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.
Table of Contents
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 Day — or 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!
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.
Maureen B.
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 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.
How to Make S’mores Bars
These very gooey s’mores bars are a cinch to make! Follow these basic instructions:
- First, you’ll need to melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Let it cool for a minute or two before adding in the egg, brown sugar, and vanilla.
- Stir the flour into the butter mixture and whisk until just combined.
- Then, add the mix-ins.
- Turn the batter into a greased and lined 8×8-inch baking dish. Bake the bars until they have firmed up in the center and the edges have set.
- Don’t forget to cool them well before serving them!
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.
A Note on the Consistency of These Bars
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 messy – but oh-so-good – then this may not be the dessert for you.
Baking FAQs
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).
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.
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.
Storage Instructions
At room temperature: Leftover bars should be stored in an airtight container. They’ll last up to 1 week.
In the freezer: Let the bars cool completely before storing in an airtight container or freezer bag. They’ll last up to 6 months.
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Soft and Gooey Loaded Smores Bars
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 stick, melted
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¾ 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
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large, microwave-safe bowl melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
- Wait momentarily before adding the egg so you don’t scramble it. Add the egg, brown sugar, vanilla, and whisk until smooth.
- Add the flour and stir until just combined, don’t overmix.
- Add the graham crackers and any crumbs on cutting board, marshmallows, chocolate chips and fold to incorporate.
- Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.
- 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.
- Allow bars to cool in pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More S’mores Dessert Ideas:
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 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!
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.
YUM!!! Making them today for the 2nd time!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad you’re making them for a second time!
4 stars because it’s SO easy to make. Not 5 because I’m not getting a true s’mores flavor from them. Maybe not enough graham cracker flavor and too much of the brown sugar dough (which is super yummy btw).
great
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.
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.
I’m sorry they didn’t work out for you. If you do want to give any other smores bars recipes a try these https://www.averiecooks.com/smores-bars/ or these https://www.averiecooks.com/chocolate-chip-cookie-smores-bars/ are more current than this recipe (posted in 2013) and may work better for you. Thanks for trying.
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!
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!
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!
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?
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?
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).
That makes sense. Maybe I’ll try that next time, though in general I prefer salty and sweet over bitter and sweet.
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 pack
Little more flour, maybe something closer to 7/8 cup
3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips separated, with 1/2 cup mixed in and 1/4 cup sprinkled on top after putting dough into baking pan
I 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!
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 pack
Little more flour, maybe something closer to 7/8 cup
3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips separated, with 1/2 cup mixed in and 1/4 cup sprinkled on top after putting dough into baking pan
I 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!
Glad you enjoyed the bars!
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.
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!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you love these and they’re worth wait!
What are the calories for these bars?
Is there any way to make these healthier?
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.
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!
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!
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!