A good campfire s'more has a texture you can't fake: marshmallow that pulls into strings, chocolate that's barely melted, the whole delicious thing falling apart. These Baked S'mores Bars get close because of one ingredient: marshmallow creme. Tuck it in under the mini marshmallows and the center stays soft and gooey for days, not just fresh out of the oven.
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Why This One Works
It's the marshmallow creme that keeps the center gooey, not the mini marshmallows on top. Marshmallows alone tend to melt into the crust or firm back up as they cool, but the creme stays soft and pull-apart two days later, not just twenty minutes out of the oven.
This is my go-to when a summer storm cancels the bonfire (which happens more than I'd like in Minnesota). It cuts into neat squares, no fork or plate required, which is what I grab for a potluck.
These take about 40 minutes start to finish, and they need to cool completely before you cut them, or the filling pulls apart with the knife.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Graham cracker crumbs are the backbone flavor here. Buying a box of pre-crushed crumbs instead of crushing whole crackers yourself is a real time-saver and doesn't change the result. I've done it both ways.
- Butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla turn the crumbs into a real cookie-style crust instead of a loose crumb base, so it actually holds together when you cut it.
- Flour and salt give the crust structure and keep the sweetness of the chocolate and marshmallow layers from running away with the whole bar.
- Milk chocolate chips give you the classic Hershey's-bar flavor of a fireside s'more. If you want it less sweet, dark or semisweet chocolate works in its place. I've tested both and they hold up fine.
- Marshmallow creme is what actually makes these different from a bar that's just chocolate and marshmallows piled on a crust. It holds moisture, so the center stays soft instead of setting up hard as it cools. You can skip it and use extra mini marshmallows instead, but the texture won't be as gooey. I've tried it, and it's a fine bar, just a different one.
- Mini marshmallows on top give you the toasted, golden look and a little of that classic marshmallow chew, layered right over the creme.
- Tested gluten-free swap: a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of the flour, plus gluten-free graham crackers. Both are easy to find at a regular grocery store, and the bars come out the same.
How to Make Gooey Baked S'mores Bars
- Beat the butter, sugar, egg and vanilla until fluffy, then mix in the graham crumbs, flour and salt. The mixture will look like wet sand.
- Set aside about a cup of the crust mixture and press the rest into the lined and greased pan.
- Layer chocolate chips over the crust and dot with marshmallow creme.
- Spread the creme, then evenly sprinkle mini marshmallows and the reserved crumb mixture over the top. Bake until the marshmallows are lightly golden.
Before You Make This
Line and grease the pan before you do anything else. Marshmallow creme sticks to everything like crazy, and it makes these bars really want to stick to the pan. A foil sling, with extra hanging over the sides, lets you lift the whole pan of bars out in one piece instead of digging squares out one at a time.
Keep your spreading tool clean and warm. Run a spoon or offset spatula under hot water, wipe dry and use it to spread the marshmallow creme. Clean off and repeat as needed to keep the creme pliable enough to spread into an even-ish layer.
Cool completely, then cut with a warm knife. The filling's still soft and shifting straight out of the oven, and cutting into it too early drags the marshmallow and chocolate along with the blade instead of leaving a clean edge. Once the bars are fully cool, I run my knife under hot water and dry it before slicing. It glides through the layers instead of dragging them.
Serving Suggestions
These are built to be picked up, not plated. I cut them into squares and set the pan out as is, so people can just grab one.
Feeding a bigger group? Double the ingredients and bake it in a 9x13 instead. See the recipe card for details.
Make Ahead & Storage
Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To freeze, layer cooled bars between sheets of parchment in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 4 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
You can make the dough up to a day ahead, too. Cover it tightly and refrigerate, then pick up with the recipe when you're ready. It may need a 30 minutes at room temperature first. Cold dough straight from the fridge is stiff and harder to press into the pan evenly.
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Recipe
Gooey Baked S'mores Bars
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 2 ⅓ cups graham cracker crumbs (from 18-20 graham cracker sheets)
- ⅓ cup flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups milk chocolate chips (about one 11.5-ounce bag)
- 1 (7-ounce jar) marshmallow creme
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line an 8x8 pan with foil (overhanging the sides) and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, beat together sugar, butter, vanilla and egg for about 2 minutes.⅔ cup sugar, ½ cup butter,, ½ teaspoon vanilla, 1 egg,
- Mix in graham cracker crumbs, flour and salt until thoroughly combined. It will look like wet sand. Reserve 1 cup of this mixture. Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of the pan for the crust.2 ⅓ cups graham cracker crumbs , ⅓ cup flour, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Evenly layer chocolate chips on top of crust. Drop spoonfuls of marshmallow creme over the chocolate chips. Using the back of a spoon or offset spreader warmed with hot water, gently spread creme evenly over the chips, stopping to rinse spoon and warm with water as needed. Sprinkle the marshmallows and reserved graham mixture over the top.2 cups milk chocolate chips, 1 (7-ounce jar) marshmallow creme, 1 cup mini marshmallows
- Bake for 18-22 minutes or until marshmallows start to lightly brown. Cool thoroughly before lifting foil from pan and cut with a warm knife (run it under hot water and dry it first) for clean squares.
Notes
- Line the pan with foil (overhanging the sides) and spray generously. This is what lets you lift the bars out in one piece.
- Time saver: buy a box of graham cracker crumbs at the store instead of making your own.
- Dark or semisweet chocolate works in place of milk chocolate chips if you want it less sweet.
- Tested gluten-free swap: 1:1 gluten-free flour blend + gluten-free graham crackers.
- Dough can be made up to a day ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate, then let it sit at room temperature a few minutes before pressing it into the pan.
- Store airtight at room temperature up to 5 days, or freeze between layers of parchment up to 4 months.
- Total time above doesn't include cooling. Give the bars at least an hour before slicing.
- For a 9x13 pan, double all ingredient quantities.
- Recipe barely adapted from an old Better Crocker cookbook.
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Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
Jeannie says
How in the world did you get them cut into such perfect squares? Mine always come out with ragged edges.
Hi Jeannie, try running your knife under hot water (and wipe dry) each time you make a cut. That should help. Enjoy!
Jeannie says
Thank you for the tip! They are beautiful and look delicious!
Jocelyn @BruCrew Life says
I can never say no to s'mores! Love the marshmallow goo coming out! Yum!
Jess Knight says
I've made the Betty Crocker version and they are absolutely addicting! I love how you added the crumble for something extra. Gotta make these your way!
Now you'll have a good point of comparison, Jess. I think the crumble makes them even tastier!
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction says
Oh, these look incredible! Love that gooey marshmallow layer!
I agree; the goo is pretty appealing!
kristy @ the wicked noodle says
What a fun way to enjoy s'mores! My girls will be thrilled with these!
My kids Looooooved them, Kristy!