Peach cobbler, giant ice cream cones, blueberry pie – summer has no shortage of incredible desserts. It’s the time of year for everything fruity and streusel-y and cool and creamy and, perhaps best of all, EASY – and there ain’t nothin’ wrong with any of that. But I think if we had to choose a winner, the one definitive quintessential summer dessert, it just has to be s’mores.
S’mores are the ultimate warm-weather treat – so simple, but so satisfyingly ooey-gooey and chocolate-y. They just scream summer to me, and I couldn’t let a summer go by without paying tribute to the ultimate summer indulgence. I would never do that to you!
Obviously nothing beats a good old roasty-marshmallow-over-the-campfire-smushed-between-graham-crackers-and-Hershey’s traditional s’mores situation. But unfortunately, there’s not a lot of campfires layin’ around in this here part of Chicago where I live. So we city gals have to get a little creative. Enter: the s’mores bar. S’mores bars are the perfect way to get all the choco-graham-marshmallow goodness without venturing outside of the city limits. And these bars are no ordinary s’mores bar – they’re made with cinnamon and cayenne-spiked dark chocolate for a subtle Mexican spiciness that hits just at the end of each bite. Because we fan-cy, right?
These Mexican dark chocolate s’mores bars are insane. The aforementioned spiced chocolate is poured onto a sweet-and-salty buttery graham cracker crust, topped with mini marshmallows and toasted up under the broiler for that roasty-toasty finish that is critical for any s’mores treat. It’s an elevated version of the campfire classic, with a deep, rich chocolate-y flavor that kinda blows a regular old Hershey’s milk chocolate square out of the water. I love how easy they are, and they keep perfectly in the refrigerator if you want to whip ‘em up the day before for a picnic or a party. Basically, they’re the perfect summer treat: quick, easy, and filled with out-of-this-world s’mores flavor. Here’s to enjoying every single moment left of summer!
- 18 full sheets graham crackers (I used Honey flavor, use whatever you want)
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted in the microwave, plus more for greasing the pan
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 3 cups dark chocolate chips
- ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- 3 cups mini marshmallows
- First, preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9”x13” baking dish by completely lining the bottom and sides with aluminum foil, allowing a few inches to come up on the side.
- In a food processor, grind the graham crackers until they’re completely pulverized. Add the graham cracker crumbs to a large bowl, then mix in the butter, sugar, and kosher salt. Combine, then reserve ½ cup of the mixture for later use. For the remaining mixture, spread evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan, making sure to press the mixture tightly into all corners.
- Bake the graham cracker mixture for about 12 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Set the crust aside to cool.
- In a double boiler made by placing a glass bowl on top of a medium-sized saucepan of boiling water (do not allow the bottom of the glass to touch the water), melt the chocolate chips, stirring constantly. When the chocolate is all melted, stir in the cayenne pepper and cinnamon and pour the mixture on top of the graham cracker crust. Spread evenly.
- Next, sprinkle the mini marshmallows over the chocolate. Press them down slightly to make sure none are sticking up too much. Then, sprinkle the reserved ½ cup of graham cracker mixture over the top, covering up the exposed chocolate layer.
- Preheat your boiler. Place the pan on a rack about 6” from the top of the oven and broil for 1-2 minutes (watching VERY closely!), until the tops of the marshmallows are golden brown.
- Allow to come to room temperature, then refrigerate until the chocolate is cool, at least 2 hours. Cut into squares and serve!
- If you have leftovers, these keep well covered in the refrigerator for a few days.
Looking for more decadent summer desserts?
Browned Butter Bacon Rice Krispies Treats
