Graham cracker and brown sugar cookie dough sandwiches a thick layer of marshmallow creme and plenty of chocolate chips in these undeniably delicious s’mores cookie bars. They’re chewy, soft, and gooey and have been very popular since I first published the recipe in 2013. They’re a hit wherever I take them and these days I love using homemade marshmallow creme instead of store-bought.
One reader, Michele, says: “These were amazing! I made two batches for an outing this weekend and they both were devoured! Thank you so much for such a perfect s’mores bar, the prep was simple and the bake time was spot on for me. I had several request for the recipe. I love your blog!”
It’s like… why not just eat a s’more? Do we really need a cookie bar that’s s’mores flavored? The answer is yes. Real s’mores, in all their sticky, messy, campfire-fresh glory are obviously a special treat. But here we get to enjoy those same exact flavors in convenient travel-friendly form and with a thicker, softer graham cracker base. We don’t even need a crackling campfire to set the ambiance! A win-win-win.
S’mores Cookie Bars Details
- Flavor: S’mores is a very popular “flavor” that isn’t going out of style. From no bake s’mores cake to s’mores brownie cupcakes and s’mores brownie pie, the combination of marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers can be used in many different ways. (Heck, I’ve even served up s’mores chocolate mousse before!) Today’s layered s’mores cookie bars combine the same trio of flavors and while the marshmallow creme and chocolate are obviously irresistible, readers always love the buttery sweet graham cracker cookie enveloping it all.
- Texture: If you haven’t tried them already, be prepared for a medley of textures. The graham cookie portion is soft, chewy, and a little crumbly. The marshmallow creme is gooey and if you use my homemade recipe, it has a slightly crisp meringue-like texture on top. (That’s probably my favorite part of it all!)
- Ease: I do not consider this a challenging recipe, but assembling the bars takes a little bit of effort. The cookie dough is quite sticky, so don’t be afraid to use your hands to spread it evenly into the lined baking pan. The marshmallow creme is equally sticky, but just remember that the layers don’t have to be beautiful or perfect. Do your best and trust the oven to bake it all together nicely for you!
4 Layers to Love in These S’mores Bars
- Graham Cracker Cookie Bar
- Marshmallow Creme (store-bought “Fluff” or homemade)
- Chocolate Chips
- Graham Cracker Cookie Bar
Just so you are extra prepared, let me show and explain how these treats come together. To make these s’mores cookie bars, start with a basic butter-based cookie dough but swap some of the flour with graham cracker crumbs. Spread 2/3 of the graham cracker cookie dough into the bottom of a pan—it will seem like a very thin layer, but the cookie bar portion puffs up in the oven. Top with marshmallow creme, chocolate chips, and then the rest of the graham cracker cookie dough. Have you ever made homemade marshmallow creme before? It’s like making Swiss meringue buttercream only without the butter. Gently cook egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar together before whipping with vanilla extract. It’s similar to traditional “7 minute frosting”, but doesn’t contain corn syrup or water. And it tastes even creamier and fluffier than store-bought Fluff.
One important note about the marshmallow layer: Do not use marshmallows in lieu of the marshmallow creme. The marshmallows will melt into the dough, disappear, and create unpleasant looking “craters” in the finished bars—you won’t really even taste them. Use marshmallow creme because it stands up to the oven’s heat. Save your bags of mini marshmallows for a batch of rice krispie treats instead!
Success Tip: There isn’t enough dough to completely cover the marshmallow and chocolate chips, but that’s the charm of it all! For the top cookie layer, grab portions of the remaining cookie dough, flatten out like pancakes and arrange on top of the chocolate chip layer. You get to see the marshmallow and chocolate pop up and peak through all the cracks on top!
Looking for Summer Desserts?
- Fruit Pizza
- Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
- No Bake Cheesecake Jars
- Ice Cream Cake
For even more inspiration, head over to our list of 25+ desserts for a BBQ cookout.
Print
S’mores Cookie Bars
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours (includes cooling)
- Yield: 16 bars
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Graham cracker and brown sugar cookie dough sandwiches a thick layer of marshmallow creme and plenty of chocolate chips in these undeniably delicious s’mores cookie bars. Feel free to use store-bought or homemade marshmallow creme. See recipe note if using homemade.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature*
- 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 cup (120g) graham cracker crumbs (about 8 full-sheet graham crackers)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 heaping cup marshmallow creme (store-bought “Fluff” or 1/2 recipe of homemade marshmallow creme)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line an 8-inch square baking pan or 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on the sides to easily remove the bars when they have cooled. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar together on medium-high speed, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. Mixture may appear curdled and that’s ok.
- Whisk the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and then beat on medium speed until combined.
- Press/spread 2/3 of the graham cookie dough into prepared pan. (Doesn’t have to be exact, just eyeball it.) It will be a thin layer and the dough is sticky, so use your hands if needed. Spread the marshmallow creme evenly on top. This will be tricky since the marshmallow creme is sticky, but do the best you can to get an even layer. Layer chocolate chips evenly on top. Mold the remaining cookie dough into flat pieces and layer on top of the chocolate chips, as pictured and shown in the video above. You won’t have enough dough to make one single layer, so some chocolate chips/marshmallow will be exposed.
- Bake the bars for 25-30 minutes or until the top is lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Cool bars completely.
- Lift the bars out using the parchment paper overhang on the sides. Cut into squares.
- Cover and store leftover bars at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: To freeze, cool bars completely. Cut into squares and layer between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-friendly container. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then bring to room temperature before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 8-inch Square Baking Pan or 9-inch Square Baking Pan | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Cooling Rack
- Homemade Marshmallow Creme: You can use homemade marshmallow creme for this recipe. You only need a half batch, which yields just under 2 cups. Halve all of the ingredients and follow the same instructions. Use 1 and 1/4 cups in this recipe. (Enjoy the rest!)
- Can I use regular marshmallows? No, do not use marshmallows in lieu of the marshmallow creme. The marshmallows will melt into the dough, disappear, and create unpleasant looking “craters” in the finished bars—you won’t really even taste them. Use marshmallow creme because it stands up to the oven’s heat.
- Can I make these in a 9×13-inch pan? Yes. Double the recipe by doubling each ingredient. Bake time is around 35-38 minutes.
- Non-US Readers: If you can’t find graham crackers where you live, you can substitute ground digestive biscuit crumbs instead.
Keywords: s’mores cookie bars
I just discover your website which is so impressive!!! Can’t wait to try the S’mores Cookie Bars this weekend! Would you mind sharing the name of the color of the tilt head Kitchen Aid mixer that you used in the video for this recipe? It’s lovely!
Hi Michele! That mixer was KitchenAid’s 100 Year Limited Edition Stand Mixer in a custom and classic color, Misty Blue. They have a newer color, Matte Blue Velvet, that’s somewhat similar. We’re so glad you found our site and we hope you enjoy the S’mores Cookie Bars!
Can these be made the night before?
What is the best way to reheat them?
Hi Amanda, yes, you can make these the night before enjoying them. They’re great at room temperature (we actually recommend cooling the bars completely before cutting them). Or, feel free to warm up the individual bars in the microwave to your liking.
I’ve made these twice, doubling each time. I used a full tub of fluff and 6 full sized chocolate bars. I had some graham cracker crumbs let and added to the top of the cookie dough making a nice bit of texture. These are my go to party cookies!!
★★★★★
Hi! I want to make this this weekend. Can I use a glass 8×8 pan? Or should I get a metal one? Thanks!
Hi Melissa! A glass pan should work just fine here, the baking time may be a touch longer.
I could of swore years ago you had one you made in a skillet! We looooved that but I can’t find it anywhere! Can you link it please
Hi Jenny! Here’s our s’mores chocolate chip cookie cake – could that be the recipe you’re looking for? Enjoy!
I followed directions down to the last detail and these were amazing. You really do have to let them set up for a couple of hours before the flavors come together. But OMG these are addictive and I can’t stop thinking about when I can make more
★★★★★
Yet again, Sally does not disappoint. This recipe was fabulous. I am confused by the comments that say that this is not very sweet. I used store bought marshmallow fluff, and it is definitely sweet. I consider myself a (self appointed) s’mores expert haha. This recipe is right on point. I guess that maybe you could do milk chocolate chips instead, if you wanted it to be more sweet. I personally do not think that it necessary at all though.
★★★★★
If I make these again I’ll try making my own fluff since the store bought stuff is very sweet and almost tasteless. It’s very soft and the crust makes up in flavor. I added some cinnamon, ginger, and clove to it.
★★★★★
These were so good!!! Enjoyed making and eating them. And so easy. I also used Pam on my spatula to place the marshmallow fluff. Nothing stuck! Easy!
★★★★★
Made these yesterday for a cookout and they came out great! They were gone so fast and everyone kept saying how good they were. I didn’t see that the recipe was for a 9×9 pan and used a 9×13 instead. I was scrambling to make more graham dough at the end, but now I see the note at the bottom with the instructions to double the recipe
★★★★★
Hi! I have homemade, frozen marshmallows. Would these work in place of the fluff or do you still feel they would melt into the cookie layer? Thank you!!
Hi Amy, we fear they would still melt into the cookie layer, or at a minimum not stay in tact like the marshmallow creme/fluff does. We’d recommend saving your marshmallows for another use!
I doubled this recipe and baked in a 9×13 metal pan. I used 7 oz jar of marshmallow fluff and baked it for about 30 minutes. It was very good and gooey. Some of the fluff that peaked through was a touch brown but it had a nice chewy crunch to it. I made it again today and used your homemade fluff. Since I was doubling the recipe for a 9×13 pan I used the full recipe of your fluff. I’m wondering if I should have measured out two heaping cups instead of using the entire batch. The bars rose to the top of the pan. But I liked that your homemade fluff did not brown like the store bought fluff. The bars eventually deflated upon cooling a bit but had tall edges and the bars did not cut as nicely as they were so uneven. I will be making these again but will cut back on the amount of homemade fluff. Loved the flavor of the graham cracker dough. Thanks for yet again a wonderful recipe and for guiding me through my first batch of homemade marshmallow fluff.
★★★★★
Love everything about this recipe. Delicious, bakes up well, easy to remove from pan and cut up. Will definitely be making again!!
★★★★★
Hi! Can I use regular homemade meringue (like the one used in your lemon meringue pie recipe) instead of homemade marshmallow creme? I’m not sure if my bowls are heatproof, and I don’t have a double boiler.
Hi Selene! Regular meringue wouldn’t hold up well here. Store bought marshmallow fluff or the marshmallow creme are really best.
I am a huge fan of this website and love pretty much everything I’ve ever made from here. This recipe was disappointing. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great. The cookie layer was very thick, I’d probably do it in a 9×9 if I made it again. I would also use the full amount of marshmallow that the 1/2 recipe makes. Overall the flavor wasn’t like I expected. The Graham cracker taste and texture completely dissappeared. I did use crumbs but left some larger pieces too as many of the reviews said that worked better. I was expecting more texture and gooey since it’s called smores.
I made this in a loaf pan and it worked out great! My parents loved it too
★★★★★
I made these fully from scratch and couldn’t help trying one as soon as they were cool enough to eat but was initially a little disappointed. Not that they were bad, but they didn’t blow me away. Then I let them fully cool (and the chocolate and marshmallow firm up a bit) and they were AMAZING – the separate flavors came through more and the texture was more interesting! Also, my kiddos LOVED them. They were gone in two days. Might just use store bought fluff next time to make it quicker, but definitely a winning recipe! I go to Sally for all my baking needs and she never let’s me down.
★★★★★
Hi — If I want to make this in a half sheet pan (13×18″), do I dare quadruple the recipe? Or will I find that the 1″ height isn’t tall enough? Thanks.
Hi Sarah, I feel quadrupling this recipe could throw things off. You may want to double the recipe, twice, and combine it all to assemble it in the half sheet pan. I have not tested these quantities to see how it works, or the bake time it requires.
Thanks so much for your thoughts on quadrupling! I made a double batch last night to try out different containers (I plan to sell it at our farmers market). I did the 8×8 (the winner!) and small bake and takes (4 pans to the original recipe) and it was good for sure, just more like a smores cake. The reason I like a half sheet is that I know how to cut them to fit into my little cello bags, as opposed to the 9×13. My biggest concern with the half sheet is the height…will I spill?!! I’m going to find out 😉 Thanks again for fabulous treat (which I made with three different types of chocolate chips — 60%, semi, and pieces of hershey bars for authenticity)!!
You knocked this one out of the park Sally! Made them tonight and were incredible! Next time I’ll try with the homemade fluff (was pressed for time today) Amazing…will be putting these on repeat!
★★★★★
I used store bought Marshmallow Fluff and that was definitely the wrong choice. It puffed up so much and ate the chocolate and the top dough. I wish the recipe told me to make the homemade fluff if that’s what Sally does. The way it listed store bought fluff first made me think that would be preferable.
★★
Hi Amanda! We usually use store bought and that’s what we used in these photos. What brand did you use? We recommend using “Marshmallow Fluff”. Thank you for giving these a try!
I made the s’mores bars Memorial Weekend for a neighborhood lunch. They were a big hit!
★★★★★
These are awesome! I sprinkled mini marshmallows, broken up Hershey bars and teddy grahms over the top before baking!
★★★★★
I love making this and keeping some in the freezer to eat just like that on a hot day. I like to use holiday sprinkles on top to make it more festive! I always have to double the recipe!
★★★★★
Made this for a BBQ and they were a huge hit! Very simple to make, I will be sure to use this recipe in the future
Its delicious! Very sweet and gooey, just like a real s’mores! I prefer making these instead of actual s’mores because it saves me the trouble of cleaning up sticky marshmallows in my son’s hair lol
★★★★★