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 crust—graham 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 though—the 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 broiler—it 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 350°F (177°C). 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 25–28 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 160°F (71°C). If it’s not, keep cooking and whisking until thinned out and temperature is warm enough. 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 1–2 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): 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: Don’t have graham crackers where you live? Use 200g ground digestive biscuits instead (about 13–14 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
Hi Sally, love this recipe so much and I want to use it to make my daughter’s birthday cupcakes. Is there a way to dye the Marshmallow Meringue Frosting? I tired once before with gel dye and the frosting went from stiff peaks to liquid the more I mixed. Is there another way to go about dyeing them, or is it just not an option with Marshmallow Meringue Frosting? Thanks for the help!
Hi Tiffany, a few small drops of gel food coloring should work just fine. Too much could be the culprit for runny meringue, adding more liquid to the mixture. Hope the cupcakes are a hit!
Ok. These are FREAKING DELICIOUS! Just made them and my entire family agrees that they are outrageous! The classic s’mores flavours come together so beautifully in this cupcake! I was able to make 14 cupcakes with a little bit of leftover graham cracker crust. Took 27 minutes to bake. Marshmallow icing is divine. Only minor disappointment was that my graham cracker crust was very sandy and fell apart when the cupcake was removed from the liner. Didn’t stop us from licking it up off the plate. Big Winner! A “must try”! Thank you Sally!
Hello! This recipe looks delicious. Do you think I could do them as mini cupcakes? I don’t know if I would have to alter anything in the recipe besides bake time. Thank you!
Hi Michala, you can definitely make these as mini cupcakes. Bake time would be about 11-13 minutes, with no other changes. Enjoy!
Can I just bake them directly in the muffin tins without the liners?
Hi Linee, We fear they may be difficult to remove from your muffin pan without the liner.
Absolutely loved this recipe but the marshmallow meringue stumped me. I couldn’t get it to get stiff enough to pipe. When I spooned it on it oozed towards the sides. I used cream of tarter and to the meringue to 170. Beat on high for at least 5 minutes. What do you think I missed?
Hi Annie, Was it cooked long enough in the double boiler? Make sure there are no sugar crystals and it’s a smooth liquid before transferring to the mixer.
Hi Sally! Do you think it would be OK to use silicone cupcake liners on a baking sheet, rather than regular paper liners in a tin?
Hi Bonnie, we fear the cupcake may not bake up evenly without the structure of the muffin pan, but it would likely depend on how sturdy your silicone liners are. We’d recommend adding the silicone liners to a muffin pan just to be safe!
Cake wouldn’t cook, adjusted 2 mins and now they are rock hard. Meringue wouldn’t come to peaks and i whipped it for like 15 minutes.. I don’t know what happened but these were an epic fail
If I don’t have a kitchen torch would placing them in the oven work? Thank you
Hi Danielle, Normally we’d say you could stick the frosting under the broiler to get a toasty top but do NOT do that here… the frosting can easily lose its shape. The kitchen torch is optional so simply skip this step if you don’t have one.
Could I use marshmallow fluff instead of making the meringue?
Hi Michelle, you can use store bough fluff if desired.
Until I purchase a torch, can i carefully put the cupcakes in the broiler to toast the meringue?
Hi Deb! Normally we’d say you could stick the frosting under the broiler to get a toasty top but do NOT do that here… the frosting can easily lose its shape. The kitchen torch is optional so simply skip this step if you don’t have one.
Hello Sally
What would recommend to use if lieu of meringue frosting that is similar
Thank you so much
Hi Danielle! You could use Swiss meringue buttercream, not-so-sweet whipped frosting, or even whipped cream. Do not toast these toppings, though.
Hi Sally, I am baking these for a shower to be held on Saturday. Can I frost and toast the night before? Will marshmallow hold up?
Thank in advance
Hi Bridget, Baked goods topped with this marshmallow meringue can be left at room temperature for up to 6-8 hours. After that, it’s best to refrigerate or else the topping will begin to wilt. For best taste, texture, and appearance, frost and torch as close to serving as possible.
So yummy and fun! My kids went crazy for these and thought mom was dang near magic for pulling this off. Thank you Sally for making it so easy!
Hi Sally,
This recipe is awesome and I just want to say that your chocolate chip cookie recipe turned out the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever made, and I have made a LOT! I am pregnant and uncharacteristically gravitated toward this decadent treat…yum, yum, yum. A sprinkle of salt was something I changed about the graham cracker crust which turned out to be a good idea…the only reason for four stars, if we are rating things, is that I only got 12 cupcakes out of it with the brownie portion. The crust and topping yielded enough for 18. Luckily I had roasted some sweet potatoes for the rest of the topping but had to figure out the extra graham cracker crust.
Found the portions to be off. 1.5x the graham crack and the same for the merengue for 18 cupcakes. the cake portion works for 18
This was like all the best parts of a s’more without the cold weather and bugs that come with camping! 🙂 It was also fun to practice my piping bag and torching skills…definitely making this one again! So good, thank you!
Hi
How far in advance can I make the marshmallow topping. I will be taking these to a dinner. and will be making these in the afternoon. Will it be ok to add the topping and toast at desert time or should I make it at the time of serving.
Hi Al, for absolute best results, we’d recommend making the marshmallow meringue topping right before serving. Or, you can make it AND toast in the afternoon, then serve at dinnertime. Hope this helps!
Hi Sally!
I haven’t been baking very long and have tried over 100 different recipes in Pinterest. You’re is one of my first tries with this s’mores and I added chocolate ganache under the marshmallow to give it that gooey chocolate texture. Now when ever I search for something I am always so happy when I see one of your recipes because I just know it will turn out great!!! Thank you for providing clear directions fort us new bakers and always a winning treat in the end. I know I can’t always trust your recipes, which is very important after putting in so much energy it feels great too have an awesome treat in the end! Thank you!
Delicious! Love the contrast between the graham cracker crust and the brownie part. Meringue was easy to make and pipe, and held firm even without a torch. The recipe made exactly 18 cupcakes and baked for about 26 minutes. I did add some chocolate chips to the brownie mix (felt weird to make brownies without chips) and they turned out well. Received a lot of good comments and will definitely make again. Thanks Sally!
Hi Sally! This is the perfect dessert to make for 4th of July! I can’t wait to make these. Quick question though can I use your nutella brownie recipe instead of the one you use here? I’m not that big on brownies but the Nutella brownies are my one exception. Please let me know! Also, would the baking time be the same as the time for these smores cupcake recipe?
Hi May! We haven’t tested it but don’t see why that would be a problem. Let us know if you give it a try.
I wanted to use a meringue to top your coconut cream pie recipe with (both of which I know very little about). If I use the marshmallow meringue recipe above, will that be enough for your coconut cream pie (and making the pretty swirls like u did), or should I double the above? Is marshmallow meringue the same thing as regular meringue? Thank you!
Hi Laura! You can read more about marshmallow meringue in this recipe post! The quantities in that recipe will make the perfect amount to top a pie.
My family and I totally loved this recipe. We had a blast making them AND they tasted great. Most definitely will make them again.
I tried to upload the short video we made but was unable to.
Great recipe! I just made it and it was wonderful!
Hi Sally,
Would this recipe work in a 9″ springform pan? And if so, how long should I bake it and at what temperature?
Thanks!
Hi Rachel, We haven’t tested it so I’m unsure of the bake time needed. Same oven temperature though! Let us know if you give it a try!
Hi Sally
If I want to make 12 cupcakes then how much crust will I need to make? Also for the filling will all the ingredients be reduced?
Hi Sue! You could try to reduce the whole recipe by 1/3 but we haven’t tested it. For best and most consistent results we recommend following the recipe as written.
These were so good! I was afraid the brownie layer would get be more cakey, but it was fudgey and perfect! The crunchy bottom was perfect, and the marshmallow was to die for. They were the perfect addition to our Super Bowl spread. It was requested to put them in the regular dessert rotation! I made the recipe as directed. Delish!
Hi, Sally. Any advice on incorporating flaxseed meal into the brownie portion of this recipe? I can’t wait to try these. They look delicious!
Hi Stephanie, We’ve never tried adding flaxseed to this recipe but let us know if you try anything.
I should’ve written a review ages ago but I’m not a review type… That being said, this cupcake is in my top desserts, my husband asks for it and your oatmeal cream pie cookies, he’s like a fiend! I made it for New Years a few years back as well and it went over well<3 I share your recipes with anyone who’ll listen, keep making these decadent desserts<3
ps, I had to break down and get a stand mixer because of the meringue, I tried hand whisking, exhausting! And I had a hand mixer that couldn’t do the job, the meringue is work the expense…
Hi, Sally. Do you have any experience using flaxseed meal? I’d like to try it as a supplement in the brownie batter if it doesn’t impact the flavor and/or bake. Can I use it as a substitute for some of the eggs or the flour? Thanks for your advice. P.S. I love your recipes!
Hi Stephanie, We haven’t personally tested this recipe with flaxseed but other readers have reported using a flax egg substitute with success. Let us know if you try it!
Sally, you have turned me into a baking machine! This recipe was to die for! Everything turned out beyond perfect!
Thank you for your passion, clarity and expertise as a baker! Us amateur bakers appreciate you and this website more then you know!
Hi Sally!
I love the idea of the graham cracker crust and this marshmallow frosting – do you think I could substitute the brownie for a chocolate cupcake batter instead? I’m looking for something more light and moist.
Thank you!
Hi Kristen, You can! I actually made them exactly this way using the batter from these Super Moist Chocolate Cupcakes. Let us know if you try it!
These came out amazing! I was short on the batter but it was quick and easy to make another half of the recipe more (I used the super moist chocolate cupcake recipe). I made mini cupcakes. Pre-baked the crust. Thank you!!