Completely from scratch s’mores brownie cupcakes feature a thick graham cracker crust, undeniably fudgy brownie center, and toasty marshmallow frosting. With so much texture in each bite, these cupcakes are an experience to savor!
National S’mores Day, August 10th, is not a holiday to take lightly. I’m bringing you sweatpants-necessary s’mores brownie cupcakes complete with a toasty marshmallow topping because it’s not a s’more unless it’s toasty.
These S’mores Brownie Cupcakes Are:
- Everything we love about s’mores in cupcake form
- Easier to make than you think
- Ultra decadent and chocolatey dessert recipe
- Made using my chewy fudgy frosted brownies batter
- Topped with homemade marshmallow creme
- Great for summer potlucks, picnics, and BBQs
- Always a crowd pleaser!
3 Parts to S’mores Brownie Cupcakes
While they may look daunting, today’s s’mores brownie cupcakes combine 3 simple recipes in a brand new way. Let’s review each component.
- Graham Cracker Crust: You only need 3 ingredients to make graham cracker crustโgraham crackers, sugar, and melted butter. Combine these and press the mixture into cupcake liners. No need to pre-bake this crust as the time in the oven with the brownie on top is plenty. My #1 tip: make sure you really press that crust down. Make it nice and tight.
- Homemade Brownies: We use my beloved chewy fudgy frosted brownies batter made from all familiar and convenient ingredients like cocoa powder, flour, butter, eggs, and sugar. Nothing fancy or complicated, just rich and fudgy decadence. I slightly simplified the recipe (using all white sugar and a little extra cocoa powder/less flour) and I love the results.
- Marshmallow Meringue: The marshmallow meringue is basically homemade marshmallow creme. It’s the same meringue used in chocolate mousse pie and peanut butter hi-hat cupcakes. It may sound intimidating, but it’s completely approachable and simple. Whisk egg whites + sugar + cream of tartar together over simmering water, then beat until fluffy peaks form. It tastes like marshmallow fluff. Without the artificial ingredients/flavorings.
Photos to guide you along:
If you have a double boiler, you can use that for the marshmallow meringue instead of this bowl + pot contraption. This is a photo of the egg whites + sugar + cream of tartar whisked together over simmering water on the stovetop.
Beaten together to form stiff peaks, just like homemade marshmallow creme!
Decorating S’mores Brownie Cupcakes
I used the Ateco #808 piping tip to pipe the marshmallow meringue frosting onto each cupcake. I really wanted it piled high on top of each! You can use any piping tip you like, or just swirl it on nice and thick with a knife. I wouldn’t use a piping tip that displays intricate designs thoughโthe marshmallow may not hold its shape.
For that quintessential s’mores flavor, whip out your kitchen torch to toast the tops. Don’t stick the frosting under the broilerโit can easily lose its shape. But a quick flash from the torch does the toasting trick! If you wish to purchase a torch, you’ll definitely use it again when you make brownie baked Alaska and chai pumpkin meringue pie.
If you want to skip the piping and use your oven instead of kitchen torch, try this s’mores brownie pie with store bought marshmallows instead.
You can make every day National S’mores Day with all the s’mores recipe possibilities! Might I recommend trying these s’mores rice krispie treats next?
More Brownie Recipes
- Homemade Brownies
- Caramel Turtle Brownies
- Cookies & Cream Brownies
- Brownie Baked Alaska (can also be made as cupcakes)
- Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Mocha Cheesecake Brownies
- Nutella Brownies
S’mores Brownie Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 18 cupcakes
- Category: Cupcakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Complete with toasted marshmallow frosting, these s’mores brownie cupcakes can’t be beat! Indulge in the best homemade brownie cupcakes.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) graham cracker crumbs (about 12 full-sheet graham crackers)
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted
Brownies
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter
- 2 4-ounce quality semi-sweet chocolate bars (228g), coarsely chopped
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (63g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/4 cup (21g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Marshmallow Meringue Frosting
- 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar (do not skip!)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ยฐF (177ยฐC). Line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a 2nd 12-count muffin pan with 6 liners. (This recipe yields about 18).
- Make the crust: Using a food processor, grind the graham crackers, to yield about 1 1/2 cups crumbs. Pour into a medium bowl and stir in sugar and melted butter until combined. (You can also pulse it all together in the food processor.) Spoon 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons of crust into each cupcake liner. Press down tightly to create a tight and firm crust. Set aside. (No need to pre-bake.)
- Make the brownie cups: Melt the butter and chocolate together in a large heat-proof bowl. I microwave in 30-second increments, stopping and stirring after each until melted and smooth. Whisk in the granulated sugar. Allow to slightly cool for 5 minutes before adding the eggs. (So as not to cook the eggs!) Whisk in the eggs, vanilla, flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Batter will be thick. Spoon evenly into each cupcake liner on top of the graham cracker crusts, filling almost to the top of the liners.
- Bake brownie cups for 25โ28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs (no wet batter). Keep your eye on them and check after 22 minutes or so. Mine take around 26 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in pans.
- Make the meringue: Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in a heatproof bowl. Set bowl over a saucepan filled with 2 inches of simmering water. Do not let the bowl touch the water. (You can use a double boiler if you have one.) Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved, about 4 minutes. The mixture’s temperature taken with an instant read thermometer should be 160ยฐF (71ยฐC). If it’s not, keep cooking and whisking until thinned out and temperature is warm enough.ย Remove from heat. Add the vanilla extract, then, using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat on high speed for 5 minutes until stiff, glossy peaks form. You can read more about and watch me make this in my separate marshmallow meringue frosting post.
- Pipe onto cooled brownie cupcakes. I used an Ateco 808 piping tip. If desired, use a kitchen torch to lightly toast.
- Cover and store leftover cupcakes at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 1โ2 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: You can make the cupcakes through step 5. Cover and store the brownie cupcakes at room temperature for up to 3 days, then continue with the meringue topping. Or freeze brownie cupcakes (prepared through step 5) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight completely, then top with marshmallow meringue frosting.
- Special Tools (affiliate links):ย 12-count Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Food Processor | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Double Boiler | Instant Read Thermometer | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Ateco 808 Piping Tip | Piping Bag (Reusable or Disposable) | Kitchen Torch
- Crust for Non-US Readers: โโDon’t have graham crackers where you live? Use 200g ground digestive biscuits instead (about 13โ14 biscuits), the same amount of butter, and add a bit more sugar (about 1/3 cup, or 67g). Or you can make an Oreo crumb crust instead: Grind 18 whole Oreos (200g) into crumbs, and combine with 60g melted butter.
You will also love these soft and chewy toasted s’more chocolate chip cookies.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I was able to get eighteen crusts but only fifteen cupcakes using every last scrap of batter. The icing was just barely enough for the fifteen cupcakes. If i were to make them again, Iโd make more icing. Great flavor and presentation with Sallyโs recipe and using the kitchen torch. Rave reviews.
Delicious. Iโve now made these twice and theyโve been a hit. Unfortunately, I had to work really hard to get even just 15 cupcakes out of the brownie portion, which was a bummer because I needed 18. But I followed the recipe to the letter and everyone loved them.
Hi….I’d like to make these for a party and am wondering how far in advance I can do the meringue topping, so I’m not in the kitchen at the last minute. Thanks!
I’ve found that up to a day is just fine, covered in the refrigerator. Re-whip it for a minute or so before using, in case it has wilted a bit.
This was amazing! A huge hit, everyone was very impressed. It was so delicious. The recipe was very easy to follow. The graham cracker crust was perfect, everyone thought it was such a cool, yummy suprise. The brownie was pure fudgy, delicious decadence. As a chocolate lover, I thought it was spectacular. Don’t even get me started on the marshmallow creme. It was one of the greatest things I’ve ever tasted. Everyone couldn’t believe how good it was. It truly did taste like melted marshmallow. It was never as thick as yours even after 25 minutes of mixing so I just put it on with a spoon and it held it’s shape pretty well. This was do to the humidity though not the recipe. I also halved the sugar in everything but the marshmallow and loved the results. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe! Five stars!
Hello haven’t made the recipe yet will come and review when I do very excited. However I don’t have a kitchen torch and wonder what I could use in it’s place. Any thoughts?
Hi Deirdre, you really need a kitchen torch for this recipe. The meringue will melt under a broiler. If you want to skip the piping and use your oven instead of kitchen torch, try this sโmores brownie pie with store bought marshmallows instead.
could I place a few small marshmallows or even pipe some marshmallow fluff into the middle of the cupcakes? how would this change the process, if at all? like, would it affect baking time or temp? or anything else?
Hi Shan, your best option would be to bake the cupcakes and then fill them with marshmallow meringue or fluff. Enjoy!
Can this be made into a cake format? Maybe with a springform pan?
Hi Kristina, you can use this batter to make a cake. It makes about 4-5 cups of batter, which is helpful for different cake pan sizes and conversions.
How critical is it to use eggs whites from freshly cracked eggs for the meringue? I have egg whites left over from something I made that needed yolks. Theyโve been sitting in a Tupperware for about a week. Would love to use them up here.
Hi Grace, egg whites (once cracked and removed from the yolk and shell) are usually best within just a few days of opening. We would not recommend using the week-old egg whites here. Fresh egg whites are best and will whip better into the consistency needed for the meringue.
I have tried alot of different recipes and Iseen Sally’s lemon meringue pie. I made it and I have not used any one else’s recipes since. I am very picky but this woman rocks. I love every recipe I have tried. When I need to make anything I go right to the website. She is amazing and so are her recipes. Thank you PS… Next party I am going to brag about you.
Hi there. Just curious why there is no leavening (soda or powder) in the recipe? Thank you!
Hi Tracy! We want a nice dense brownie base.
My brownies took 30 minutes to bake, and my oven thermometer said the temperature was right. The egg whites took a very long time to reach 160F, and my meringue never reached stiff peaks (my house was, unfortunately, very humid at the time, so I think that is probably the reason). My husband says the graham cracker crust is a little dense, but other than that (and my flat meringue), it tastes good!
Iโd love to make these for a birthday party, but how long can the meringue be done in advance? I canโt be in the kitchen doing that during the party. Would they hold for a 6-7 hours? Should I torch immediately or torch to serve (which would be possible)
Hi Nicole! Baked goods topped with this marshmallow meringue can be left at room temperature for up to 6-8 hours.
If I were to bake these cupcakes in ice cream cones,how long would I need to bake them for?
Hi Mia, I’m unsure. This is a thick brownie batter, and I really don’t know the accurate time. Let me know if you try it though.
I have 2 questions.
#1, if I make these in mini cupcakes pans how long do I bake them?
#2, will they taste OK with Buttercream instead of your suggested Marshmallow Meringue?
Thank you!
Hi Teresa-Ann, you can definitely make these as mini cupcakes. Bake time would be about 11-13 minutes, with no other changes. You can use buttercream or another frosting instead of the marshmallow if you prefer. Enjoy!
How would you recommend that I these cupcakes? Should they be kept refrigerated or be left out? Also, I was thinking of adding decorative fondant toppers to them…Im hosting my birthday party in late May. I was going to add mermaid tail fondant toppers on top of the marshmallows cream. Party theme is “under the sea”.) Plan B is using chocolate buttercream frosting. Since I haven’t had issues with fondant and buttercream before. I made salted caramel buttercream in the fall for salted caramel cupcakes….pumpkin fondant toppers were a hit!
Hi Umi, you can cover and store leftover cupcakes at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 1โ2 days. Hope they’re a hit!
My marshmallow frosting is soft. It’s not standing up just like this in your picture. What to do? Please help
Hi Kristiene! This post has more information and tips on the marshmallow meringue frosting (including a video tutorial). It may just need to be whipped for longer!
I made the cupcakes in advance and I realised I have not got many eggs for the marshmallow partโโ๏ธ can I use Marshmallow fluff as a cheat instead? Because I seem to have plenty of that (members of my family all have sweet tooth โโ๏ธ)
Hi Rhoma, feel free to use marshmallow fluff instead. Hope they’re a hit!
BEST DESSERT EVER. The other women in my family arenโt โdessert peopleโ (yuck) and they went back for seconds. Waaaay easier to make than it looks. Love every recipe by Sally sheโs never steered me wrong!!
Hi Sally!
I would like to use this recipe or the brownie cupcake w/chocolate chip cookie dough frosting as the base for the peanut butter hi hat cupcake recipe. This recipe makes 18 the cookie dough topped brownie cupcake recipe makes 12. Other than that is there much difference in texture b/t the two brownie cupcake recipes? Is one more fudge like? Thank you so much for your help!
Hi Terry, you can use either recipe, and there shouldn’t be any noticeable difference in taste or texture. Enjoy!
I just made these and they are AMAZING. I made them for my husbandโs office. I made miniature versions of these and many I think thatโs plenty for these decadent little cups. I almost donโt want to send them away lol
This recipe is so delicious! Iโve made these 3 or 4 times now and theyโre always perfect. The brownie part has such a great chocolate flavor and texture. Iโve also used the meringue recipe for lots of other things. Thank you for publishing this one!
I havenโt made the meringue topping yet but I had to try the cupcakes before I sell them at the farmerโs market. I was a little nervous about the brownie not having any leavening. They are delicious! The Grahm cracker crust is perfect. They are a little too sweet for my tastes but so are Sโmores! I may consider cutting back on the sugar a little. I baked them for 27 minutes because when I checked them at 22 minutes they were still raw. That could be cut back by a minute or two I think. This recipe is a winner! Thank you Sally!
It was sโmores themed dessert today. I made these cupcakes and the sโmores bars. Dear heavens couldnโt choose the best both were awesome. Iโve never made my own marshmallow crรจme and what a decadent treat. Keep โem coming Sally!! Friends and family are loving the treats I make thanks to you!!!
I have been using your recipes for all our celebrations with fantastic success, and this one was no different! The cupcakes have a great balance between the chocolate and graham, and the meringue topping is fluffy gooey perfection.
They are out of the oven now cooling. I only got 15 cupcakes, and yes I followed the recipe to the letter.
Hi Pamela, cupcake recipes can vary a bit depending on how full you fill the muffin cups, so it’s not unusual to be a few more or less from the expected yield. I hope they tasted delicious, though!
This was so good and the cake was os yummy! The only thing for me was the graham cracker bottom. I might have overcooked the cupcake by a couple of minutes but my graham cracker base came out almost caramelized and it was too hard compared to the chewy cake over it. Is it supposed to be like this?
Hi Kara, We are glad you enjoyed these cupcakes. The bottom should be solid enough to stay together, but not super hard to the point it tastes caramelized. If you try them again, try not pressing the crust down quite as hard and set your timer so that they don’t over-bake.
Perfection! Delicious multiple components coming together in delicious harmony!