The Best S’mores Cookie Bars Recipe

I tucked marshmallow creme and chocolate bars into the center of a cookie bar to create an Easy Smores Bars Recipe with a hidden chocolate and marshmallow core.

I call these The Best S’mores Cookie Bars my secret weekend obsession. They hide a molten ribbon of marshmallow creme in the middle and use plenty of unsalted butter in the base so every bite flakes slightly and then collapses into goo.

I swear they look like a mistake the first time you cut them, all messy and uneven, and that is the point. People ask if I toasted anything, I just shrug.

Try one and you will get why I keep making them for every gathering. No one ever believes me when I say its stupidly easy and they always want the recipe.

Damn Delicious Desserts

Ingredients

The Best S’mores Cookie Bars

• Unsalted butter: Adds rich fat and tenderness, high in calories, little protein, carries flavor.
• Granulated and brown sugar: Sugars sweeten and caramelize, mostly carbs, no fibre or protein.
• Eggs: Provide structure, some protein and moisture, help bind the dough.
• Vanilla extract: Lifts flavors, tiny calorie impact, makes bars taste homemade.
• All purpose flour: Gives structure, mostly carbs, minimal nutrients.
• Graham cracker crumbs: Give toasted, slightly sweet crunch and graham flavor, little fiber.
• Marshmallow creme: Super sweet, gooey, mostly sugar, adds sticky marshmallow texture.
• Milk chocolate: Melts into chocolate pockets, adds sugar and fat, kids love it.
• Optional minis or chips: Extra gooeyness or chocolate hit, more sugar, fun texture contrast.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temp
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour (about 280 g)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 8 to 10 full sheets, crushed)
• 7 ounce jar marshmallow creme (about 1 cup, Marshmallow Fluff)
• 4 full size milk chocolate bars (Hersheys 1.55 oz each) or about 6 ounces chopped chocolate
• Optional: 1 cup mini marshmallows or 3/4 cup chocolate chips for extra gooeyness

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 inch pan with parchment and butter or spray the pan so the bars come out easy.

2. Chop the chocolate if using chopped chocolate, or leave the 4 full size Hershey bars whole. If you like it’s easier to freeze the bars for a few minutes so they cut cleaner.

3. In a large bowl beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar until light and a bit fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add 2 room temp eggs one at a time, then 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, mixing until combined.

4. In a separate bowl whisk together 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 8 to 10 full sheets crushed). Stir the dry mix into the butter mixture just until blended. The dough will be slightly crumbly from the graham crumbs and thats ok.

5. Press about half the dough evenly into the prepared pan, using moistened fingers or the bottom of a glass to get a smooth base. If the dough is too sticky chill it 10 minutes, then press.

6. Microwave the 7 ounce jar marshmallow creme for 10 to 15 seconds to loosen it, then spread it over the cookie base leaving a tiny border. Arrange the 4 full size milk chocolate bars (or sprinkle the ~6 ounces chopped chocolate) on top of the marshmallow. If using the optional add-ins sprinkle 1 cup mini marshmallows or 3/4 cup chocolate chips over the chocolate now.

7. Crumble the remaining dough over the top in pieces or roll into small balls and flatten them on top so some chocolate still peeks through. Press lightly so layers stick but dont press so hard you squeeze out the filling.

8. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until the top is golden and edges are set. If the top marshmallows brown too fast tent loosely with foil for the last few minutes. Dont overbake or bars will be dry.

9. Cool completely in the pan on a rack, at least 1 to 2 hours (or chill 30 to 60 minutes for cleaner cuts). Slice into bars and serve warm for gooey melty centers or at room temp. Store airtight for up to 3 days, refrigerate longer.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven set to 350°F, you gotta preheat it first
2. 9 x 13 inch baking pan lined with parchment and greased with butter or nonstick spray
3. Large mixing bowl for the butter and sugar, plus a smaller bowl for the dry ingredients
4. Electric mixer or a sturdy wooden spoon if you dont have one
5. Measuring cups and spoons for flour sugar and baking soda
6. Rubber spatula or spoon for spreading the marshmallow and scraping the bowl
7. Chef knife and cutting board to chop the chocolate bars if you choose to chop them
8. Microwave or microwave safe bowl to loosen the marshmallow creme, and a cooling rack to cool the pan

FAQ

The Best S’mores Cookie Bars Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Unsalted butter: swap with salted butter at the same amount and skip the recipe salt. For a dairy free version use refined coconut oil 1:1. Expect a slightly softer, more cake like texture and a faint coconut note, so chill bars a bit before slicing.
• Light brown sugar: make your own by stirring 1 tablespoon molasses into 1 cup granulated sugar and use the same volume called for. Gives the same chew and molasses flavor, works great if you ran out of store bought brown sugar.
• All purpose flour: use a 1:1 gluten free all purpose blend that contains xanthan gum to keep structure. Texture can be a touch more crumbly but still gooey. Or swap with whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 for nuttier flavor, only add 1 or 2 tablespoons less if dough feels dry.
• Marshmallow creme: replace with about 1 and 1/2 cups mini marshmallows melted in the microwave with 1 teaspoon corn syrup or a splash of water until smooth. Youll get gooey pockets instead of a smooth spread, or just fold 1 cup minis into the batter for extra chew.

Pro Tips

1) If the dough feels sticky, pop it in the fridge about 10 minutes then press it with moistened fingers or the bottom of a glass for a smoother base. Don’t overchill or it’ll become rock hard and crack when you try to spread the top.

2) Warm the marshmallow creme only 10 to 15 seconds and stir well so it spreads easy, but beware of overheating or it will bubble and get stringy. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon and leave a tiny border so the filling won’t squish out.

3) For cleaner, neater bars freeze whole chocolate bars for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing, or just chop the chocolate coarsely if you want little melty pockets. If you like gooey ribbons scatter mini marshmallows or chips on top, they give pockets of extra ooze.

4) Watch the bake closely near the end, tent foil loosely if the marshmallows start browning too fast. Let the pan cool completely at room temp or chill 30 to 60 minutes for very clean slices, but serve slightly warm if you want the melty center.