One messy bite and I am taken back to roasting marshmallows, laughing, and telling stories on the chilly beach in Seaside, Oregon with my Go Now Missions team. Another bite and I remember the campfire in my grandma's backyard where all of my cousins and I gathered around with hot dogs and s'mores- seeing who could avoid setting their treat on fire. As I finish off my s'mores dessert I relive sleepovers with my best friends in high school, out in the country, dancing and laughing around the fire, hyped up on the sugary sweet dessert.
From toddlers to senior citizens, s'mores have a way of bringing people together and pulling the goodness of summer together in a bite size treat. But sometimes, it's impractical or impossible to initiate the s'mores magic with a campfire/bonfire. Sometimes, you gotta roast them in the fireplace, over the bbq pit or (gasp!) in the oven. We did just that with our youth group and added in some fun variations to keep things interesting. Here's what we did and some super simple ideas for you!
We had plain Graham crackers, Hershey's chocolate bars, and jumbo marshmallows with the following add-ons available:
- peanut butter
- Nutella
- honey
- bite size candy bars
- white chocolate chips
- cinnamon
- brown sugar
- cayenne pepper
- coconut
- instant coffee
I would also suggest:
- dark chocolate
- caramel sauce
- sliced strawberries
- sliced bananas
- bacon
- mint
- cream cheese spread
(peanut butter+honey and brown sugar+cayenne flavor combos. both stinkin amazing!)
We allowed each student to build their s'more, placed them all on a baking sheet and baked at 400 for 10 minutes (or until marshmallows were toasted and chocolate was melted).
Alternatively, you can leave the top cracker to the side and use the broiler to toast the tops of the marshmallows in the oven, then place the crackers on top when cooked!
They turned out fabulously! No burnt mallows, served up in little bowls to steep the mess, a great indoor solution to a popular outdoor favorite!
What's your favorite s'mores memory? What's your favorite way to prepare them?
One of my favorite summer treats is frozen s'mores! Stefanie Litzler made them for me in college and now I make them all the time! Just mix mini marshmallows and chocolate chips with cool whip and spoon them onto graham crackers and freeze. They're delicious!
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