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Explore Something New - Upgrade Your S'mores!

Have you noticed something new at your fall campfires? S'mores have a new look! They now come in both sweet and savory and the list of potential ingredients has grown.

S'mores arrived on the scene in the early twentieth century when all the basic ingredients became readily available. The Boy Scouts are often credited with the combination of graham crackers, toasted marshmallows and chocolate bars, but the first mention of a Campfire Graham Cracker Sandwich is found in A book of 150 recipes prepared with Campfire, the original food marshmallows from the 1920s.  The first mention of S'mores is credited to Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts in 1927, where they were called Some Mores.  However, commentators believe that children had been making this campfire treat for years before the recipes made it into print.

The classic S'more is simplicity itself. The basic requirements are a campfire, a tool to hold the marshmallow over the flames, graham cracker squares, a thin square of chocolate and a toasted marshmallow. The only real variation is how toasted you prefer your marshmallow. Is it an oozing golden brown or slightly cindery from having caught fire or somewhere in between?  To assemble, a graham cracker is covered with a single thin layer of chocolate, the softened marshmallow is placed on the chocolate, hopefully warm enough to melt some of the chocolate, and another graham cracker is placed on the top creating a graham cracker sandwich. Delicious!

One of the first businesses to cash in on the popularity of S'mores was Moon Pies. The same basic elements were rearranged with a chocolate coating for the graham cracker and marshmallow interior. No campfire required.

The first upgrade for S'mores that is widely mentioned is the Reese's Cup. They have been available since 1928 so the idea of elevating this campfire treat may be quite old. Today there are many possibilities to enhance your S'more's experience. Here are a few ingredients that you might try at your next campfire.

One of the easiest upgrades for your S'mores is substituting a high-quality chocolate bar that has a flavorful filling like caramel, mint, raspberry or orange for a basic bar. Another possibility is using cookies instead of graham crackers. Large soft chocolate chip, chocolate ginger, snickerdoodle, sugar cookies or shortbread can add a new level of deliciousness.

These days marshmallows come in assorted flavors like pumpkin spice or strawberry, to name only a few. Use caution when choosing to toast some of these fancy marshmallows especially those covered with toasted coconut or sugar spice mixtures. They have an unfortunate tendency to catch fire.

You could skip the Reese's cup and spread peanut butter or Nutella directly on the chocolate. And if you like to mix sweet and hot, try using a chocolate bar that includes hot chiles or simply sprinkle a light dusting of cayenne pepper on top of the toasted marshmallow.

Pro Tip - If you like the chocolate in your S'mores to be melted, wrap the finished S'more in foil, place it near the fire and rotate it a time or two for melty chocolate goodness. Handle with care!

Pro Tip - While it's easy to be tempted by extra large marshmallows, they really are too big for most S'mores. The marshmallow overflow is extremely messy and the luscious balance between chocolate, graham cracker and marshmallow is lost.

If you're just not that into sweets, there's a recent addition to the S'mores menu that may be more to your taste - savory S'mores! This style replaces marshmallows with cheese. The scrumptious melted cheese rests on a savory cracker topped with a tangy spread or another savory item.

Classic Ritz or Triscuits are popular as well as water, multigrain, and herb or seeded crackers. The savory layer can include tasty treats like bacon strips, avocado slices, pesto, refried beans, pickles, relish, pepper jelly, tomato jam or salsa.

Babybel cheeses are popular for "toasting." They are the perfect size for a cracker, but you can easily cut your favorite cheese like cheddar, pepper jack, brie or gouda into wedges or slices or try bocconcini, fresh mozzarella balls. With the softer cheeses, watch carefully while toasting to avoid losing the cheese into the fire. Fresh basil and cilantro are a wonderful finishing touch for Italian or Mexican themed S'mores. Combine some of your favorite savory flavors to create signature S'mores of your very own.

At your next campfire or gathering around a firepit or chiminea, put together an assortment of ingredients and discover your favorite S'mores!

Pro Tip

One of our most memorable Halloween experiences was at a home where the chiminea was fired up and kids could toast marshmallows and make S'mores. This probably wouldn't work if your home is Grand Central Station for the costumed mob. But if the numbers are manageable and the kids well-behaved, consider this alternative and make some very special memories.