I first tasted these delicious treats – an amped up version of the classic campfire favourite – at a weekend cottage party many years ago. Rich, gooey and decadently delicious, I probably would have told you back then that they go really well with rum punch, but now I’m more inclined to reach for a glass of ice-cold milk (or maybe a cold-brewed coffee) to enjoy with this yummy bar. I love that unlike many cookie, bar or square recipes that call for white flour, these beauties are made with graham crackers which have more fibre and protein plus you can use the low-fat crackers without compromising taste. I also chose to replace the sweetened condensed milk, making this updated version much less sweet than the original one I remember enjoying; using dark chocolate chips helps to cut the sweetness as well. If you’re feeding them to grownups, I highly recommend adding bourbon to the butter mixture; otherwise stick with vanilla extract. Be sure the squares are thoroughly chilled before you cut them so they don’t fall apart (although they’ll still be delicious even if they do). I'm planning to make these for every bake sale from now until the end of time, and I'm pretty sure I'll be a hero for it.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper or tin foil, allowing the liner to hang over the edges of the pan by an inch or so.
Put the butter, brown sugar, milk and bourbon or vanilla in a medium saucepan. Over medium heat, warm the mixture, stirring often. As soon as it is beginning to bubble and the butter has melted, remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the graham crumbs to make a thick batter-like mixture. Set aside.
Fill the bottom of the prepared pan with a layer of graham crackers, cutting them with a very sharp knife as needed to fill the space.
Spread one-third of the graham crumb mixture in a thin layer over the cracker layer (don’t worry if it’s not completely smooth or even).
Sprinkle half the marshmallows (1 1/2 cups) over the graham crumb mixture, followed by half the chocolate chips (3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp).
Top this with another thin layer of one-third of the graham crumb mixture, followed by another layer of graham crackers.
Finish by sprinkling remaining marshmallows and chocolate chips over the top.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the marshmallows are nicely browned on top.
Let the pan of s’mores bars cool for one hour on a wire rack, then transfer to the fridge to cool completely (about 3 – 4 hours) before lifting them out of the pan using the edges of the parchment paper or foil then using a big knife to cut into 1 inch x 2 inch bars. You may find it helpful to clean your knife periodically during the cutting process.
Store tightly covered at room temperature for up to three days, refrigerate for a week or freeze for longer storage.
Makes 32 bars.
RELATED: Even MORE Ways To Enjoy S'mores Without a Campfire
Printer-friendly version