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 one of the most popular dessert recipes on my site. They’re a hit wherever I take them and these days I love using homemade marshmallow creme instead of store-bought.
I originally published this recipe in 2013 and have since added new photos and a few more success tips.
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 and s’mores rice krispie treats 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!
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! ★★★★★”
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 marshmallows for a batch of rice krispie treats or hot cocoa cookies 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!
This dessert is always fun for summer cookouts and parties, but I’ve served them for birthdays, along side Father’s Day recipes, Mother’s Day recipes, anniversaries, a random Sunday (why not?), you name it. It’s always devoured!
Looking for Summer Desserts?
- Fruit Pizza
- Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
- No Bake Cheesecake Jars
- Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches
For even more inspiration, head over to our list of 25+ desserts for a BBQ cookout.
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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 3 minutes. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) 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.
Reader Comments and Reviews
S’mores lovers enjoyed these at the BBQ party. I torched the exposed marshmallow as suggested on another review for visual appeal. Due to dietary needs of those at the party, I used GF flour and Graham cracker and it worked fine. I did find the dough to be as difficult to deal with as per the recipe overview – just keep a little water nearby for fingers.
I’m so picky when it comes to making any “s’mores” desserts. But this one is outstanding! I used 30% dark chocolate and 70% semi-sweet chocolate to minimize sweetness slightly. I also divided the cookie layers in half (vs 2/3 and 1/3 – just my personal preference. If you do this, the top will be mostly covered). I made and used 1/2 recipe of Sally’s homemade marshmallow fluff which set this over the top for me. I highly recommend the step!!
I think what makes this recipe perfect is the right amounts of cookie, graham cracker, chocolate and marshmallow. It yells a beautifully crafted bite. For me, this was best consumed after allowing the recipe to rest and cool after baking. What you get is a room temp cookie bar with a slightly warmed middle. Perfection! With that said, the cookie was also quite delicious the day after. I can always count on Sally for precise directions and exceptional results each time. Thank you!
Good recipe, I melted down additional chocolate chips to drizzle on top. I found the baked chocolate chips in the recipe a bit crunchy, but I think I overcooked. Will try again, as this is the perfect recipe for S’more lovers. Everyone at our BBQ loved them.
I made Sally’s marshmallow fluff to go in the recipe. That was AWESOME!! Highly recommend making this recipe, as the store bought doesn’t compare.
Thanks for the recipe!
Sally, thoughts on freezing before baking?
Hi Kara, we find it best to freeze the baked bars.
Hi, I doubled the recipe for a 9×13 pan as indicated but it seemed like I had way too much of everything… the thing puffed up like crazy during baking, which wasn’t a big deal because it sank down when cooled, but the bottom layer did not cook at all, even after 30 minutes. When I realized that the bottom was vastly under-cooked after it had cooled, I flipped the whole thing over in the pan and cooked it upside down after peeling off the foil for another 15 minutes – luckily it did not fall apart and given the appearance is not so delicate to begin with, they were still fine to serve at my kid’s party. But, what did I do wrong? Anyone else have this problem with the 9×13 pan and doubling of the ingredients. Bars were a hit with the kids 😉
Hi Rebecca, it sounds like the bars simply needed a few more minutes in the oven. We find that the doubled version can take up to 38 minutes, but it can take even longer depending on your oven. We’re glad they were a hit!
Sally’s recipes never disappoint and she always seems to have one for something I want to make. I LOVE s’mores and these bars are addictive. I baked a double batch in a 9×13 for 35 minutes and they came out perfectly. Can’t wait to bring them to work today. I know they’re going to be a hit! Thanks Sally!
can i use chopped HERSHEY’S milk chocolate instead of the chocolate chips?
Hi Lily, Sure can!
These tasted ok, but not at all like s’mores. The graham flavor was nonexistent, and even though I made the marshmallow crème, it was nothing special.
These are amazing. Brought them to our small group potluck and they were gone so fast and everyone was saying how delicious they were. I doubled the recipe to make a 9×13 batch and I had some left over graham cracker crumbs so I sprinkled a handful over the top right before putting it in the oven and it added a little extra texture on top! I also added some mini marshmallows and a few more chocolate chips right after removing them from the oven which gave it a more aesthetic look! I will be making these many more times! Thanks, Sally!
Hi, I was wondering if there is a manner in which I could see all the recipes because there are so many and I’m afraid I’m missing out on a ton of them if you can show me where I could find all them that would be great!
Hi Kristin, you can search or browse all our recipes here: Recipe Index
Hi Sally. Love all your recipes! Question: If I doubled this, can I bake in a 1/2 sheet pan (18” X 13”) instead of a 9” X 13”? This seems closer to double the dimension of a 8” X 8” or 9” X 9”. I have a hungry family of 5 and the cookies might go a little farther in a larger pan. HA!
Thanks!
Hi ReneeV, a 9×13-inch pan is best for doubling this recipe. We fear they would be too thin in an 18×13-inch pan. See recipe notes for doubling details. Hope your family enjoys the bars!
Fun & tasty summer recipe!
These are excellent and super easy to make!
Another successful recipe from Sally! I followed exactly but used Ghirardelli mini choc chips. I cannot wait to share with family and friends. Will definitely be adding this to the regular rotation! I may add a tiny sprinkle of Maldon sea salt flakes next time.
Getting ready to go in a big camper van trip and these are always what I make. They’re so good! This time I made them with biscoff cookies instead of graham crackers and they were just as good – yum! Thanks for another great recipe!
These cookie bars were SO good! They were super sweet but in a good way. And they tasted like an actual s’more! Everyone loved them. Very happy with how they turned out. Thanks Sally
These bars are delicious. I believe I had made a recipe for s’mores bars before using a different recipe that called for marshmallows and they did not turn out at all. This recipe using the marshmallow cream turned out great. I used chocolate chunks. I did weigh the dough using my kitchen scale in grams to accurately divide the dough.
Would it work if I used Biscoff Lotus cookies instead of the graham crackers?
Hi Robin, sure can!
These bars are amazing! It’s been hard to resist eating them all in 2 days. I saw another review and they had good advice so I’ll repeat what helped me-using wet hands to press down the dough layer. I used store bought fluff and just used enough to make a layer. Its very sticky but its worth it. Probably used more than the recipe called for, didn’t measure it. Also added some dark chocolate chunks with the choc chips. Used a tad more salt to help balance the sweet. I will make these again for sure. Next time, I may try adding extra marshmallows to the top and my kitchen torch to brown them…Delicious!
I doubled this recipe the first time that I made it. The homemade marshmallow cream definitely is worth every second. It was truly a hit with my family and is a definite keeper—-like all of Sally’s recipes. This website is where I got first when looking for the best baking ideas.
Hello! Delicious recipe? Quick question… why does the total time say 3 hours? Just want to make sure I didn’t miss anything? Thank you!
Hi Jess, The 3 hours includes the time it takes the bars to cool after baking.
A few notes on making this recipe easier – first, use damp hands to spread the bottom layer of dough. Second, pipe the marshmallow fluff onto the base. You’ll lose a little to the piping bag, but it’s much easier than trying to spread any other way. Pipe it in stripes, then walk away for ~10 minutes to let it spread a bit on its own. Then you can easily go in with an offset spatula if it needs any more evening out. I also found the amount of fluff here to be insufficient. I also upped the amount of salt in the dough to balance out the sweetness of the marshmallow.
Very tasty, but I had some issues with the bottom layer being underdone. I baked for 25 minutes in an 8×8 metal pan lined with parchment paper. As others noted, it’s hard to gauge doneness given all the layers; the top was nice and browned so I didn’t want to overbake. They are still yummy but I wish I’d given it another 3-5 minutes. I did make Sally’s marshmallow cream which was a first for me, and it turned out perfect! Super tasty. I used the leftovers for a quick dessert of crumbled graham crackers and sliced strawberries and blueberries. I probably won’t make the bars again as honestly they are a pain but I’m not mad I gave them a shot.
Replying to my own comment to amend my review. No idea what I was thinking – these are 5 stars!!! I froze the bars and served them at a picnic while still cold and they were divine. A huge hit. I think the sample I tried was fresh from the oven and still too gooey; once they set, they were perfect. Will definitely remake this for summer picnics.
I want to make this but was wondering if I could just use normal marshmallows instead of marshmallow fluff. Would that change the texture completely?
Hi Bella, we fear they would still melt into the cookie layer, or at a minimum not stay in tact like the marshmallow creme/fluff does. Let us know how they turn out if you give it a try!
We have made this again and again. No notes! It is so so good every time ☺️☺️☺️
These smore’s bars are gooooooood. I only used half the amount of chocolate chips because it looked like a lot, and I like how they turned out. Saving this recipe to make again and again!
Oh my! This is truly a keeper and I tried 3 different recipes! What stands out is the flavor of the graham crackers. Oh, and I MAY have doubled the amount of fluff because….fluff. Made these for my son’s wedding in May and they freeze great. Thank you for another wonderful recipe!
What can you use instead of graham crackers? I like in the UK and can’t seem to get graham crackers.
Hi Jill Ann, we haven’t tested it, but digestive biscuits should work here!
These are really scrumptious, but in the end, the dough and marshmallow crème are quite tedious to spread. I’ll make them again but they won’t be in the regular rotation for summer camping trips! I think next time I’ll try the s’mores brownie pie or one of the s’mores cookies. Thanks to Sally, she’s given me plenty of choices! Nonetheless, this is still a delicious tasting recipe!
I don’t have a solution for the stickiness of the dough, but if you spray Pam on a rubber spatula before spreading, it helps immensely! Especially if using her homemade fluff recipe.
I made a double batch for a cottage weekend with friends and they all devoured these!! I love the subtle graham cracker flavour in the cookie bar.
The homemade marshmallow fluff was also incredibly easy to make and was delicious.