This Smores Bars Recipe is the dessert mashup of your dreams. It features all the components of a classic s’more in the convenience of a cookie bar. The base is soft and gooey with hidden pockets of crispiness thanks to the graham cracker pieces folded into the batter. Then, the chopped chocolate and marshmallows add pockets of sweet, gooey deliciousness, and the brown butter adds a nutty, toasty depth that emulates the flavor of your favorite campfire treat. These bars will have everyone begging for “s’more”!
Soft and Gooey Smores Bars
Love a gooey s’more but don’t always have access to a campfire? Problem solved thanks to these delicious smores bars!
Think of them like a s’more rolled up into a chocolate chip cookie. Soft, bursting with flavor, and easy to eat, they’re literally perfect. In fact, they might just be better than the original treat.
The simple batter is given extra depth with nutty brown butter and provides the perfect canvas for all our mix-ins. Then, the chocolate and marshmallows get a little melty, infusing the bars with a sweet flavor and clumping all the ingredients together. And, y’all, don’t even get me started on the crisp graham cracker chunks!
Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top for the finishing touch, and these smores bars feature the perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors. Plus, you can make a whole batch at once rather than waiting for each individual s’more to cook.
Even better, you can enjoy them whenever a craving strikes – no matter the season or weather!
Recipe Ingredients
Flour: We are using all-purpose flour. However, if you are gluten-free, I recommend using a 1 to 1 all-purpose gluten-free flour. KING ARTHUR and CUP 4 CUP are two great options that will help ensure your smores bars come out perfect and aren’t too dry or crumbly.
Baking Soda and Powder: These help leaven the bars, contributing to their chewy texture and tender crumb.
Salt: Don’t skip this! It enhances the rest of the ingredients and balances the flavor of the batter. Then, we sprinkle extra flaky salt on top for good measure.
Unsalted Browned Butter: This has a rich, deep, slightly nutty taste that contributes to the complex texture and smokey “campfire” flavor of these bars.
Sugar: We’re using both granulated sugar and dark brown sugar to sweeten the recipe. Granulated sugar promotes a tender, crisp texture. Meanwhile, brown sugar creates a richer, almost caramel-like flavor and keeps the bars moist and tender. The result of the two sweeteners is crisp edges and a soft center.
Eggs: We add a whole egg and an egg yolk to provide structure and contribute to the chewy texture.
Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract adds a delicious vanilla flavor.
Chopped Chocolate: I prefer dark chocolate, but you can use milk chocolate if that’s what you want. Hershey’s milk chocolate will definitely give you that classic chocolate s’mores taste.
Large Marshmallows: You can’t have s’mores bars without marshmallows! Cut them in half, and fold them into the batter. They’ll melt slightly and turn golden where they’re exposed to the heat, recreating that nostalgic s’mores taste and texture.
Honey Graham Crackers: These are the traditional graham crackers used in s’mores. So, I broke them up and included them for added flavor and crunch.
How to Make the Best Smores Bars Recipe
Step 1: Before you begin, preheat your oven to 350°F. Then, line a baking dish with parchment paper, and grease it lightly with cooking oil. Pro tip: I use a 9×9 baking dish, but you can use an 8×8 baking pan if you want thicker bars.
Step 2: Cut the butter into small pieces, and heat it in a small pan over medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until the butter turns amber in color. It will foam first and then start to pop! Then, brown bits will begin to form in the bottom of the pan. Once the butter is browned, the popping slows, and you smell a nutty aroma, it’s ready to use. Scrape the butter (and all of those magical brown bits) into a heat-safe bowl, and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
Step 3: Cut the marshmallows in half, roughly cut or break the graham crackers into bite-sized pieces, and chop your chocolate.
Step 4: In a medium mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set the mixture aside.
Step 5: In a separate, medium-large mixing bowl, add the granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, butter, and vanilla. Beat with a hand mixer for 2-3 minutes or until smooth.
Step 6: Add the egg and egg yolk, and beat again to incorporate them evenly.
Step 7: Add the “sifted flour mixture” to the bowl of wet ingredients. Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to mix just until the ingredients are combined. Be sure not to overmix!
Step 8: Add the prepped chocolate, marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate chips to the dough. Carefully fold to distribute them evenly throughout the batter.
Step 9: Transfer the dough to the prepared baking dish, and gently press it into the pan. Then, sprinkle additional chocolate chips and graham crackers evenly on top.
Step 10: Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the edges are set. Once done, remove your smores bars from the oven, and immediately top them with flaky sea salt.
Step 11: If you can wait, allow them to cool slightly. Then, slice, serve, and enjoy!
Yes, you can customize your bars by adding ingredients like chopped nuts, toffee pieces, caramel bits, candied chocolates, and peanut butter drizzle. Or, include different types of chocolate chips for added flavor and texture.
Once cool, you can transfer leftover bars to an airtight container, and store them at room temperature for up to 5 days
Yes, arrange the bars in a freezer-safe container, placing a sheet of parchment paper between each layer to prevent them from clumping together. They’ll stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, and bring them to room temperature before serving.
Use the Correct Measuring Cup:
Use a dry measuring cup. These cups typically come in sizes like 1 cup, 1/2 cup
Fluff the Flour: Before measuring, fluff up the flour in the bag or container using a spoon. This helps prevent compacting and ensures a more accurate measurement.
Spoon into the Cup: Gently spoon the fluffed-up flour into the measuring cup, allowing it to pile up above the rim.
Level Off: Use a flat edge, like the back of a knife, to level off the excess flour from the top of the measuring cup. Do this without tapping or shaking the cup to avoid settling.
More Chocolate Recipes
- S’mores Rice Krispie Treats
- S’mores Cookies
- Fudge Brownies
- Moist Chocolate Cake
- Mini Oreo Cheesecakes
- Chocolate Chess Pie
I hope you love this Smores Bars Recipe! It’s truly nostalgic and absolutely delicious. If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @butterloveandsalt on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews help support Butter, Love & Salt and make it possible for me to continue to create delicious recipes.
Smores Bars Recipe (Soft and Gooey)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter browned, cooled
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 oz semi sweet chocolate chopped (optional: add an additional 1 oz of chopped chocolate for topping)
- 12 large marshmallows cut in halves
- 2 honey graham crackers chopped (optional: add an additional cracker for topping)
- flaky salt to top
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9X9 baking dish (or 8×8 if you are looking for thicker bars) with parchment paper and lightly grease. Set aside.
- Then, make the brown butter. First, cut the butter in small pieces and heat the butter in a small pan on medium heat for about 3-5 minutes until the butter turns an amber color. The butter will first foam and start to pop. Then, brown bits will begin to form in the bottom of the pan. Once browned and popping slows, it is ready. You should smell a nutty aroma. At that point, remove butter from the hear and scrap the butter (and all the of those magical brown bits) into a heat-safe bowl and let rest for about 15 minutes.
- Then, cut the marshmallows in half; roughly cut or break the graham crackers into small-medium bitesize pieces; and chop your chocolate.
- Next, in a medium mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium-large mixing bowl, add the granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, butter, and vanilla and beat with a hand mixer for 2-3 minutes.
- Next, Add the egg and yolk. Beat until incorporated. Then, add your “sifted flour mixture” into your wet ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until well combined. Be sure not to over mix.
- Next, Add your prepped chocolate, marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate chips to the dough, and carefully fold in your toppings until evenly distributed.
- Add the dough to the prepared baking dish and gently press your dough to the pan. Then, top the dough with additional chocolate and graham crackers.
- Let bars bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes or until edges are set . Once done, take the bars out and immediately top with flaky sea salt.
- Once cooled, enjoy and feel free to add a comment on my blog! Also, be sure to share your photo on instagram and tag @butterloveandsalt! We would love to see how your bars come out!
Nutritional Information
Recipe by: Chavez Adams / Butter, Love & Salt | Photography by: Meg McKeehan
This may be one of the best things I’ve ever baked! It’s such a simple recipe and the added touch of browning the butter is a game changer!
So glad you love them, Brittany!
Made these for the Super Bowl and they were a big hit. Used kerrygold butter and browned it well – the flavor really came through! Add extra marshmallows at the end of baking for some gooeyness on top!!
Kerrygold butter is my preferred butter as well! So glad you liked it! Adding marshmallows at the end is a great tip for extra gooeyness! Thanks for sharing! 🙂