The fastest way to change a s’more is to swap one of its three parts: a peanut butter cup or caramel square instead of the chocolate bar, a fudge stripe cookie or shortbread instead of the graham cracker, and banana, Nutella or a pinch of sea salt in the middle. The 28 ideas below are grouped by which part you change.
Planning the whole trip menu? The camping recipes and meal ideas hub covers what comes before dessert.
Chocolate swaps
1. Peanut butter cup
Press a peanut butter cup (or a couple of minis) onto the graham square and top with the hot marshmallow. Eat it right away, while the filling is soft and gooey.
2. Peppermint patty
A patty stands in for the bar and turns the s’more into something close to a mint chocolate sandwich. It’s a good pick for anyone who finds milk chocolate too sweet.
3. Caramel-filled chocolate square
The thin, individually wrapped squares with a caramel center give you the caramel layer without a separate step. Use one or two squares, depending on size.
4. Cookies and cream bar
The cookie bits add a little crunch against the soft marshmallow. Put it on a chocolate graham cracker so the sandwich isn’t white on white.
5. Rolos
Unwrapped Rolos slump into pools of caramel. Use a few per s’more, flat side down so they stay on the cracker. They also work as the base layer in the dip (idea 22).
6. Hazelnut spread
Spread a thin layer on the cracker instead of laying down a bar. It spreads smoothly, so the result is creamier than a melted bar. Bring a plastic knife or spoon for each person.
Cracker and cookie swaps
- 7. Fudge stripe cookies. The chocolate-coated bottoms let you skip the bar. Put the marshmallow on the plain side and press the second cookie on top. A thick cookie makes a sandwich too tall to bite.
- 8. Shortbread. Buttery and a little more substantial than graham. A round cookie sits oddly on a square of chocolate, so match it with a round candy such as a peppermint patty or peanut butter cup.
- 9. Chocolate chip cookie. A thin, crisp one, store-bought or homemade. Soft bakery cookies crumble when the hot marshmallow lands on them. A plain chocolate square on top makes it a double-chocolate version.
- 10. Ritz-style crackers. Layer banana slices against the cracker first, then dark chocolate and the marshmallow. The banana adds a fruity layer, and the salty cracker balances the sweetness.
- 11. Oatmeal or sugar cookies. They can stand in for graham; keep them thin so the sandwich isn’t too tall.
- 12. Brownie squares. Cut a pan of firm, cooled brownies into small squares and use them in place of graham. A soft brownie falls apart under the marshmallow, and the whole thing is easier to build on a plate than in your hand.
Fruit and spread additions
13. Banana and Nutella
Spread a thin layer of Nutella on the cracker, then add 3 or 4 thin banana rounds. Banana browns fast, so build these at the fire, not ahead of time.
14. Strawberry shortcake
Sliced strawberry on shortbread, then white or milk chocolate, then the marshmallow. Cut the berries at home and carry them in a sealed container in the cooler. Pat them dry before assembling so the shortbread doesn’t go soggy.
15. Tropical
White chocolate, a small piece of pineapple and a pinch of toasted coconut. Canned pineapple is easier to pack than fresh. Drain it well, since wet fruit slides off the chocolate.
16. Cherry and chocolate
Chocolate graham crackers, a spoonful of cherry pie filling and a marshmallow add up to a Black Forest-style s’more. Go easy on the filling, since too much will squeeze out the sides.
17. Peanut butter and jelly
Peanut butter on one cracker half, jam on the other, marshmallow between them, no chocolate. A thin jam spreads better than a chunky preserve.
Salty, caramel and savory finishes
Four small additions work on top of the swaps above, and none needs more than a minute of prep at the fire.
- 18. Sea salt. A few flakes of flaky sea salt on a dark chocolate square, on any chocolate swap.
- 19. Caramel drizzle. A squeeze bottle is far less messy than a jar and spoon. If the sauce is stiff from the cooler, set the bottle in a cup of warm water for a few minutes.
- 20. Salted pretzel. Two flat pretzel crisps or thin pretzel squares replace the crackers, with chocolate and marshmallow between them.
- 21. Maple bacon. Cook the bacon until fully crisp at home, cool it, and break it into short pieces. Add a drizzle of maple syrup at the fire.
Non-campfire and shared formats
22. S’mores dip
Preheat a cast-iron skillet in a 450°F oven, add 2 tablespoons of butter and let it melt. Cover the bottom with chocolate pieces or mini peanut butter cups, top with mini marshmallows and bake for 5 to 7 minutes. The marshmallows go from golden to burnt quickly, so watch the skillet. Let it rest about 5 minutes before dipping graham sticks or cookies. The skillet stays very hot afterward, so set it on a trivet and warn kids.
23. S’mores cones
Fill a sugar cone with chocolate pieces and mini marshmallows, wrap it in foil and warm it over the fire, on a grill or in the oven. Check the cone often so the tip doesn’t scorch, and use tongs or oven mitts to handle hot foil. Let the foil cool briefly and open it carefully. The contents and escaping steam can burn.
24. Oven broiler
Put marshmallows on crackers with chocolate on a baking sheet and slide it under the broiler. They scorch fast, so stay at the oven and pull them the moment they brown. Use an oven mitt, and keep children away from the hot baking sheet.
Themed combinations
| # | Name | Build |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | Samoa | Chocolate, caramel and toasted coconut on a shortbread-style cookie. Toast the coconut ahead in a dry pan, stirring constantly because it burns quickly, and bring it in a small jar. |
| 26 | Elvis | Peanut butter, banana slices and crisp bacon with a marshmallow. It’s heavy, so cut it to half size for a crowd. |
| 27 | Lemon meringue | A thin layer of lemon curd on a graham cracker, then a toasted marshmallow, no chocolate. The tart curd balances the sugar. Use a clean spoon each time. |
| 28 | Cheesecake | Whipped cream cheese on a graham cracker, a teaspoon of jam, then the marshmallow. |
How to set up a s’mores board or tray
A s’mores board is a tray with everything set out in sections so people build their own. Use one section for crackers and cookies, one for chocolate and candy, one for fillings (banana, jam, spreads, caramel) and a bowl of marshmallows. A rimmed baking sheet works well as the tray, and a cutting board is fine for a small group.
For a crowd with mixed tastes, stock milk chocolate squares, peanut butter cups, a cookies and cream bar, Rolos, graham crackers, fudge stripe cookies, shortbread and chocolate chip cookies. That’s enough for guests to build a few different versions.
Cream cheese, cut fruit, lemon curd and cooked bacon are the perishable items on this list. Keep them in a cooler at 40°F or below and discard anything left out more than 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F). Give each item its own tongs or spoon, and label anything with nuts, since shared utensils make cross-contact hard to control for anyone with an allergy. Put a trash bag next to the fire ring, because wrappers blow around.
Roasting tips that apply to every version
Hold the marshmallow near the coals rather than in the flames and turn it slowly so it toasts evenly. A marshmallow that catches fire should be blown out carefully, away from people and clothing. Use a skewer or stick long enough to keep your hand well back, and have an adult handle the roasting for young children. The inside of a fresh marshmallow is extremely hot and can burn skin or lips, so let it sit a few seconds on the cracker before the first bite.
For more ways to use the fire after dinner, see campfire desserts or campfire pie iron recipes.
Frequently asked questions
How can you jazz up s'mores?
Swap a single part. A peanut butter cup for the bar, shortbread for graham, or a few flakes of sea salt on dark chocolate each give a clear difference. Stacking three changes, such as peanut butter, banana and bacon together, buries the marshmallow, so save that for the themed combinations like the Elvis.
What are some fun things to put on a s'mores bar?
Banana slices, jam, Nutella, a squeeze bottle of caramel sauce, flaky sea salt and a jar of toasted coconut give people room to experiment. Cooled, crisp bacon works if the cooler has space. Label the nut items.
What else can you use for s'mores?
Shortbread, vanilla wafers, sugar or oatmeal cookies, pretzel crisps and Ritz-style crackers can all replace graham. For the chocolate layer, try nut-butter cups, caramel squares, Rolos or a spoonful of spread. Lemon curd, or cream cheese with jam, can replace chocolate altogether.
What are some ideas for a s'mores platter?
Use a rimmed baking sheet so loose pieces don’t roll off. Run marshmallows down one edge, crackers and cookies in a row beside them, then chocolate and candy, with a small corner for toppings. A card listing two or three suggested builds, such as the Samoa or lemon meringue, gives guests a starting point.
Pack the ingredients for two of the themed combinations first, and add the rest once you know what people actually eat.
