up with genuine surprise that homemade s'mores bars could exist. One guest ate three bars and asked for the recipe before she'd even finished her second cup of coffee, which felt like the highest compliment possible.

Ingredients

• Graham cracker crumbs (1 1/2 cups, 180 g): The foundation that holds everything together—pulse whole graham crackers in a food processor or crush them in a sealed bag with a rolling pin if you want to skip the equipment.
• Unsalted butter, melted (1/2 cup, 115 g): This binds the crumb mixture and keeps the crust from being dry; use real butter, not the substitutes, because the flavor matters here.
• Granulated sugar (1/4 cup, 50 g): A small amount adds just enough sweetness to the crust without overwhelming it.
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 1/2 cups, 260 g): The middle layer where all the richness happens; don't skip quality—cheap chocolate chips taste thin and waxy.
• Mini marshmallows (3 cups, 150 g): The star of the show, and mini ones work better than large marshmallows because they toast evenly and don't create air pockets.

Instructions

Prep your pan:

Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8x8-inch pan with parchment paper, letting the edges hang over the sides so you can lift the whole thing out later without any wrestling required.

Build the crust:

Mix graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar in a bowl until it looks like wet sand, then press it firmly into the pan in one even layer—use the bottom of a measuring cup to compress it really well.

Bake the foundation:

Bake the crust for 8 minutes until it sets, then pull it out and immediately scatter chocolate chips across the entire warm surface.

Melt the chocolate:

Return the pan to the oven for just 2 minutes—that's all you need for the chips to soften enough to spread without burning.

Spread and top:

Use a spatula to gently smooth the melted chocolate into an even layer, then scatter mini marshmallows across the top, pressing them down just enough so they stick to the chocolate.

Toast the marshmallows:

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the marshmallows are golden brown and puffed up on top—watch them closely because they can go from perfect to slightly too dark in seconds.

Cool and chill:

Let the bars cool completely in the pan, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing so you get clean cuts instead of a marshmallow-chocolate mess.

Release and slice:

Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the whole block out of the pan, then slice into 16 squares with a sharp knife, wiping it clean between cuts if the chocolate sticks.

Save

There's something deeply satisfying about biting through toasted marshmallow into melted chocolate and buttery cracker at the same time. My neighbor took a single bite at a block party and immediately understood why I keep making these instead of driving to the store for store-bought desserts.

The Secret Behind Perfect Texture

The timing of when you add the chocolate matters far more than you'd think. If you sprinkle chips onto a cold crust, they barely soften; add them to warm crust and they melt into a proper layer in just those two minutes. The marshmallow toasting is equally important—that golden color isn't just pretty, it's the signal that the marshmallows have experienced enough heat to set their structure while still staying soft inside.

Why These Beat Traditional S'mores

No mess, no charred graham crackers, no marshmallows falling into the dirt—these bars deliver the exact same flavor profile with actual control over the outcome. You're not fighting with wooden sticks or adjusting your hand height over flames; you're letting the oven do all the work while you stay completely clean. Plus, you can make them ahead, slice them into perfect portions, and pull them from the fridge whenever you want one without any setup required.

Variations and Personal Touches

Once you've made these once, the door opens for endless tweaks. I've used milk chocolate for extra sweetness, added a tiny pinch of sea salt to the crust layer, and even swapped out half the graham crackers for crushed digestive biscuits when I was out of the real thing. Each version tastes slightly different but maintains that core s'mores magic that makes people go quiet while they're eating.

• Try a sprinkle of sea salt on top of the chocolate before adding marshmallows for an addictive sweet-and-salty thing.
• Crush the graham crackers a little chunkier if you like texture over a smooth layer.
• Serve these slightly warm from the oven if you want maximum gooeyness—straight out of the pan, they're almost decadent.

Save

These bars prove that some of the best desserts are just elevated versions of things we've already loved forever. They're the kind of thing you make once and then can't stop making.

Recipe Questions & Answers

→ What’s the best way to get a crisp crust?

Bake the graham cracker crumb crust alone for 8 minutes before adding the chocolate layer to ensure a firm, crisp base.

→ Can I use a different type of chocolate?

Yes, substituting milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips adjusts sweetness and richness to your preference.

→ How do I get the marshmallows perfectly toasted?

Bake the bars after adding the marshmallows for about 10–12 minutes, until the marshmallows turn a golden brown.

→ Is it necessary to chill the bars before slicing?

Chilling for at least an hour firms up the bars, making slicing cleaner and easier.

→ Can the graham crust be swapped for another base?

Digestive biscuits or similar crumbly cookies can replace graham crackers for a different flavor profile.