Soft and Gooey Loaded Smores Bars

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Soft and Gooey Loaded S’mores Bars — No campfire required for these soft, gooey, rich s’mores bars that are loaded with texture and flavor! The combination of chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows, all suspended in a buttery, brown-sugar based dough, is just magical.

Soft and Gooey Loaded S'mores Bars — No campfire required for these soft, gooey, rich s'mores bars that are loaded with texture and flavor!

Easiest S’mores Dessert

The batter for these easy s’mores bars is a stir-together, one bowl recipe that comes together in less than 5 minutes before turning it out into a pan and baking. It takes me longer to roast one perfect marshmallow over a campfire than it does to make this s’mores recipe!

The combination of chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows, all suspended in a buttery, brown-sugar based dough, is pure bliss.

If you don’t have anything on your summer dessert menu — including Memorial Day, Father’s Day, 4th of July, or Labor Dayor have no plans to stand around a campfire any decade soon, may I suggest these?

They’re ready from start to finish in under 30 minutes, and will be a hit with friends and family. They are definitely a hit here! 

Soft and Gooey Loaded S'mores Bars — No campfire required for these soft, gooey, rich s'mores bars that are loaded with texture and flavor!

Fun Fact!

I originally posted this recipe in summer 2013 and am reposting it again in summer 2023 because it’s been a reader favorite dessert recipe over the past decade! And I have lots of new readers that probably missed this recipe.

I know I had a 6-year-old then who’s now 16 (time truly has flown) and still loves her s’mores bars!

Soft and Gooey Loaded S'mores Bars — No campfire required for these soft, gooey, rich s'mores bars that are loaded with texture and flavor!

Ingredients in Loaded S’mores Bars

To make the bars, I used my easy, go-to blondie recipe that has served me so well over the years, and I adapted it yet again. I love the batter because it’s buttery and made with brown sugar, and it takes on caramel notes while baking.

To it, I added the classic s’mores ingredients: chopped graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate chips.

The graham crackers retain a bit of crunch while they bake and melted chocolate chips go so well with graham crackers.

The marshmallows are very slightly toasted and they puff, enveloping the bars in their sticky wonderfulness. Those strings of marshmallow goo are heaven on earth!

Soft and Gooey Loaded S'mores Bars — No campfire required for these soft, gooey, rich s'mores bars that are loaded with texture and flavor!

To make this easy s’mores dessert, you’ll need: 

  • Unsalted butter
  • Egg
  • Light brown sugar
  • Vanilla extract
  • All-purpose flour
  • Graham crackers
  • Mini marshmallows
  • Semi-sweet chocolate chips 

Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.

Soft and Gooey Loaded Smores Bars - Fast and Easy Recipe at averiecooks.com

How to Make S’mores Bars

These very gooey s’mores bars are a cinch to make! Follow these basic instructions:

  1. First, you’ll need to melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl.
  2. Let it cool for a minute or two before adding in the egg, brown sugar, and vanilla. 
  3. Stir the flour into the butter mixture and whisk until just combined.
  4. Then, add the mix-ins. 
  5. Turn the batter into a greased and lined 8×8-inch pan. Bake the bars until they have firmed up in the center and the edges have set.
  6. Don’t forget to cool them well before serving them!
Soft and Gooey Loaded S'mores Bars — No campfire required for these soft, gooey, rich s'mores bars that are loaded with texture and flavor!

Can I Double This Recipe? 

Yes, you may double the recipe and bake the bars in a 9×13-inch pan.

However, readers have said that doubling the recipe results in less ooey gooey bars (I’m assuming because they require extra time in the oven).

Storage Instructions

S’mores bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Soft and Gooey Loaded S'mores Bars — No campfire required for these soft, gooey, rich s'mores bars that are loaded with texture and flavor!

Tips for Making This S’mores Bar Recipe

Consistency

These bars really ARE gooey as their name suggests! Over the past decade, I have had readers complain their bars don’t set up. To be honest, I don’t know why since I wasn’t in their kitchen.

As I always tell people, make sure you read the recipe twice before beginning, measure carefully, and bake correctly. However, I’ve had hundreds and hundreds more who have had great success and they leave glowing comments!

But, if you’re not ready for really gooey on the verge of potentially falling apart type of bars that are messybut oh-so-good – then this may not be the dessert for you.

Soft and Gooey Loaded S'mores Bars — No campfire required for these soft, gooey, rich s'mores bars that are loaded with texture and flavor!

Chocolate

I prefer using semi-sweet chocolate chips to offset some of the sweetness from the dough and marshmallows. However, you’re welcome to chop up a Hershey’s chocolate bar and throw that in instead. 

Marshmallows

I used small marshmallows in this recipe, but you can also chop large marshmallows if that’s all you have on hand. Mini marshmallows are also fine but you won’t get as much gooey factor with those.

Soft and Gooey Loaded S'mores Bars — No campfire required for these soft, gooey, rich s'mores bars that are loaded with texture and flavor! The combination of chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows, all suspended in a buttery, brown-sugar based dough, is just magical.

Add-Ins

When adding the smores components to the batter, it’ll appear that there are more add-ins than batter. And that’s fairly accurate.

The abundance of add-ins ensures the bars are taste like taking a big bite of warm, gooey s’mores rather than eating a blondie that has a few marshmallows or chocolate chips added.

Recipe Video

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Yield: 12

Soft and Gooey Loaded Smores Bars

Soft and Gooey Loaded Smores Bars

These s'mores bars combine chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows — all suspended in a brown-sugar based dough!!

Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Cooling Time 30 minutes
Total Time 58 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 5 full-size graham crackers, roughly chopped (about 2 cups)
  • 1 heaping cup mini marshmallows
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
  2. In a large, microwave-safe bowl melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
  3. Wait momentarily before adding the egg so you don’t scramble it. Add the egg, brown sugar, vanilla, and whisk until smooth.
  4. Add the flour and stir until just combined, don’t overmix.
  5. Add the graham crackers and any crumbs on cutting board, marshmallows, chocolate chips and fold to incorporate.
  6. Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.
  7. Bake for about 20 to 22 minutes, or until bars have firmed up in the center and edges will be set. Some marshmallows may have developed a hint of golden color.
  8. Allow bars to cool in pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

Storage: Bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 273Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 45mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 1gSugar: 27gProtein: 3g

More S’mores Dessert Ideas: 

ALL OF MY S’MORES RECIPES! 

Chocolate Chip S’mores Cookie Bars — Between layers of super soft chocolate chip cookie dough there’s chocolate, marshmallows, and graham cracker crumbs for the most DECADENT smores ever!! So EASY and just 4 main ingredients!! 

Chocolate Chip S'mores Cookie Bars — Between layers of super soft chocolate chip cookie dough there's chocolate, marshmallows, and graham cracker crumbs for the most DECADENT smores ever!! So EASY and just 4 main ingredients!! 

S’mores Bars — SO EASY, NO-BAKE, just FOUR ingredients, and ready in FIVE minutes!! It doesn’t get any better than that and no campfire required! A hit with kids and adults at parties, potlucks, and picnics!!

Smores Bars - SO EASY, NO-BAKE, just FOUR ingredients, and ready in FIVE minutes!! It doesn't get any better than that and no campfire required! A hit with kids and adults at parties, potlucks, and picnics!!

Smores Cake — A three-layer, show-stopping cake that everyone will ADORE! Moist and tender layers of chocolate cake along with crunchy graham cracker crusts, sweet marshmallow buttercream frosting, toasted marshmallows, and chocolate bars for a true smores experience! 

Smores Cake - A three layer showstopping cake that everyone will ADORE! Moist and tender layers of chocolate cake along with crunchy graham cracker crusts, sweet marshmallow buttercream frosting, toasted marshmallows, and chocolate bars for a true smores experience! So many AMAZING textures and flavors in this rich and decadent smores cake! My very detailed post walks you through making this cake in extreme detail so it's easy enough to master even for average bakers! 

S’mores Cake — Chocolate cake gets poked all over and soaked in a marshmallow creme mixture before being topped with crushed graham crackers, toasted marshmallows, and hot fudge sauce.

S’mores Brownie Pie — Each bite of the pie is so satisfying and starts with a base of dense, fudgy, rich brownies, topped with melted chocolate chips, fluffy gooey marshmallows, and sprinkled with crunchy bits of graham crackers! 

Soft and Chewy S’mores Cookies — Loaded with chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers!! The best smores you’ll ever eat and no campfire required!

Peanut Butter S’mores Cookie Pie — A peanut butter and graham cracker cookie underneath gooey marshmallows and melted chocolate!! You don’t need a campfire for these easy and AMAZING smores! Grab a spoon and dig in!

Originally posted August 25, 2013 and reposted July 7, 2023 with updated text.

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Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.

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Comments

  1. I can not have grains. My daughter made this recipe for her and her siblings. She was very considerate, and made a version for me. Instead of wheat flour she used garbanzo bean flour, instead of graham crackers, wavey kettle type potato chips, chocolate chips, and marshmellows (only once, they have cornstarch). My kids were turning more to these. I like to make them also with just chocolate chips and coconut flakes. The garbanzo bean flour is so good in them.

    Rating: 5
    1. Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad that you were able to enjoy this with the mindful modifications your daughter did for you!

  2. I did these with half the sugar, salted butter, and some salt in the dough. They were great! I’m going to do a graham cracker crust under them next time as well for added crunch and buttery goodness, as well as helping them hold their shape.

    Rating: 5
  3. I am on a blonde kick! Making these for the 2nd time in a week, husband requested them again! The first disappeared in 2 days.  We love extra gooey things so I baked like suggested  then when they were done, added more marshmallows, chopped graham crackers and extra chocolate chips on the top and baked long enough for the marshmallows on top to brown! They were amazing and still gooey in the middle!! Great recipe! 

    Rating: 5
    1. Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad that these have been on repeat this weekend and that you love extra gooey things! Me too :)

  4. Just made these. They came out good with no trouble cutting them after about 3 hours cooling.  I really don’t like super sweet treats so I only used 1 cup mini marshmallows, not a heaping cup, I didn’t pack the brown sugar heavily, and I used Guittard Dark Chocolate Chips.  I also used salted butter.  They are not too sweet with these changes.  I think I may have slightly  over-baked them as I was worried about them setting up.  I baked them for 23 minutes.  The problem is that the marshmallows just kind of disappeared as chewy, golden bits in them.  You can’t really see them.  Maybe I should have used more.  They are not gooey looking.  They are very moist though with the dark chocolate chips, with a bittersweet taste which I love.  They taste great!  I did sprinkle more marshmallows on top and hit them with my kitchen torch till they browned.  It looks great and gave them some more of a marshmallow look and taste. 

    Rating: 4
    1. Thanks for trying the recipe and yes if you had followed the recipe and used the intended measurements for the marshmallows I am sure the bars would have turned out more gooey but next time you can try that perhaps!

  5. I made the s’more bars for Memorial Day, the 4 th of July and a few times in between.  My husband is so excited when I make them and so happy when I put them in his lunchbox.  He does share and his coworkers love them too.  They are so easy to make.  Thanks for a wonderful recipe.  

    Rating: 5
    1. Thanks for the 5 star review and glad these are a hit with your husband and his coworkers, too!

  6. These bars are the BOMB!! I took some to school for the staff room and they were gone in an hour! I dropped some off for my son’s family another time and he said these were the the BEST bars that I ever made. I followed the recipe exactly and there is no need for any changes. Thank you for sharing! 

    Rating: 5
    1. Thanks for the 5 star review and I am so glad that these were a hit at the school and with your family, too!

  7. Doubled recipe — divided between a 9×13 and an 8” loaf pan (wanted some to take to work and some for home).  Cooked for about 25 minutes.  They were excellent!!  I had extra marshmallows I wanted to use up — so melted it with a tablespoon of butter in the mosrowave and added that to the batter.  Chewy and delicious!  A hit!!

    Rating: 5
  8. Deliciously gooey, crispy, and so easy to make! Going to add pretzels next time! Made these for a party and they disappeared fast! :) Good thing I made a double recipe and had some waiting when I got home! :)

    Rating: 5
  9. I’m so sorry, but these were awful.  My son wanted smores bars so bad.  They looked good so I gave it a shot but they are nothing more than melted sugar with more sugar and some butter.  The marshmallows disintegrated into a sticky mess.  All you taste is melted sugar.  They don’t taste like smores.  Definitely taste like a blondie recipe that has been revisited.  

  10. I’ve made these several times now and my family devours them! Myself included:) I’ve started baking it in a 9×13 instead of 8×8 because it gets crispier and the brown sugar/butter combo almost turns into caramel. It’s heaven! If you prefer soft bars though then stick with 8×8. Either way it’s amazing!

    Rating: 5
    1. Thanks for the 5 star review and thanks for sharing your tip about baking in a 9×13 pan for crispier bars and the brown sugar/butter turning into an almost-caramel!

  11. What a delicious and rich treat! And a great way to enjoy s’mores without the hassle. My only changes were adding a bit of salt to offset the extreme sweetness, and I used milk chocolate chips instead of semisweet, because who puts semisweet chocolate on s’mores?

    Rating: 4
    1. Glad these were a rich and delicious treat for you!

      I do like semi sweet chocolate on smores because it’s less sweet than milk chocolate and they are already sweet enough from the marshmallows (which is why I don’t then need to add salt to counter the extra sweetness from milk chocolate).

      1. That makes sense. Maybe I’ll try that next time, though in general I prefer salty and sweet over bitter and sweet.

  12. Tried these bars this weekend and they were delicious! Next time, I would make a couple of adjustments:1 pack of graham crackers instead of 1/2 a packLittle more flour, maybe something closer to 7/8 cup3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips separated, with 1/2 cup mixed in and 1/4 cup sprinkled on top after putting dough into baking panI also added salt to the dough to counteract some of the sweetness and used regular marshmallows cut into 1/4s and sprinkled on top. Maybe I’d add some crumbled graham cracker on top after baking too!Thanks for a great recipe!

    Rating: 4
  13. These bars were agoowy mess, good, but I couldn’t cut them in bars… we basically scooped out and ate. I baked them long enough oo.

    1. Hi Joyce! I had the same issue the first time I made them. But I love the flavor so much that I persevered. I now know when I make them, I have to let them set up in the pan for at least 10 hours! I know that seems ridiculous but it was so worth it!

      Rating: 5
    1. I am not sure…it’s a dessert with chocolate, butter, sugar, so you’d have to see what you could replace those things with, but not sure how it will work out.

  14. I made these today for a camp themed baby shower and they were a hit. I was nervous as I read comments that they didn’t really firm up so I made the tiniest of adjustments. I made them in a 9”x13” glass pan and “nearly” doubled the recipe. About a stick and 3/4 butter… just a little less brown sugar… a tiny bit more flour. I did follow suggestions and cooked for 25-28 min on 325. I also lined my glass pan with parchment paper. Suggestions for those worried they are too gooey… they’re called gooey for a reason! But, if you let them sit for a half hour they firm up perfectly for cutting into bars. The parchment makes it easy to remove from the pan and place on a cutting board for easy cutting! It really is a wonderful recipe. I piled them on a display plate and sprinkled mini marshmallows on them and toasted the mini marshmallows with a butane lighter for a little bit of extra. Thank you for the recipe!

    Rating: 5
    1. Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that you made a few tiny tweaks and that they firmed up just fine for you! And yes, as you said, they are called gooey for a reason :) I love the little bit of extra with the butane torch, what a great touch!

  15. I’m making these for my foods class and we doubled it. Do we have to adjust the temperature and the time to cook them?

    1. Temp, no.

      Time, likely not if you’re baking it in a 9×13 pan but keep an eye on it since I don’t know for sure.

  16. Avery, I just wanted to say that these are our go to dessert for family parties and I’ve lost track of how many times we’ve made these. My only alternation to the recipe is to double it b/c one batch is not enough. I like to bake them a few minutes longer than I think they need to prevent them from being too gooey (even if they turn out gooey they still get eaten;-), and they need a long time to cool off, so for us it works best to make them early in the day and they’re perfect by dinner time.

    Rating: 5
    1. Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad that you love the recipe so much that you always make a double batch!

  17. 🤩🤩🤩 WOWZA!! These are phenomenal!! I doubled the recipe for 13×9. Came out perfect 👌🏻

    Rating: 5
  18. I made this three times in the first two weeks after I found the recipe. I also gained 4 lbs. Coincidence? I think not. These bars are THE best bars I’ve ever had in my entire life. And they are so easy!! Thank you so much for this unicorn of dessert bars.

    Rating: 5
    1. Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad these are such a hit with you and that they are the BEST bars you’ve had in your entire life – that is a huge compliment, thank you!

  19. Amazing! I doubled the recipe to fit in a 13×9 pan. Also did the layering with the bottom the dough, then marshmallows and chocolate chips in the middle, then I crumbled remaining dough over top. I am taking these to my sons class and read Pete the cat goes camping. So perfect!

  20. These are our new favorite! We like them cold, so we put them into the fridge immediately after coming out of the oven and they are delicious!

    Rating: 5
  21. Made this recipe as directed except I doubled it and baked it a full casserole dish. It is AMAZING. I wouldn’t change anything and plan to make SO MANY MORE BATCHES.

    1. Thanks for trying the recipe and glad you loved it! Glad you’re going to make many more batches!

  22. I made these but with your brownie base instead of a blondie base, because to me you can never have enough chocolate, they were great! And they have gotten better after sitting for a bit, the flavors really blended together well. I microwave mine for about 20 seconds before eating to get the full melty smore’s effect, perfection! Will definitely make again.

    1. I bet they were great with a brownie base rather than the blondie base – love the way you think about never having enough chocolate :)

  23. Hi Averie,

    I absolutely love all your recipes and cannot wait to try this one as s’mores is my favorite dessert of all time! I was wondering- I only have normal sized marshmallows on hand- would these work if I just chop them into small cubes or do you suggest getting mini marshmallows?

    Thanks again for all your delicious recipes!

    1. The recipe was tested with brown sugar included so not sure what will happen if you omit it or how things will work out.

  24. Hi Averie!  I’d saved this recipe a while ago, and finally gave it a try yesterday, when I needed something easy because I had a gaggle of preteen boys at our house.  These go together very quickly, and we all loved it!  I baked for 22 minutes, and the top was getting nice and toasty.  The center remained really gooey even after cooling 30 minutes, so next time I may add a minute or two in the oven.  The pan was still a bit warm and the boys were digging in with spoons.  One then decided that vanilla ice cream was necessary….the pan disappeared!  :)  That’s how we roll!  I did think that the bite I had was pretty sweet, so I may cut down on the brown sugar just a bit next time.  I loved the toasted marshmallow on the top!  I will make these again, for sure.  Thanks for a fun recipe!

    1. Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Can’t go wrong with ice cream and eating them right out of the pan!!

  25. I do a lot of baking, and these bars looked so good in the pictures, I gave them a try despite my doubts from looking at the recipe.  The end result is pretty unappetizing.  Since the recipe has no leavening agent (baking powder or baking soda), the bars are pretty flat and, even with baking them for the full 25 minutes, the middle looks undercooked and the outside is very crispy.  Also, the marshmallows basically dissolved into the bars. I have air pockets where the marshmallows used to be.  It’s a good concept, but the recipe definitely needs some tweaking.  

  26. Saw this on Pinterest and I realized I had all of the ingredients, so I just whipped up a batch! I don’t know if I’ll be able to wait until they fully cool before digging in…

  27. I liked these bars better than campfire smores. I doubled the recipe and cooked a bit longer than the recipe stated. They were a little harder around the edges but were not runny at all. I think I may have used a few more graham crackers and marshmallows than called for – I did not measure exactly. The graham crackers melded right in with the batter when it cooked. They were a hit at work and at home.

    1. Thanks for trying a couple recipes and glad you enjoyed them and that they were a hit at work and home! Wonderful!

  28. I’m not really sure where I went wrong here. I baked mine 35 minutes and they just wont bake through. The top looked great, but underneath was completely runny, not gooey, but runny. Only thing we could do was pick the crispy parts off the top to try to enjoy it at least a little. I double checked to make sure I put in the correct amount of each ingredient. Any idea what could’ve gone wrong?

    1. I’m not sure why they’re more runny than gooey on the bottom. It sounds like you’ve doubled checked everything. Is your oven running up to temperature? You could check that with a cheap oven thermometer and that maybe could be it that it’s not running hot enough so the top is getting done (due to leaving them in longer) but the center is cooking through. That’s my only guess. Thanks for trying the recipe and sorry it didn’t work for you.

  29. I tried this and it didn’t turn out as bars. It was really soft and gooey, turned out more like bread pudding (YUM) Other than that, it was SO yummy!

    1. Glad you enjoyed the recipe regardless. I’m thinking maybe your graham crackers were more susceptible to breaking down and turning softer than mine, thus more pudding-ish than smores, but glad it didn’t matter to you!

  30. I wanted to get opinion on how gooey the bottom of the bars should be. I’m worried that they are under done, but I baked them 25+ minutes and the tops of edges are almost caramelized.

    1. They do firm up as they cool, but they’re also a gooeier bar. If your top is browning too fast before you think the base is done and set, cover with a sheet of foil.

  31. I made these a few weeks ago to take in to work and they were a huge hit! I doubled the recipe and put it in a 9″x13″ pan. Delicious! Making another double batch tonight!

    1. Glad to hear that doubling/9×13 worked great and that you like these so much that you’re making it again! That’s wonderful and you have lucky coworkers :)

  32. Don’t have semi sweet chocolate chips laying around, but I do have white chocolate chips that I never used for something else. Think those will work?

  33. We have an egg allergy in our family, so I’m wondering if there’s a good substitute for the 1 egg in the recipe? Or is it possible to skip the egg altogether? Looks yummy … can’t wait to try it out!

    1. The egg is what binds the dough to form the crust/base. Without the egg, I worry that it will not bind. What do you do for other baking needs when you need an egg? Do you use vegan liquid egg replacer? I think that would work here. You could also just make a graham cracker-butter-sugar crust and play around with the ratios for that.

      1. The recipes I use (I bake a lot using recipes from http://www.foodallergymama.com) usually substitute applesauce, water, tofu or flax meal for eggs. For a thicker dough, I usually use applesauce or even just a couple of TBSPs of water. I’ll play around with it and see what works best. Thanks!

      2. Yeah in this recipe, applesauce, tofu, or water won’t work and will make it worse. I would either do a flax egg or reduce the amount of butter and omit egg all together. LMK what you end up doing!

  34. Hi Averie!

    I just made these brownies for my students and they loved them! I did too, as a matter of fact. They turned out dense and gooey like you promised and I ate mine so fast that I barely gave myself time to enjoy it. But I was wondering: if I wanted to make these to have a thicker cake-brownie texture, how would I do that? I added a little baking powder to this batch and it didn’t have the desired effect (though still delicious). Is it because there isn’t a lot of flour in the recipe that it won’t rise so much?

    Thank you!

    1. Yes it’s because there’s not a lot of flour, no leaveners, and the ratio of eggs/butter/sugar. I really don’t like thick, cakey brownies. At that point, I want cake. But not cakey brownies – just not my thing. So you can google for how to create those best since they’re not what I ever set out to make :)

    2. I tried two batches to see if I could make it right. The first batch looked so gooey and when I inserted a knife to see if they were done, it came back sticking to the knife & undercooked. So I put them in oven for longer. I kept testing them and eventually pulled them out at around 45+ minutes. The chocolate and marshmallows blurred together. The crust was very oily. But I could cut them into bars.

      The second batch, I followed the exact recipe and only cooked them for 22 minutes. They looked like the picture but they were still under baked when I inserted a knife. I don’t know how these can be considered ‘bars’. They didn’t stand up enough to cut them.

      I would only use semisweet chocolate because these are so sweet by themselves, any white chocolate or milk chocolate will be too sweet. There is a balance between sweet and salt that allows the flavors to really come together in the best way.

      Note to Christan & even myself if I were to make them again: try reducing the amount of sugar & butter, add more flour or even more graham crackers because that component flavor gets lost and baking powder. Possibly even a dash of salt to balance the sweetness. Only semi-sweet chocolate chips.

      1. I haven’t had any problems like what you’re describing but all ingredients, climates, ovens, etc. vary. I would say in your situation, perhaps 25 to 30 minutes would do the trick. With that said they are VERY gooey and prone to being messy and not staying perfectly intact. I like to think of them as smores in a pan :)

  35. I saw this recipe and it just scream to me to make it. lol I love S’mores and this is just perfect. I put half the mix in and then slathered on some marshmallow creme in there and topped it with the remaining batter. I also didn’t have semi sweet so I used milk chocolate with some white chocolate because I didn’t have enough of the other. Can’t wait to try these. Plus I hope the kid’s teachers enjoy these too.

    1. The marshmallow creme filling idea sounds heavenly! I love marshmallow creme so much and bet it’s perfect in these to add even more gooey factor! If the teachers don’t like these, you can send them to me – I’d love them :)

    1. Although I haven’t personally tried it, my guess is use a 9×13 and then just double the recipe, so 2x it. I think 1.5x will be a little skimpy.

  36. This is probably the fifth or sixth time I’ve made these bars but I made a little variation of it. I add a little extra butter to my mixture and cinnamon. (cinnamon makes it literally out of this world good!) Also instead of using marshmallows I used FLUFF because when you cook it, it remains gooey even when they cool. And I use a combination of Hersheys and Chiradelli baking chocolate and nestle’s white chocolate. They come out super super gooey because I layer everything too. I quadruple the recipe. First layer is about 1 inch thick of the graham cracker cookie mixture (don’t forget cinnamon!), then comes a layer of fluff (if you can’t get it to spread, take some butter in your hands and let it melt and then when you go to spread the fluff your hands won’t stick!). Then on top of the fluff, I evenly layer all of the different types of chocolate. On top of the chocolate I do another 1 inch layer of the graham cracker mixture, layer of fluff and then top it with all three chocolates. It fills a huge ziti pan but I’m usually baking for a lot of people. None of it is ever wasted :)

    1. Wow, sounds like you have really taken these bars to new levels! Love all the variations, ideas, and the fact that you 4x the recipe is awesome. Very lucky friends and family you have :) Thanks for sharing this and trying the recipe and putting your own spin on it!

      1. Your original recipe is so amazing that I’ve kept using it because not only did I love it, but all of my friends and family begged me to make it for every occasion :) It’s funny because it all started when I tried to find the original Hershey’s S’more’s candy bar but they stopped being manufactured like 6 or 7 years ago so I decided to try and make my own. That’s when I found your recipe and gave it a shot! They came out wayyy better than the candy bar!

  37. Hi Averie! Finally I’m back home (just for a few days) so that I can make some of your recipes! :) I made these yesterday and they taste just like a piece of heaven! I absolutely love them! I have used digestive biscuits as we don’t have graham crackers in the UK, but they still turned out amazing! I will mke this recipe over and over, that’s for sure! Also, I have some of your wholewheat rolls waiting to be baked! ;) Hope you are getting used to your new oven and enjoy the rest of your day! :)

    1. Thanks for saying hi Monica and glad you loved these! Yes, they were so good. I loved these things & glad the digestive biscuits were able to fit the bill for these.

      And the whole wheat rolls that are waiting – mmmm, sounds wonderful & hope you enjoy those! (they can’t really compete with Smores Bars…haha…but as wheat rolls go, I love em!)

  38. HOLY MOLY. These just look like heaven. I can’t believe I missed this recipe. “Loaded” sums it up perfectly- yea loaded with goodness! They have all my favorite things and they seem to have something for everyone in them! I can’t wait to try them. I love how they’re quick and easy but yield a fabulous result! You’re a genius Averie ;) By the way, it’s time for me to think about college and I’m seriously considering culinary school.

    1. I sure didn’t go to culinary school and while I appreciate it and when I was fresh out of h.s. it would have been cool to go – but now, the cost, time, expense and the way that they teach you to cook (classically) – not a fit for me but the world is your oyster and what a great path if that’s what you’re thinking of doing!

  39. S’mores in a bar? Yeah. Life just doesn’t get any better. I totally love how beautifully gooey they are – I just want to dig right in! Pinned!

  40. I just stumbled across these and couldn’t stop staring at the pictures! OMG I want some right now!! :)

  41. which reminds me I need to get some graham flour and start creating!
    I wish I had your energy at times for all these fabulous creations my dear.

    1. And for these, I didn’t use graham flour, just regular all-purpose. I have a recipe for homemade graham crackers that uses it, but for these, storebought graham crackers. Way easier!

  42. Ugh, swooning. Those sticky pockets of marshmallow webs get me every.time. I am in love!

  43. Funny thing. I was just talking today with my sister wondering how they still live with no marshmallows here in Romania. I had a sudden s’mores craving and now, after seeing your bars I think I have no other choice but to make my own marshmallows just I can toast some. MMM

    1. I missed it if you’re in Romania permanently now or just visiting? Either way…wow, hats off to you for blogging and I got your chocolate invite. You’re like me…no such thing as downtime!

    1. I’ve been reading you from my Reader, well, my Vienna these days :) I almost clicked off to say that your recent post about your 1 year weight loss and how the year has been for you – you look AMAZING Kath! Bravo! :)

  44. Ok, what about this…making these for my next camping trip and then using them as the cracker for the s’more, so that you have marshmallow and chocolate between two of these bad boys!! Would that be too much? That’s how my crazy mind works. As always Averie, thanks for the inspiration, and another simple, reliable, delicious recipe!!

    1. I think that you may find that sandwiching them between crackers would be overkill on the dry/cracker component and not enough gooey factor going on. I say you make them in advance of your next camping trip, wrap them up in foil or whatever you use, and pull them out of your gear sitting around the campsite that night, without having to do a single thing :) If you try them or a version, LMK how it goes!

  45. I love these, but how are they after they sit for a while, or the next day? I might make them to tonight to take to the office tomorrow, but how would they hold up? Thanks!

    1. They’d be just fine for 3-4 days. Just wrap them up and put them in an airtight Ziplock bag or something airtight so the air doesn’t dry them out and you’ll be fine!

  46. Beautiful! I’m with you on the campfire marshmallows, I like them charred on the outside and gooey-melty on the inside. I have no patience for the slow roast!

  47. These are baking in my oven right now! I tasted the batter and Oh my glory! Don’ t know if these will last til my boys get home from school.

    1. That’s awesome! Your boys are going to come home to QUITE the afterschool snack! Thanks for trying the recipe!

  48. Seriously. You are the queen of chewy/soft, and gooey bars Averie! I love making bar desserts because they are just so much less timing consuming than most other desserts. And I love this version the most I think. You know I’m a fool for s’mores anything! They look like s’mores on steroids. ;)

    And your cornflake marshmallow cookies – totally had forgotten about those!

    1. Yeah those cookies were part of the Milkbar Mondays series. I did maybe 5 posts or so, including Crack Pie which has blossomed to life again :)

      These bars – part pantry cleanout, part EASE of making, part seasonal for Labor Day/campfires, and part just…throw it together and hope it works and they totally did!

  49. These look so delicious. What a perfect labor day dessert. We are going to my sister’s house and she has 4 little ones plus my 2 big ones (and the dads, too, of course!) so I bet these would be such a hit. Your photos look amazing. The one that is the official recipe photo (with the title on it) is gorgeous!

    1. Thanks, Michele! Glad you like the photos. I can tell the time of year is changing and the quality of light when I’m taking pictures is changing and I have to be careful b/c things can look dark really fast this time of year!

      Your sister’s kids and yours will polish off this pan in an hour. 6 kids and 2 dads – GONE!!!

  50. You ask the question, “Who could resist super soft, chewy, gooey bars.” My answer? Who would want to!! These look fabulous!

  51. Your bars always look outstanding, Averie! I could go for a dozen of these right about now!

  52. Oh goodness – I love that you can make these in 30 min or less! I’m not much of a campfire gal so this here is just perfect for an indoors-gal like me! :)

  53. Well aren’t these just a little square of Heaven on Earth!?! I love that you just mixed it all in there, which about suits my patience level with s’mores. I, too, prefer the light the darn thing on fire and blow it out method. I just want to eat my s’more, people!

  54. These bars look fab, a perfect way to get my smores fix without the dreaded campfire smell! ;)

  55. I love the ignite and blow method. Then I eat the burned part and repeat.

    I know I say this every time I visit, but seriously. Best bars ever!

    1. Well thanks and you can keep on saying it! And I would give you the burned part and take the gooey part. We’d be a perfect team :)

  56. More add-ins than batter — I’m 100% okay with that, ha! I’m a sucker for anything s’mores and I have a feeling I’d put a good dent in these bars. They look so gooey!

  57. I never understood those people who said that they couldn’t eat more than one s’more because they were too sweet. I would just look at them like, who are you!?!? I couldn’t eat LESS than one!

    Last time I had a s’more was just a month ago. My aunt had a bit too much margarita at my parents’ cabin and insisted we make them. It was balls hot out, and no one wanted to start a fire, so we toasted the marshmallows on the deck, over a Coleman propane stove. It worked!

    1. That story is just CLASSIC! I would have loved to have been there. Campfires or grills keep away the golf-ball size mosquitoes this time of year in your neck of the woods. I bet there were some great stories and tons of fun that night. Margaritas for dinner and smores for dessert sounds like my kind of night!

  58. There were some happy people in my house today after I made these! The recipe works like a charm and is so easy.

    I am also making your coconut kefir recipe. I have never had it, but want to try it. It should be ready tomorrow as I started it today.

    I would like to try kombucha also. If I were to try a kombucha drink (pre-made in somewhere like Whole Foods), is there a brand you can recommend? This way I can see if I like it.

    Thanks!

    1. You made them already?! AWESOME!!!!! I love it when people make my recipes the same day I post them. Thank you! And so glad the recipe worked like a charm and was so easy and you had happy people in your house!

      As for the coconut kefir, you’ll love it! And the warmer your house, the sooner it will be done. Summer months are always nice – things are usually ready a bit ahead of schedule :)

      Ok so storebought kombucha isn’t really like homemade, at least in my experience. It kind of is, but it’s like the difference between making your own PB and buying it. There’s just a big difference in taste. If you do want to try storebought, I would say any they sell at WFs are fine. From GTs, Syngery, or whatever catches your eye. They also sell them in the regular groc stores here in the refrig cases. If you’ve never had it, the berry flavors mask the true taste of it more than say the ginger-ish or lemon-ish ones do. It’s hard to even describe what it tastes like so I would buy a couple and see. And then know that if you make them yourself, they’ll taste even better :) I have a few posts about it https://www.averiecooks.com/category/beverages/kombucha-beverages

  59. I love how quick and easy these chewy and gooey bars are to make! Definitely going to add this on the must make list! Thanks!

  60. Sometimes we need soft, chewy and gooey over crunchy. Love that you used your blondie recipe as a base for these S’mores bars, Averie. They look phenomenally good! Working on a recipe round-up (a first for me) and several of your recipes will be featured to include this one! Thanks for sharing and I hope you are having a good weekend!

  61. Wow! These are seriously s’mores-y! I like to think that every new s’mores recipe that is invented somehow extends summer a little longer….Can’t wait to try these!

  62. These are amaaaaazing looking! So fun for a summer snack – s’mores (in any shape or form) are the best!

  63. Oh my! I’ll take a whole batch of these to enjoy all to myself. Love the chocolate gooeyness.

  64. I think it’s bee a couple of years since I had a real campfire s’more. I have a gas stove and fireplace, so theoretically I could make them without getting myself all bonfire-smelly. But I’d much rather be licking my fingers from these gooey bars than scraping marshmallow out of my fireplace! The tops of these look great with all the hills and valleys–and the inside makes me swoon. I don’t know what we are doing next weekend, but if we go somewhere, I’m sure these would be gone in no time!

    1. hills and valleys – YES, perfect way to say it.

      And they would be gone in a flash if you brought them to a party. So good :) And wayyyy better than a campfire. My new place has an electric stovetop. The first I’ve ever had so even if I wanted to roast marshmallows indoors, that will soon not even be possible on my sleek, modern burner-less electric range. Not sure if I will like that or not? We shall see.

  65. When I saw your post title had the words “soft” and “gooey”: I was HOOKED! :) These look so delicious–I may have to bring these to a party I am going to next weekend. Thanks for the recipe!

  66. Oh my, oh my! These look incredible! I can’t wait to try them! Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe!

  67. I love s’mores bars! I bet these would taste great crumbled into a bowl of vanilla ice cream too… :)

    1. Yes they would! And I saw your cocoa brownies on Dessert Stalking the other day and thought they looked so good!