Not Your Average S’mores
Okay so we’ve all tried s’mores before. And if you haven’t, stop reading and go make yourself a s’more. I mean maybe even go all out and try setting up an entire DIY s’mores bar. For the rest of us, there is just something magical about the three traditional flavors of a s’more – graham cracker, chocolate, and marshmallow. These peanut butter s’more bars take those flavors up a notch with a graham cracker cookie crust, chocolate, marshmallow, and peanut butter cups. Yep, I said peanut butter cups. S’mores with peanut butter cups are a whole different experience (an amazing one!) than regular s’mores and these s’mores bars are a play on that. They may be even better than these cookie s’mores. And they’re so easy to make! Mix, top, bake. Eat. Then try your best not to eat the entire pan. If you’re looking for something with peanut butter and chocolate but not marshmallow, try out these yummy peanut butter brownies, they’re also delicious!
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
This is more about the method of cooking than the measurements!
Marshmallow fluff – you can also use marshmallow creme but don’t try to use melted marshmallow, it won’t work the sameGraham cracker crumbs – either the store-bought graham cracker crumbs or graham crackers turned into crumbs in a food processor work great Chocolate – we always use Hershey Chocolate Bars and Reese’s Peanut Butter cups because they melt well and are predictable. You can try other chocolate brands but no guarantee they’ll melt the same.
Instructions
One of the things we love most about this recipe is how easy it is. It make look impressive and delicious but it doesn’t take too long to make!
1 – Make the dough
Start by getting your oven and dish ready. Preheat to 350 degrees and add piece of foil or parchment paper to a 9×13 baking dish – make it long enough so it hangs over the ends. Then it’s time to make the graham cracker cookie dough. Similar to our pecan pie bars, you’re going to cream together the butter and sugar. Then add in your eggs and vanilla to finish off the wet ingredients. In another bowl, you’ll mix together the remaining dry ingredients – flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt. Then you add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined. Dough complete.
2 – Make the bars
Now it’s time to turn that graham cracker cookie dough into peanut butter s’more bars! Divide the dough in half and press half the dough down into the baking dish to create the bottom of the bars. Then top your crust with the peanut butter cups and fill in the spaces with pieces of the chocolate bar. Once your chocolate is all in, spread the marshmallow fluff over the chocolate to create the ooey gooey part of the s’mores bars. Finish the bars off by adding the second half the graham cracker cookie dough on top of the marshmallow coating. This will finish the sandwich, kind of like the second graham cracker on top of a traditional s’more.
3 – Bake and enjoy
Now all that’s left is tossing those babies into the oven for 30-35 minutes and letting them cook until lightly browned. Then enjoy by the pan full. Or at least that’s what I do!
Expert Tips
Line the baking dish with parchment paper, with a bit of extra on the ends, so that when your peanut butter s’more bars are done, you can simply pull the parchment paper out and cut out of the dish. Flatten the remaining dough before you put it on top then just patch it together to cover most of the marshmallow. It doesn’t need to be totally covered. Cool completely before cutting into the bars. I know you’ll want to eat them right away but they need to cool or you’ll burn your little tongue on the marshmallow and they may fall apart.
More Easy Desserts
Banana pudding cupcakesPumpkin cheesecake barsGinger molasses cookiesMini cheesecake7-layer barsPumpkin chocolate chip cookies
