Summer evenings around the fire pit or campfire just beg for s’mores. The warm, gooey treat was first noted in a 1927 Girl Scout guidebook, and it’s been a favorite ever since.
A traditional s’more starts with a large marshmallow toasted to golden perfection over a fire. Then it’s sandwiched between two graham crackers and a slab of chocolate. If you want to up your s’mores game this summer, try these variations.
Next Level S’mores
Sure, the original is delicious, but the kids will love getting creative with fun add-ons and swaps, Here are some ideas:
- Replace the graham crackers with: Oreos, chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies; really, any cookies of your choice.
- Swap the chocolate bar with: Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme candy bar, Mr. Goodbar, Krackel candy bar, a peanut butter cup, Almond Joy, a smear of peanut butter, or any other meltable candy bar.
- Add some extras: Roll the sides of a finished s’more in mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts, granola, sprinkles, raisins, or gummy bears. Or add sliced bananas, kiwi, or strawberries inside the s’more.
Protect the Wildlife
Vegans can enjoy s’mores, too. Dandies all-natural marshmallows are free of any animal products and taste just as delicious as—some of our tasters thought even better than—the traditional. Combine them with Nabisco original graham crackers (also vegan!), and a vegan chocolate bar—both Chocolove and Endangered Species carry vegan chocolate bars—for a totally animal-free treat.
Fire Ban
While it seems that you can’t have a campfire without s’mores, you can have s’mores without a campfire. To make them during fire bans, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place graham cracker halves on a cookie sheet and top each one with a slab of chocolate and a large marshmallow. Bake in the oven until the marshmallows start to puff and brown slightly. This won’t take long—just a couple minutes—so watch closely. Remove from the oven and top each with a second graham cracker. Smoosh gently and eat.
