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.
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 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
These were a hit at a potluck I brought them to. People were asking to take the leftovers home (I made too many, that was the only reason we had extras). I’ll be making them again sometime in the future.
Could you make these into individual cookies instead of bars and top them like your chocolate chip smores cookies?
Hi Juanita, We haven’t tried but you probably could. You would definitely want to chill the cookie dough before baking so that the cookies hold their shape. Or try these s’mores chocolate chip cookies or these toasted S’more chocolate chip cookies.
Oh my goodness are these delicious and addicting! The perfect balance of smores meets cookie. My only complaint is that it only made a small pan ; I’ll definitely double next time!
Can I substitute margarine for a dairy free relative?
You can try substituting the butter for a dairy-free alternative like a plant-based butter. We haven’t tried it ourselves and are unsure of the outcome, but let us know if you do!
I made these today and they came out perfectly. I often use a buttered offset spatula to spread bar and brownie recipes in the pan, but I found it much easier to use my fingers first and then the spatula to smooth the top. I filled a disposable plastic piping bag with Kraft Jet-Puff Marshmallow Creme and easily piped the layer of marshmallow. I topped that with semi-sweet chocolate chips as directed. Finally, I took the remaining third of the graham cracker dough, rolled it out on a well-floured Silpat, froze it for five minutes, and cut it to fit the top. Great recipe, Sally!
Will be making again. Many times.
So tasty! Made the homemade marshmallow fluff and it worked great! Thank you!
I doubled the recipe and baked in a 9×13. I didn’t check them until 30 min & took them out of the oven at that time and they were a little over baked so the texture was cakey and not chewy. Next time I’ll start checking at 22 min. My chocolate chips that touched the pan were burned. My bars were starting to become a dark golden brown so next time I’ll take them out of the oven when they’re light golden brown. They still tasted really good!
Delicious! Made for the august baking challenge and it turned out great, but very sweet! I think a little can go a long way, but I’m not complaining! 🙂 made the homemade marshmallow fluff, halved the recipe and used all of it in the cookie bars (afterwards I read that I wasn’t supposed to, but I think it was a good mistake!). I will def make these again, maybe add a little extra graham crackers to get more graham cracker taste?
These bars were fantastic and so easy to make! I was intimidated at first with the idea of making homemade marshmallow creme, but followed the recipe and Sally’s detailed instructions. Not only was it so incredibly easy, but also absolutely delicious! Thank you so much for your incredible recipes! They are always a hit in our house and these bars are now a new favorite!
Hi Veronica, We are so glad you are enjoying this recipe!
Ok seriously? These are amazing!
S’mores is such a feel good treat and these taste incredible! To see the smiles on faces as they tried it definitely added to the love of baking them. Great easy directions on your recipes as always Sally and love how easily it all came together. We will absolutely be making these again.
Thank you for the kind feedback, Carla! We’re so glad these s’mores cookie bars were such a hit.
These were amazing! Making the marshmallow fluff was well worth it! I have tried probably a dozen of your recipes so far, and each one has been a hit! You’re website is my first stop for all things baked!
August challenge. Good and easy to make. I also made the marshmallow and will find a way to use it on other things in the future. These bars are pretty sweet. I cut the chocolate chips a bit too.
8×8 pan was perfect.
These were delicious!
Absolutely delicious! The hardest part is waiting for them to cool! I saw on FB that you mentioned you sometimes press a few chocolate chips on top of these after baking–what a great tip! It really helped showcase the hidden layer of chocolate!
O M G! This is quite possibly one of the best desserts I’ve ever had! It was easy to make and absolutely delicious! I had to put them on top of our kitchen cabinets so I wouldn’t eat them all at once – we’ll definitely be making these again!!
delicious and easy!
So easy to make and so incredibly delicious!! My 9 year old daughter helped me make these and she loved them too. New family favorite for sure!
This is my go-to recipe for parties. I first made these years ago when I discovered it on this site, and it was an immediate hit. I moved 4 years ago and my new friends here also love them. Whenever I make anything new, I ask if it’s better, and they always say these are better, even though the new dessert is good. They said “you set the bar really high with the S’mores Cookie Bars.” Since the marshmallow creme is difficult to spread all the way to the edge, I use the chocolate chips one at a time to push the creme out to the edge, and leave that chip in the creme. That way, I get a nice even spread of marshmallow creme all the way to the edges of the pan. I also found that it is best to leave space between the the cookie dough and the pan on the top layer. Otherwise, you get an extra thick crust of cookie along the edge. It comes out much better if you leave that gap all around the edge. The cookie dough will expand, but it will all be more even. I also tried it in a silicone pan, but it doesn’t cook all the way through in the middle. It works if you split it up into two smaller batches in smaller silicone pans. But for an 8×8 or 9×9, you need metal, lined with foil.
We’re so glad you love these cookie bars, Yvonne! Thank you for your tips 🙂
Absolutely delicious and easy! Made in a round pie plate for a gooey-er center and less edge pieces and used mini-marshmallows since I had those on hand. Will definitely make again and try it with the homemade marshmallow creme!!
These are so good! My 2 daughters loved them and my youngest said “yummy in my tummy!” Thinking about making these ahead of time before going camping and having these instead of smores!
This should be illegal it’s so good! Perfect for a summer BBQ, super easy to make, and I highly recommend following the marshmallow recipe from scratch cause it is AMAZING! Im a fan for sure.
Sally this really looks good, I dont have the right amount of brown sugar for this recipe and my marshmallow loving daughter really wants this to be the next dessert on the table- can I add reg. sugar for the amount of brown sugar that I dont have?
Thank you!
Jessica
Hi Jessica, yes you can use the same amount of regular granulated sugar in a pinch. You’ll lose a bit of flavor though!
The flavor is awesome, and Sally’s homemade marshmallow fluff is so delicious and easy to make. I’m never buying store bought again! I found the chocolate chips didn’t melt in enough on top, so I might try putting Hershey bars under the fluff instead so that it is a little more like an actual s’more next time. I loved how the homemade fluff got a merangue crunch on top so all in all, definitely a perfect treat for national smores day!
I’ve made these multiple times and they are always a hit. A couple of tips: 1). Double the recipe and bake in a 13×9. 2). Warm them in the microwave for a few seconds before eating. 3). I’ve used half milk chocolate and 1/2 semi-sweet chips and that works great too. Yummm!
Hey there Sbakes – I see that you doubled the recipe and baked in a 9×13 pan, which is what I wanted to do for a larger batch. Question – how long did you bake them for? thanks.
Oh. My. Goodness. These bars are delicious. I made these for a cookout and both adults and kids loved these bars. I caught multiple adults going for seconds. Although the fluff was hard to spread it was worth it, I’ll be making these again. Thanks for the recipe ! 🙂
Try this-when I put mine on, I dropped it in big spoonfuls and then wet my fingertips to “push it” around to cover better.
My family is headed to the beach for the week, so the s’mores bars are perfect to bring along! We decided they needed a taste-test before the road trip. My teenager said I should make them more often, so that’s a glowing review. Everyone agreed that the graham was a little hard to detect, and my husband missed the crunch of the graham cracker in a traditional s’more. But rest assured, the Tupperware will come home empty for sure!
I made the homemade marshmallow creme – which was much easier than I thought – and so good! I also used dark chocolate. These bars are so delicious. My husband and I were big fans!
These were delicious! I used mini marshmallows instead and it worked out great 🙂
I’m gluten free and finding GF graham crackers is tough and can be expensive. Could I substitute almond flour for the cracker crumbs?
Hi Sheri, I’m actually unsure– I’ve never tested it before. I don’t expect any issues making that substitution. Let me know if you try it.