S’mores are a ubiquitous treat for campers, but you don’t need a fire to make them. You could buy one of those s’mores kits that come with ingredients and equipment, but the only equipment you really need is a knife, a plate, and a microwave oven. I came up with this recipe for microwave s’mores several years ago, which I’ve made many times with great success. I was inspired by a product that I remembered from the late 80s/early 90s called “Suddenly S’mores.” These were prepackaged products consisting of graham crackers with a chocolate coating on one side, and a marshmallow filling sandwiched in between. After microwaving them for the designated time, they came out hot and gooey. The product was discontinued after only a short time, so I decided to come up with my own method.
Recipe:
Start by acquiring your ingredients:
1) Any kind of store bought graham crackers.
2) Marshmallow Fluff – the spreadable marshmallow product used in “Fluffernutter” sandwiches. I usually find this in the same section of the supermarket as peanut butter.
3) Chocolate buttons/wafers for melting. Many supermarkets have these in the bulk section, and you can also find them at candy shops. I know that the traditional chocolate to use in this case is a Hershey bar, but I really like the flavor of the wafers. You can use whichever you prefer, because the directions are essentially the same.
Now for the assembly. Take two square graham crackers (or if you have one long rectangular piece, break it in half). Spread each piece with a thick layer of Fluff. Use more than you think you will need, because it will contract. Then place a layer of chocolate wafers on each piece. Next, put the two halves together, as if you are making a sandwich.
The last thing to do is pop it in the microwave oven. It’s hard for me to give an exact time here, because I’ve had a couple of different microwaves with a big difference in power, which drastically changes the time needed. Start with about 20 seconds and check to see if the chocolate is melted (you should see a bit of chocolate oozing out the sides). If it’s not melted, keep going in 10 second increments until it is. Microwaving for too long could cause everything to completely ooze out of the graham cracker. Be aware that while you are microwaving, the Fluff will start expanding, causing the top graham cracker to rise or become lopsided. This is fine. Once the microwave stops, the marshmallow will contract, which is why you should start with a very thick layer.
Once the chocolate has sufficiently melted, there’s nothing left to do but enjoy! You may want to use a fork, rather than eating it like a sandwich, because the s’mores will be very gooey.
Variations:
Once you’ve tried a regular s’more, how about some variations? You could substitute a different kind of graham cracker, such as cinnamon-coated or chocolate. You could also try different flavors of Fluff (they currently make strawberry and raspberry flavored versions).
The chocolate is open to almost endless variations. Try using a Nestle crunch bar, or a Hershey’s with Almonds bar for a different texture. Or try a dark chocolate bar for more intense flavor. Chocolate chips are another option, and come in many flavors, such as semisweet, milk chocolate, or white chocolate. Just spread the graham cracker with fluff and sprinkle the chips over it. You could even try substituting a chocolate spread such as Nutella (again, found near peanut butter in the supermarket). In this case, you would spread one graham cracker with the fluff, and one with the Nutella.
By using this recipe, you’ll be able to enjoy s’mores all year round.
