6 Over the Top S’mores Ideas for Your Next Camping Trip
I have been a river guide for more than eight years; therefore, I have been a professional s’more maker for about a third of my life. If you have floated downstream with me, you have seen my highly precise methods in action. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown for how to make the perfect s’more:
Step 1: Find a too-short stick so your hands are uncomfortably close to the fire while roasting.
Step 2: Shove five to seven marshmallows onto the stick, knowing you will drop at least three in the fire.
Step 3: Try to patiently wait for that luxurious golden-brown crust but get distracted and burn them to a crisp.
Step 4: Shrug, giggle, and scrape the marshmallow innards onto a graham cracker that’s already broken into several pieces while attempting to put twelve pieces of chocolate on it.
Step 5: Offer to make one for a friend, and take the utmost care to create a culinary concoction worthy of The Great British Bake Off, not repeating steps 1 – 4 (see below for examples).
Gourmet S’mores: 6 Twists on the Classic Campfire Dessert
Sure, the classic graham crackers, chocolate and perfectly-toasted marshmallow combo is always a winner, but making s’mores is so much more fun when you customize them. Below, we’ve put together six ideas that will take your next campfire s’mores session to a new level.
1) Huckleberry S’mores
Perhaps one of the most delicious aspects of rafting in Idaho is picking fresh huckleberries along the river. But an even more delicious aspect is making huckleberry sauce and drizzling it all over your s’mores. Don’t have access to wild huckleberries? Substitute for blueberries, raspberries, or another favorite fruit.
To make the sauce, combine two heaping handfuls of berries, the juice of a lemon, and half a handful of sugar in a pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in a few splashes of water and a pinch of flour until the sauce is your desired consistency. Enjoy on a s’mores or perhaps in a riverside cocktail!
2) Reese’s S’mores
For some extra chocolaty, peanut-buttery delight, use a full-size Reese’s instead of a standard chocolate bar. Pro tip: For even more gooey goodness, put the peanut butter cup on one half of a graham cracker and set it near the fire to softly melt. And if your sweet tooth has no bounds, swap out the graham crackers and use two peanut butter cups instead.
3) Caramel “Delight” S’mores
Whether you call it a Samoa or Caramel deLite in your neck of the woods, this one is for all of the folks out there who need their Girl Scout Cookie fix in the off season. Build your s’more as usual, but before you place the top graham cracker, add a ribbon of caramel syrup over the toasted marshmallow followed by a sprinkle of coconut flakes. Dare we say, this s’mores combo might actually be better than the cookie?
4) Candy-crusted S’mores
This is the ideal way to rectify the burned and bedraggled marshmallows that are my claim to campfire fame. So, you had to ditch the carbon coating? No big deal. Take the viscous marshmallow remains and bring them to glory by rolling them in crushed up bits of your favorite candy: M&Ms are ideal, but Kit Kat bars and Skittles are also delicious options.
5) Nutella S’mores
So easy, but so good. Instead of a square of chocolate (or maybe in addition to if you’re really going for it), put a huge dollop of Nutella on your graham cracker before placing the toasted marshmallow on top. Then squeeze it together with the other graham cracker and ask yourself why you haven’t thought to add this hazelnut deliciousness to your s’mores repertoire sooner.
6) PB & Oreo S’mores
Riff on The Parent Trap. Toast a marshmallow as usual, but instead of putting it on a graham cracker, open an Oreo and place it on the creme side. Smear some peanut butter (crunchy, obviously) on the other cookie, smoosh it together, and get your protein dessert fix. For another spin on this one, you can swap out the Oreos for a different classic cookie like Fudge Stripes.
Bonus Recipe: Dutch Oven S’mores
Finding the ideal coal heat and number ratio can be tempestuous, but there is such joy in perfecting Dutch oven baking. The key is to get your coals going early. For a 12-inch Dutch oven, heat around 30 coals (or exactly 27 if you are meticulous like me).
Meanwhile, make a graham cracker crust: crumble a package of graham crackers, then mix it with a stick of melted butter, a small handful of sugar, and a dash of cinnamon or other favorite spices. Press it into the bottom of a well-oiled Dutch oven. Layer with chocolate, marshmallows, chocolate, and more marshmallows.
Then, arrange 10-12 of the coals under the Dutch oven to bake the crust and 15-17 on the top to melt the chocolate and brown the marshmallows. Bake for approximately 10 minutes, or until you can smell s’mores goodness in the air. Cool as long as your taste buds can handle before enjoying.
Do you have a favorite s’mores recipe? Share it with us below.
Photos: Leon Contreras on Unsplash and Cari Morgan
