Nothing beats the yummy goodness of a classic s’more when gathering around the bonfire or firepit at the lake. Rich with nostalgia, this deliciously simple treat holds many sweet memories—like being a kid at summer camp or going on a lake vacation with family. But just like everything else in the modern culinary world, s’mores have evolved into artisanal creations transcending the basic graham cracker, Hershey’s milk chocolate bar, and store-bought marshmallows. Today, world-class chefs, luxury resorts, foodie magazines, and bloggers offer specialty s’mores with their own signature interpretations. Nothing is off-limits—from s’more martinis and homemade marshmallows infused with flavors to gourmet chocolates, melty cheeses, and, yes, even bacon or prosciutto.
So, as the weather turns chilly this fall, get the campfire started—or stay inside—and enjoy some of these inventive s’more dessert ideas. From the deconstructed s’more-gasboard to an elevated baked confection, one of these will surely entice your tastebuds.
French Press
Who says you can’t have s’mores for breakfast? This delectable S’mores Stuffed French Toast recipe takes your brunch or breakfast to a sweet finish with very little effort. Perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth—this creative rendition of the classic campfire treat elevates a morning favorite to a gooey, chocolatey, crunchy confection in minutes.
Using eight slices of French bread, dip both sides of each piece into an egg and milk mixture, and then press them into a bowl of coarsely crushed graham crackers. Toast on a griddle for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Sprinkle four slices with chocolate chips and miniature marshmallows and top with remaining toast slices. For a lavish presentation, drizzle with chocolate syrup.
Tip: Use a rolling pin to gently crush your graham crackers while still in their packaging to minimize mess. Glass pie plates work well for the egg mixture and the graham cracker crumbs. For the full recipe, visit Taste of Home.
Specialty S’more-gasboard
For a sweet take on the ever-popular charcuterie board, serve up an abundant S’More D’oeuvres tray with loads of options to construct your own delectable concoction. Ideal for outdoor celebrations, kid’s parties, and get-togethers at the lake, the all-inclusive concept allows you the freedom to arrange your spread creatively with anything and everything. This s’more-gasboard features all the basics, plus bananas, peanut butter cups, fudge-striped cookies, Oreos, ginger biscuits, Nutella, and a vast assortment of chocolates. Build your masterpiece and share it with friends for a fun and interactive campfire experience. For additional s’more variations, check out Country Living.
Marshmallow Heaven
If you’re searching for the perfect marshmallow, why not make your own? Homemade marshmallows are significantly more tender, moist, and flavorful than the store-bought packaged kind. You can easily elevate the taste of your s’mores just by making the marshmallows. Made with water, gelatin, sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla, they can be prepared ahead of time and stored in an airtight container until ready to use.
These Campfire S’mores with Homemade Marshmallows offer an array of topping options, including creamy peanut butter or almond butter, jelly, peanut butter cups, sliced bananas or strawberries, chocolate bars, and graham crackers. When roasting your homemade marshmallows, make sure your skewers are long enough to support the larger square shape. Visit Food Network for the recipe.
Savory Sophisticate
This loose interpretation of the classic s’more swaps sweet for savory in the most delicious way. Using homemade cheesy herb cookies instead of graham crackers, these Savory S’mores start with a buttery dough infused with chives, thyme, rosemary, and grated Parmesan. Roll out your dough, cut out as many cookies as possible with a fluted cookie cutter, and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and allow cookies to cool completely on a rack before placing half the cookies on a baking sheet.
Next, top each cookie with a slice of prosciutto and a small square of brie and broil on high for 30 seconds to one minute. The brie rind will begin to char slightly and soften the cheese before melting completely. Remove from the oven, drizzle with honey, and top with remaining herb cookies for a crowd-pleasing appetizer. For the full recipe, visit SpoonForkBacon.
Let’s Roll
The mighty eggroll has never tasted so good. Who else other than Guy Fieri could come up with a Diners-Drive-Ins-and-Dives–worthy rendition of the specialty s’more? With his usual colorful flair, Guy takes ordinary eggrolls to the next level—S’mores Eggrolls—by stuffing them with marshmallows (or marshmallow fluff) and pieces of milk chocolate. Fry the eggrolls, four at a time, in a deep pot of oil at 380 degrees for about a minute until they turn a golden brown. Make sure not to overcook the filling, or the eggroll will appear hollow inside. Place them on a towel-lined plate and repeat until all your eggrolls are cooked. Always check your oil temperature between batches.
When ready to serve, dust each eggroll with a mixture of powdered sugar and graham cracker crumbs. Be careful taking your first bite—the filling can still be very hot. For this innovative recipe, visit Food Network.
So, here’s to a sweet season of lakeside campfires—and culinary adventures in the kitchen—with these specialty s’mores.
