Celebrating National S’mores Day: Creative Twists on the Classic Campfire Treat

Nothing compares to gathering around a campfire with family and friends, the crackling logs, the warm glow, and the smell of roasted marshmallows. The all mighty s’more. This simple treat has been a campfire staple for generations. August 10th is National S’mores Day, so it’s the perfect time to brush up on our marshmallow roasting techniques and explore some creative twists on this beloved classic.

History of the S’more

The first official recipe for a s’more came out in the 1927 Girl Scout guidebook, Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts. While the book was meant to advise Girl Scouts, its legacy was the “Some More.” The original recipe, credited to a troop leader named Loretta Scott Crew, calls for 16 graham crackers, 8 bars plain chocolate, and 16 marshmallows.

Toast two marshmallows over the coals to a crisp gooey state and then put them inside a graham cracker and chocolate bar sandwich. The heat of the marshmallow between the halves of chocolate bar will melt the chocolate a bit. Though it tastes like “some more” one is really
enough.

Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts

It’s unclear when the name was shortened to simply “s’more,” but various Girl Scout publications referred to the treat as “Some More” until at least 1971.

The Classic S’more

Before diving into some creative twists, let’s take a moment to appreciate the classic. The traditional s’more consists of three key components:

• Graham crackers: These provide the perfect crunchy base.
• Chocolate bar: Typically, a piece of milk chocolate, which melts deliciously when sandwiched with a hot marshmallow.
• Marshmallow: Roasted to a golden brown over the campfire, achieving the perfect gooey center.

The traditional method involves roasting marshmallows on a stick over the campfire until they’re perfectly melty and then sandwiching them between graham crackers with a piece of chocolate. The heat from the marshmallow melts the chocolate just enough to create this campfire delicacy.

Creative S’more Variations

Let’s take the s’more game up a notch with these out-of-the-box variations:

Chocolate Chip Cookie S’mores

Ingredients: Chocolate chip cookies, milk chocolate, marshmallows

Steps: Replace the graham crackers with chocolate chip cookies. Roast the marshmallow and sandwich it with a piece of milk chocolate between two cookies.

Peanut Butter Cup S’mores

Ingredients: Graham crackers, peanut butter cups, marshmallows.

Steps: Swap out the traditional chocolate bar with a peanut butter cup.

Caramel Delight S’mores

Ingredients: Fudge-striped cookies, caramel sauce, chocolate, marshmallows.

Steps: Use fudge-striped cookies instead of graham crackers. Add a drizzle of caramel sauce along with the chocolate and roasted marshmallow for an extra layer of sweetness.

Strawberry Banana S’mores

Ingredients: Graham crackers, Nutella, strawberries, bananas, marshmallows.

Steps: Spread Nutella on the graham crackers, then add slices of strawberries and bananas before topping with a roasted marshmallow.

Mint Chocolate S’mores

Ingredients: Chocolate graham crackers, mint-flavored dark chocolate, marshmallows.

Steps: Introduce a minty layer by using chocolate graham crackers and mint-flavored dark chocolate.

Pretzel and Toffee S’mores

Ingredients: Salted pretzels, toffee chocolate, marshmallows.

Steps: Use salted pretzels instead of graham crackers. Add a piece of toffee chocolate along with the marshmallow for a sweet and salty delight.

White Chocolate and Raspberry S’mores

Ingredients: Chocolate graham crackers, white chocolate, fresh raspberries, marshmallows.

Steps: Layer white chocolate and fresh raspberries on the graham crackers, then add a roasted marshmallow.

Lemon Meringue S’mores

Ingredients: Shortbread cookies, lemon curd, marshmallows.

Steps: Spread lemon curd on the cookie and top with a toasted marshmallow.

Mexican Hot Chocolate S’mores

Ingredients: Cinnamon graham crackers, spicy chocolate (chocolate with chili), marshmallows.

Steps: Use cinnamon graham crackers and add a piece of spicy chocolate along with the marshmallow.

Coconut Dream S’mores

Ingredients: Coconut-flavored cookies or graham crackers, dark chocolate, toasted coconut shavings, marshmallows.

Steps: Layer dark chocolate and toasted coconut shavings on the cookies, then add a marshmallow.

Tips for the Perfect Campfire S’mores

• Roasting Techniques: This is a hotly debated topic (pun intended). Is it better to roast a marshmallow over the embers or the flames? This is a personal preference. Either way, for evenly roasted marshmallows, make sure to rotate it slowly, allowing it to become golden brown all over without burning.
• Assembling S’mores: To avoid making too much of a mess, prepare your crackers or cookie base and toppings beforehand. As soon as the marshmallow is roasted, carefully place it between your prepared layers.
• Helpful Tools: Long roasting sticks, grilling baskets, or even marshmallow roasting forks can make the process easier and safer, especially for kids.

Alternative Cooking Methods

No campfire? No problem! Here are a few alternative methods for making s’mores:

• Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallow on a baking sheet and bake for about 5-7 minutes or until the marshmallow is golden and the chocolate is melted.
• Broil: Preheat broiler. Set an oven rack about 6 inches below the broiler. Lay one graham crackers on a baking sheet and top it with the chocolate and marshmallow. Broil for about 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely, until the marshmallow is golden and puffed up. Remove from oven and top with other graham cracker.
• Air Fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 370°F. Lay one graham crackers in the air fryer basket and top it with the chocolate and marshmallow. Air fry about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and top with other graham cracker.
• Grill: Preheat your grill to medium heat. Assemble the s’mores and wrap them in aluminum foil. Place on the grill for about 4-5 minutes until the chocolate is melted and the marshmallow is gooey.
• Tabletop Fire Pit: A portable tabletop fire pit allow you to roast marshmallows right at your kitchen counter. You can purchase a small, tabletop s’more roaster or make your own using a terracotta pot.

Check out this article from food52.com where the author breaks down 8 different marshmallow roasting methods!

Share Your S’mores Creations

Now it’s your turn! We want to hear about your s’more experiments! Drop your favorite variations or totally new ideas in the comments below. And don’t forget to snap some pics of your sweet creations—share them on social media with #nationalsmoresday and tag @quiltscoutsofamerica. Let’s get roasting!