In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve been on a bit of a s’mores kick recently. From making the graham crackers myself, to making a delicious s’mores dip, there’s just something about the chocolate, marshmallow, a graham cracker combo that goes so well this time of year.
Well, as anyone who has had a nice campfire s’more knows, they can be pretty messy to make and eat. Since we’ve been hanging out with friends at campfires more often this summer, I wanted something to bring that s’mores treat along, but without the mess and fuss of making them.
As it turns out, a perfect option is something a whole lot like a cereal bar. By taking the idea of a cereal bar, adding some chocolate chips and replacing some of the cereal with grahams, you can make something pretty close to a s’more.
There’s just one thing missing: the toasted marshmallow. Using plain marshmallows is fine, but you lack that little bit of toasty flavor that is really what makes a s’more a s’more. So, I found a way to get that flavor, without the campfire.
Toasting Marshmallows Indoors
To get that toasty marshmallow flavor, you need some way to toast the marshmallows. You could certainly build a campfire or fire up a grill, but that’s a lot of extra work just for some s’mores bars. So, I found a better way.
Obviously, if you’re not married to the toasted marshmallow flavor, you can skip this step entirely. I like it, though, and I think it adds a richness to the s’mores bars that they just don’t have otherwise. Don’t get me wrong; they’re still delicious, just not quite as s’moresy as they are with the toasting.
The trick is to butter up a baking sheet (with or without a silicone baking mat on it), arrange your marshmallows, and stick them under the broiler for a couple minutes. The heat, directly applied, will toast the marshmallows and leave them all melty and gooey. The butter ensures they don’t stick to the baking sheet, so it’s easy to just scoop up and use the marshmallow in your recipe.
I use miniature marshmallows so there’s more toasty flavor throughout.
So, want to make a batch of your own? Here’s how.
5-Ingredient S’mores Bars with Toasted Marshmallow
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Silicone Baking Mat
- Mixing Bowl
- 8×8" Baking Pan
- Rubber Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Rice Cereal
- 1 Cup Graham Crackers Broken into small pieces.
- 5 Oz Miniature Marshmallows
- ½ Cup Chocolate Chips
- 2 Tbsp Butter
Instructions
- Butter both your baking sheet (with or without the silicone mat) and your baking dish.
- Spread out the marshmallows on the baking dish into a single even layer.
- Broil the marshmallows until toasted to your preferred depth.
- In a sauce pan, melt the butter. Add the marshmallows and stir until smooth.
- Remove from heat and stir in the rice cereal. Then, stir in the graham cracker pieces.
- Add most (but not all) of the chocolate chips and give it a quick mix. Too much mixing and they'll melt, which spread the chocolate out. That's fine if you don't mind it, but if you want more chunks of chocolate instead of swirls, don't over-mix.Leave some chocolate chips aside for topping.
- Spread the mixture into your baking dish and press even and flat. Press the remaining chocolate chips over the top.
- Let cool and set for at least 20 minutes, then cut, serve, and enjoy!