Smores Bars Recipe
This smores bars recipe makes a luscious pan of irresistible deliciousness that will be snatched up in an instant. They're arguably better than regular s'mores. I always save a square or two for myself before sharing.
Servings: 24 bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup honey graham cracker crumbs
- 1 ⅓ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ½ cup salted butter, 1 stick, softened to room temp
- ⅔ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 5 bars milk chocolate, 1.55 oz each
- 7 oz marshmallow creme, one container
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F with rack on lower middle position. Grease a 9x9 baking pan and set aside.
- In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder, and salt; whisk well and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat together the softened butter with brown sugar until "fluffy," about 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed.
- Beat in egg and vanilla extract just until combined. On low speed, gently mix in the flour mixture with the butter mixture just until incorporated; don't over mix. Place 1/2 cup of the mixture in the fridge to chill and reserve for topping.
- Use remaining mixture to press into bottom of greased baking pan, ensuring batter is evenly spread to corners.
- Place chocolate bars evenly over crust, breaking the last bar into pieces to fit the pan. Evenly spread marshmallow creme on top of chocolate.
- Crumble reserved 1/2 cup crust mixture evenly over the top. Bake uncovered, 25-30 minutes or just until top is golden brown.
- Let pan rest at room temp on wire rack until completely cool. Once dessert is cool, carefully slice into squares and serve. Leftovers can be stored in fridge or freezer in airtight container.
Notes
- Soften the butter fully before mixing. This helps create a smooth, fluffy dough that presses evenly into the pan.
- Don’t overmix the dough. Stop as soon as the dry ingredients are incorporated to keep the crust tender and crumbly.
- Chill the reserved dough. A quick chill makes it easier to crumble over the top and gives the bars a nice texture contrast.
- Spread the marshmallow creme gently. A small offset spatula or the back of a spoon works best to avoid pulling up the chocolate layer.
- Watch the bake time closely. Pull the bars out when the top turns golden brown – overbaking can make the crust too firm.
- Cool completely before slicing. This allows the chocolate and marshmallow layers to set for clean, even squares.
- Use a sharp knife for cutting. Wipe the blade between cuts to keep the layers neat.
- Try different chocolates. Dark or semisweet chocolate adds a deeper flavor, while white chocolate gives a sweeter, creamier bite.
- Serve slightly warm for gooey texture. A few seconds in the microwave brings back that fresh-from-the-oven softness.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container. Keep them at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- This recipe is part of our Dessert Bar Recipes Collection.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 197mg | Potassium: 93mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 118IU | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 1mg