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Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: All your favorite nostalgic s’mores flavors, no campfire needed.
Texture: So dreamy! The crust is thick and buttery, the filling is fudgy, and the topping is perfectly gooey.
Ease: The marshmallow topping might seem intimidating, but I promise it’s easier than you think.
Why you’ll love this recipe: My husband says this recipe is “hall of fame” and I must agree!
Is there anything more quintessentially ‘summery’ than a s’more?
Some of my fondest food memories involve s’mores. So much so that I’ve created many s’mores recipes, like my S’mores Cookies and No-Bake S’mores Mini Cheesecakes.
This recipe takes that classic campfire treat and pack it all into a convenient, easily transportable, easy-to-serve bar you can enjoy year-round.
I hope you give this recipe a try for your next BBQ, cookout, or potluck!
Reader Love
This recipe is literally AMAZING! Everyone who’s tried it has asked for the recipe. I want to gatekeep so badly but I didn’t and turned them this way. Every step is worth it, it’s amazing
I made this yesterday and it got 5 stars from everyone at the table! Both teen boys sitting at the table pretty much inhaled their first piece and went back for seconds…and thirds. lol It is incredibly easy to make. The instructions are clear and fool proof, which is standard for Handle the Heat, imo. I had never made marshmallow before and really enjoyed learning how to make it for this recipe!
Crust Tips
Ensure your crust is firmly packed into your pan. The tighter the crust, the less likely it is to crumble. The bottom of a measuring cup or a tart tamper makes easy work of this.
Homemade Marshmallow
The finishing touch for our S’mores Fudge Bars! Making marshmallow may seem intimidating, but I promise it’s surprisingly easy. Here are a few tips for homemade marshmallow:
- Be sure to use a candy thermometer to bring the sugar mixture to exactly 240°F, then slowly and cautiously drizzle the mixture in with your soft peak egg whites while your mixer runs on low (to avoid scrambling your egg whites).
- Don’t skip the cream of tartar – this helps stabilize the marshmallow.
Tips for Torching or Broiling Your S’mores Bars
- I adore any excuse to break out my kitchen torch because it’s so FUN to use!
- If you don’t have a kitchen torch, you can pop the s’mores bars under the broiler – just watch them super carefully as they can burn in a matter of seconds. If possible, use a Low broil setting and keep the oven door cracked open to observe progress to avoid burning.
- Be sure to use aluminum foil and not parchment paper to line your pan. Parchment paper will catch fire when torching or broiling!
What’s the Best Pan for S’mores Fudge Bars?
This S’mores Fudge Bar recipe uses an 8 by 8-inch pan. This is my favorite pan for these bars, as well as brownies, blondies, and practically everything else! Do not use a glass pan if broiling the marshmallows; the direct heat can cause the glass to shatter.
Tips for Clean Slices
Allow the S’mores Bars to chill fully. Use a sharp knife and run it under hot water, carefully wiping it dry between each cut.
Storage & Make ahead
Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freeze: These freeze well! Store them in an airtight container for up to one month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving. I recommend gently re-torching the top of the bars before serving, to slightly re-crisp the marshmallow.
FAQs
If you really don’t want to make homemade marshmallow fluff, you can use marshmallow fluff instead; however, it will be much sweeter and won’t look as pretty or slice as nicely. I also haven’t tried torching or broiling store-bought fluff, so I can’t say how well that works.
Graham crackers are the classic s’mores cookie of choice, but if needed, use the same amount by weight of digestive biscuits, shortbread, gingersnaps, Biscoff cookies, or any crunchy cookie you like! Biscoff cookies are a little richer than graham crackers (which are drier), so add just enough melted butter until it holds together when pressed.
If you can find it, grab a pouch of sweetened condensed milk instead of a can – they’re perfect for recipes like this! I found mine at Fry’s / Kroger, but they’re also available at Walmart, or easily available online here.
If you buy a can of sweetened condensed milk, you will have about ⅓ of the can left over.
You can freeze it for another use by placing it in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Alternatively, use the leftovers to try making Thai Iced Tea or Vietnamese Iced Coffee.
Corn syrup is an invert sugar, which means it is liquid at room temperature, preventing grains of sugar from recrystallizing as the marshmallow cools.
Golden syrup should work as a substitute. You can use honey, but the flavor will become very dominant.
Sure! Use a 9 by 13-inch pan and simply double all ingredients. Note the chocolate filling and marshmallow mixture will both take longer to cook.
I highly recommend using a stand mixer for the marshmallow portion of these S’mores Fudge Bars. Using a handheld electric mixer is possible, but it will be tricky to carefully drizzle the hot sugar mixture into the egg whites while you continue to beat the egg whites on low to avoid scrambling them. If this is your only option, it’s best to ask someone to assist you with this part.
This marshmallow method cooks the sugar first, so when we add this hot syrup to the eggs, it raises the temperature to the point where they are safe to consume.
If you or someone you’re serving is immune-compromised or pregnant, use a digital instant-read thermometer to verify that your egg mixture has reached 160°F.
You can, but it’s less reliable. Look for a thick syrup with slower bubbles, but a thermometer gives consistent results. You can use a candy thermometer or an instant-read digital thermometer, just be careful to avoid any bubbles or splashes
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Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 20 (308 grams) full graham crackers
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 12 tablespoons (170 grams) unsalted butter, melted
For the Fudge Filling:
- 1 ⅓ cups (226 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup + 1 ½ tablespoons (265 grams) sweetened condensed milk
For the Marshmallow Topping:
- 2 large egg whites, cold
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (75 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (168 grams) light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup (60 grams) water
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with foil*.
- Place the graham crackers, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add the melted butter and pulse until the mixture is moistened. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Place the pan on a hot pad or pot holder in the fridge to cool while you prepare the filling.
Make the filling:
- In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan set over medium-low heat, combine the chocolate chips and condensed milk. Stirring constantly, heat until the mixture is melted, thick, and smooth. Don’t walk away from it, as it can burn on the bottom quickly. Pour over graham cracker crust. Place in the refrigerator while making the marshmallow topping.
Make the marshmallow topping:
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form, about 2-3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan set over medium-high heat, combine the sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil and continue to cook until a candy thermometer registers 240°F, about 6-8 minutes. The bubbles will become slower and the syrup will thicken slightly. Immediately remove from heat.
- Turn the mixer on low speed and slowly but continuously add the hot syrup, pouring it between the side of the bowl and whisk.
- Increase speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture is very thick and looks like marshmallow fluff, about 6-7 minutes longer. Add vanilla and beat until combined.
Assemble:
- Spread the marshmallow topping evenly over the chocolate fudge layer. Use a kitchen torch to gently torch the marshmallow layer until lightly golden. Alternatively, place the pan under the broiler and broil for about 30 seconds, or until lightly golden, checking on it every few seconds (it can burn quickly!).
- Refrigerate the pan for at least 1 hour before cutting into squares and serving. The squares can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
These taste amazing, but sadly I’ll have to serve it as a “deconstructed smore” because my crust didn’t hold together. Any suggestions? I weighed everything…and the crust seemed to pack down just fine. I’m thinking either it needs more butter or it needs more oven time.
It could’ve needed more baking time to come together! I also find how you slice these can help maintain the crust’s shape. I like to use a sharp chef’s knife. Out of curiosity, can I ask what brand of graham crackers you used?
I tried to look through the other comments and I didn’t see this question already being answered (I didn’t get through all the comments so I apologize if it has already been answered). But I was wondering if it would be okay to toast the marshmallow with the torch after it has been refrigerated? The recipe says it’s best to re-torch before serving. So would it also be possible to just wait to torch?
Thanks,
April
Hi April! Great question! We haven’t tested waiting to torch the marshmallow until after refrigerating, but I think it depends more on how far in advance you’re making it. Torching the marshmallow before refrigerating helps it hold its shape a bit better, but if you’re making the dessert just a day ahead, I don’t see why you couldn’t wait and torch it just before serving. If you give it a try, let us know how it turns out! 🙂
Thanks, Emily!
I waited until today and it held its shape well overnight without the torched top. So it seems to work well either way!
These were delicious! Tastes just like s’mores but better!
I was skeptical about the marshmallow as it didn’t taste good on its own, but was perfect once broiled and combined with the chocolate/graham crackers.
As someone without a food processor, I used a Ninja Bullet to crush my graham crackers after breaking them up with my hands. Good, but a lot of work and next time I would just buy the bag of graham cracker crumbs.
One suggestion/note I have is that the instructions could be a bit more clear for the syrup. It says to wait until the temperature reaches 240, but visual cues would be helpful as well. I’m not sure if it’s just me, but because there was so little liquid in this (I used my smallest pot), the candy thermometer seems to have trouble recording the temp, so it took double the time it said it would to reach 240. Visual cues on what to look for would be super helpful to make sure it’s cooked perfectly! Also, any candy thermometer recommendations?
Thanks for your feedback, Jay! I’ve updated the recipe instructions to include a visual cue. For a candy thermometer, Tessa linked her favorite in the notes above the recipe here 🙂
These bars are absolutely delicious!
My only question is regarding a torch. I used the broiler which was alright, but I feel a torch would work better. I did order the one that you recommend, but is there a specific butane that you recommend that fits with it and works well as this torch does not include the butane. Thank you!
Hi Matthew! So glad you enjoyed the bars! 🙂 I use this 75ml butane, though it looks like it’s currently only available in a 2-pack in that size—which should last you quite a while! You’ll want to look for a butane fuel with a universal refill tip. This one should work great as well (affiliate links).
I made these today and they are pretty darned good. One issue I have is that the marshmallow tended to sort of slump over the sides of the bars even when using the heated knife technique. Of course it’s possible that I didn’t beat it long enough although it looked like good old Fluff.
Loved the s’mores fudge bars, and especially the marshmallow topping! Creamy, chocolatey goodness and easy to follow instructions. My only suggestion is that the crust was a bit thicker than I would have preferred. Will make this recipe again!
These look delicious! Do you have a substitute for the egg in the marshmallow layer? My son is allergic.
Hi Rachel! I’m so sorry, but we haven’t tested any egg substitutes for the marshmallow layer, so I can’t say for sure!
I cant get corn syrup here…any subsitute?
You could use golden syrup, if that’s available! Tessa also mentions honey as an alternative in the FAQs above the recipe here, but the flavor will be very prominent.
My marshmallow topping never set. It stayed like a goopy consistency and does not look light and fluffy like the picture at all
Sorry to hear that, Emily! It sounds like the sugar mixture may not have reached the proper temperature, or it may have needed a little more whipping time. Did you use a candy thermometer when cooking the sugar mixture? That’ll help us narrow down what happened so we can better troubleshoot.
Thank you so much for sharing your s’mores fudge bars. I made these multiple times for my son’s elementary school birthdays. This was a few years ago. I noticed your recipe had changed especially with the sugar content in the marshmallow topping. May I ask why. I’d like to start making them again, but want to keep the nostalgia for my son.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes!!
Hi Mandi! Great question about the changes — we did update both the chocolate filling and marshmallow topping to improve texture and consistency. For the chocolate layer, we adjusted the ratio of chocolate chips to sweetened condensed milk so it’s less rich, sets a little more smoothly, and slices more cleanly. For the marshmallow topping, we reduced the granulated sugar slightly, which helps create a smoother, glossier, more marshmallow-like texture and reduces the chance of graininess. That said, the original version will still work just fine if you’re hoping to create that exact nostalgic taste and texture your son remembers. But let us know what he thinks if you try the new version! 🙂
I made this yesterday and it got 5 stars from everyone at the table! Both teen boys sitting at the table pretty much inhaled their first piece and went back for seconds…and thirds. lol It is incredibly easy to make. The instructions are clear and fool proof, which is standard for Handle the Heat, imo. I had never made marshmallow before and really enjoyed learning how to make it for this recipe!
These were very rich and delicious! My kids who don’t like s’mores liked these, and my mother-in-law who is always on a diet ate her entire piece.
I felt pretty fancy making homemade marshmallow fluff, and it was much easier than I expected. The main note I made for myself for next time is to make sure to beat the eggs at a high enough speed. I didn’t at first, and they didn’t fluff up at all.
Great recipe!