How do you recommend getting clean slices without all of the filling coming out?

For best serving (i.e. the cleanest slices), I recommend chilling in the fridge overnight. They hold together really nicely and cut into very clean bars when completely cool. The bars pictured here have been resting at room temperature for a few hours, which is why the marshmallow creme looks awesomely gooey. Also delicious, just a little harder to eat.

Should I use creamy or crunchy peanut butter for these bars?

While the peanut butter is optional, it does make these bars pretty next-level. I've used both smooth and crunchy in this recipe. Melting the peanut butter makes it a little easier to spread over the chocolate, and if your peanut butter gets mixed in with the marshmallow creme, that's totally fine.

How should I store leftover bars?

Leftover bars should be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Best S'mores Bars Recipe

Description

These really are the BEST S’mores Bars! Chocolate, peanut butter, and marshmallow sandwiched between two layers of a graham cookie crust. Everyone’s favorite summer snack (S’MORES, please!) in dessert bar form!

Ingredients

Units Scale

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
6 graham crackers, crushed into crumbs (1 graham cracker = 1 rectangle)
1/2 cup peanut butter
two 4–ounce chocolate bars (the extra big, extra-thick size)
one 7-ounce jar of marshmallow creme

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Instructions

Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cookie Base: Beat the butter and both sugars. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the graham cracker crumbs.
Make a top layer: Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment. Press half of the dough into the bottom of the pan. Lift out the parchment with the dough on it and set it aside – this will be your top cookie layer.
Assembly: Line again with parchment and press the remaining dough into the bottom of the pan. Layer with the chocolate bars, peanut butter, and marshmallow creme. Gently flip and place the prepared top cookie layer onto the top of the bars and peel the parchment off the top.
Bake: Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Resting Time: For the cleanest slices, I like to let the bars rest for 4-6 hours or give them a bit of time in the fridge so they can solidify enough for a clean cut! More info in the notes.

Notes

In the first 1-3 hours, the bars will be warm and gooey. They are delicious for eating in a bowl on your couch! But not ideal for a potluck or event because they are gooey and messy.

After 4-6 hours of resting, the melty layers of the bars will start to set and solidify. You can speed up this process by popping the bars in the fridge, and once they are set, you can get nice clean slices and they work great for sharing! I initially worried about the marshmallow layer getting too hard or sticky in the fridge, but I’ve never run into that issue. In fact, I usually store the leftover bars (the very few that are left) in the fridge and the marshmallow layer stays soft!

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Bake
Cuisine: American

Keywords: s'mores bar, smores bar, summer dessert, dessert recipe, peanut butter s'mores