Toasted marshmallows, melted chocolate, and crunchy graham crackers... there may not be a more perfect blend of flavors and textures than what you'll find in a s'more!
No one knows for sure who invented this sweet, gooey treat, but the 19th-century cookbook The Campfire Girls of Roselawn from 1920 included a recipe for "Some Mores." The recipe was later included in a 1927 publication called Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts and credited to Loretta Scott Crew.
August 10 is National S'mores Day. We have five fun ways to help you celebrate today — or anytime you are looking for s'more reasons to smile!
1. Start with a giggle.
Q. How did the chocolate bar and marshmallow communicate with each other?
A. They used S'morse Code.
2. Learn a new word.
Why do toasted marshmallows taste so much better than plain marshmallows? The answer is caramelization.
Marshmallows are mostly made up of sugar, gelatin, and air bubbles. When the sugar in the marshmallow gets hot enough, it breaks down into smaller molecules that react with one another.
This chemical reaction is called caramelization, and it's what creates that delicious toasty flavor and changes the outside of your marshmallow from white into a beautiful golden brown.
3. Toast marshmallows and make s'mores.
Gathering with friends and family around a campfire on a summer evening makes this simple treat even sweeter. The conversations you have and the memories you create will stay with you long after the last graham cracker is gone.
While the classic s'mores recipe involves marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers, experiment with a few easy changes. Replace the graham cracker with an oatmeal cookie or a savory cracker like a saltine. Instead of a plain chocolate bar, try a peanut butter cup or a caramel-filled chocolate bar. Add a banana slice to your stack.
There are countless variations, and I would argue that there's no wrong way to make a s'more!
4. Try a no-campfire-needed version.
What if you are craving this favorite flavor combo, but it's too hot for a campfire... or all your firewood got rained on? Break out the slow cooker!
Prepare your favorite chocolate cake mix according to the package directions. Generously spray your slow cooker with cooking spray, and pour in the prepared batter. Cook on HIGH for two hours or till set (peek through the lid after about 90 minutes to see how it looks).
Turn off the slow cooker and remove the lid. Sprinkle a cup each of mini marshmallows and chocolate chips on top of the cake, and then put the lid back on the slow cooker to allow for melting. Scoop into bowls while still warm and sprinkle with crushed graham crackers.
Or let someone else do the work! Cold Stone Creamery makes a S'more Some More Pie with chocolate ice cream, marshmallows, and a graham cracker crust. La Belle French Bakery in Greenwood Village just introduced a Le s'mores croissant!
5. S'mores and s'movie night.
Combine two favorite pastimes by hosting a s'mores movie night. Set up a cozy outdoor movie screening area in the backyard, provide blankets and cushions (or make our DIY Backyard Movie Party Cars for the kids), and offer a selection of s'mores ingredients for everyone to enjoy during the movie.
Any family-friendly movie will do, but here are a few blasts from the past that have their own s'mores-making scene:
- Addams Family Values (1993 | PG-13)
- Ernest Goes to Camp (1987 | PG)
- The Parent Trap (1998 | PG )
- The Sandlot (1993 | PG)
- Troop Beverly Hills (1989 | PG)
