I’ve been kicking the idea of S’more Bars around for a long time. Years ago, I used to make a version with Golden Grahams cereal, and they were a lot of fun. Maybe that will be a post someday. This time, I wanted my Best Easy S’more Bars to taste like the real thing. Graham crackers. Chocolate. Marshmallows. Everything you love about a classic s’more. Campfire optional.
Best Easy S’more Bars
Even better, these bars are loaded to the hilt with ooey-gooey goodness, plenty of melty chocolate, and just enough graham cracker crunch. They’re also ridiculously easy to make. No roasting marshmallows one at a time. No assembling individual s’mores. Just layer, bake, and watch them disappear.
About The Best Easy S’more Bars:
Summer weekends and get-togethers can take a toll if you’re entertaining or have multiple commitments. We used to have a lot of “food days” at work, which I loved, but between cooking or baking for that and doing the same for family gatherings and other events, it could all be a bit much.
These bars will solve all your problems. Well, maybe not all of them, but at least the what to make and what to bring dilemmas. Everyone loves them, and they’re drop-dead simple. No need to spread that little fact around, though. Just smile and say thanks.
With marshmallows and three kinds of chocolate, these bars deliver everything you love about a classic s’more, only bigger, gooier, and more shareable. Best of all, they’re a lot less messy than traditional s’mores – no adult supervision required.
It starts with an easy press-in graham cracker crust, followed by layers of milk and semi-sweet chocolate chips, broken graham crackers, and marshmallows. I saved the best for last: Hershey bars are added when the pan comes hot out of the oven, where they soften into just the right amount of melty goodness.
Feel free to riff. There’s no such thing as perfection here. I’ve included ideas to make them even more decadent, or to tone them down a bit if they need to travel well. Aren’t options nice to have?
Best Easy S’more Bars
Making The Best Easy S’more Bars:
I mentioned these bars are a cinch to make and fast – like 10 minutes to put together and 20 to 30 minutes to bake. Just allow time for them to cool and set up a bit.
Mix up the easy graham cracker crust, press it in, and form a lip to contain the next layers and prevent any chocolate leaking or marshmallow from sticking to the side of the pan. A metal or plastic measuring cup makes short work of the pressing.
And in case you’re wondering, there is no need to line the pan. The bars cut beautifully with clean edges, and there’s no sticking.
Then layer in the ingredients in order, saving the Hershey bars to add after the pan comes out of the oven.
Now the fun part – Customizing:
No need to use both semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips. Go with what you have and/or like. A little milk chocolate does help the bars hold together a bit better because it melts so nicely, but don’t make a special trip to the store on its account.
Want to make them even more over-the-top? Add up to a cup more chocolate chips and increase the marshmallows by the same amount. Or just increase one or the other. Just so you know, the photos don’t include any extra amounts.
Change the timing (it’s covered in the recipe) to change the outcome.
- Twenty minutes in the oven does the trick, but if you want sturdier bars, cover loosely with foil and bake about 10 minutes longer.
- The bars will be a little crispier, the marshmallows a little meltier, and once cooled, the bars will be a little sturdier.
Now, one final suggestion, from my Son. Place a room-temperature bar on a plate and microwave for 20 to 30 seconds. Make sure it’s not too hot, and enjoy!
If You Like Best Easy S’more Bars, You Might Also Like:
Check out my extensive Desserts Menu, but here are two favorites to start you out.
- Blueberry Custard Pie Bars – one of my absolute favorite summer bars. We can’t get through blueberry season without making it at least once.
Blueberry Custard Pie Bars
- Chocolate Meringue Brownie Cake – An absolute favorite at our home. This rustic dessert has deep chocolate flavor, and the crispy meringue sets off the gooey chocolate brownie – it’s perfection.
Chocolate Meringue Brownie Cake
Saving Money on The Best Easy S’more Bars:
These ingredients are often at their lowest prices during the big Summer Holiday Sales. Most stores have large displays of graham crackers, Hershey bars, and marshmallows with special pricing. Miniature marshmallows are usually found in the baking aisle, but they may be included in the promotion even if they’re not displayed with the holiday items. Check the sale wording carefully. Often, different varieties of the same brand and size qualify.
When I shop these holiday sales, I’m rarely thinking only about the weekend ahead. I use them as an opportunity to stock up on items I know I’ll use throughout the year. Before I toss something into my cart, I do a quick mental inventory and ask myself one question:
“How much do I need to get me to the next big sale?”
That’s where the real savings happen.
A package of graham crackers bought on sale today isn’t just for these S’more Bars. It might become a pie crust at Thanksgiving, a cheesecake at Christmas, or another batch of bars later in the summer.
I don’t think, “How little can I spend today?” I think, “How can I buy the most food at the best prices over time?” Holiday sales are one of the easiest ways to do exactly that.
Best Easy S’more Bars
Best Easy S’more Bars
Even better than the classic S’mores
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: varies
- Category: desserts bars
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 10 to 12 full sheets of crackers)
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted and warm
For the Bars:
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup miniature marshmallows
- 9 sheets of graham cracker, roughly broken into 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces, along with any smaller crumbs that come about with the breaking
- 2 cups miniature marshmallows
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
- 2 Hershey bars, broken along the lines for “garnishing”
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9 x 13″ pan with cooking spray.
Mix together crust ingredients and press into pan, forming a slight, about 1/3 inch lip around the edges. Layer ingredients in order given, except for the Hershey bars.
For gooier bars, bake for 15 to 20 minutes, just until the chocolate is melty and the marshmallows slightly browned. Check one of the chips in the middle bottom by putting a toothpick gently in the center. If it comes out with gooey chocolate the bars may be removed from the oven.
For crispier bars: after the initial 15 to 20 minute bake, cover that pan loosely with aluminum foil, making sure it doesn’t touch the marshmallows, and bake about 10 minutes longer.
For either option, when just out of the oven, randomly insert the Hershey pieces at an angle right into the marshmallows. If desired, cover lightly for a few minutes so they melt a bit and collapse onto the marshmallows (they’ll stick better.) Remove foil after a few minutes and let bars cool to the desired temperature.
Note: If over the top decadence is desired, add a few more marshmallows and an additional cup of milk chocolate chips when layering. Photo is showing them made without this additional step.
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I’m posting The Best Easy S’more Bars at Fiesta Friday #239.
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