How-To & Diy

How to Make S'mores Without a Fire

June 18, 2013

Inspired by conversations on the Food52 Hotline, we're sharing tips and tricks that make navigating all of our kitchens easier and more fun.

Today: Who says s'mores can only be eaten by a campfire?

Indoor s'mores

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For many of us that live in a city, that have no yard or fire pit or tiny balcony -- those of us that can't build fires on a regular basis -- s'mores become a distant dream, a memory, an abstraction. We eat s'mores ice cream and s'mores cake and tell ourselves they're just as good (no, better!) than the original. One day, we say, we'll hunt for skinny twigs in the woods and sit on logs in front of a roaring fire, and we will toast our marshmallows and melt our chocolate and our hands will smell like smoke as we smear everything on graham crackers to the soft pluckings of an acoustic guitar.

Sounds nice, doesn't it? Until it actually happens, you can make indoor s'mores instead. 

With just a broiler -- and approximately one minute -- you can get your chocolate all gooey and melty and messy, your marshmallows bubbly and toasted, your hands and your clothes and your cheeks sticky with sugar. Here's how.

Break your graham crackers in half, and put them on a baking sheet. Place two strips of chocolate on one side, three marshmallows on another. (We used Hershey's chocolate for tradition, but you can use whatever chocolate you'd like). Repeat for as many s'mores as you want.

Mise

Turn on your broiler. Let it heat up.

Stick the baking sheet on a rack right underneath the broiler. Keep the door open and watch it carefully. Rotate the pan as necessary, and brown the marshmallows to your desired color.

Mise

Flip the chocolate-sided graham cracker onto the marshmallow side. Eat immediately.

Tell us: do you have any tips for making indoor s'mores?

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • Elizabeth Kneissl
    Elizabeth Kneissl
  • AnneMarie
    AnneMarie
  • jeff berumen
    jeff berumen
  • Cate Dobbins
    Cate Dobbins
  • MomofChef
    MomofChef
Brette Warshaw

Written by: Brette Warshaw

I'm a reader, eater, culinary thrill-seeker, and food nerd.

19 Comments

Elizabeth K. September 2, 2022
We make s'mores under the broiler quite often. I use a small frying pan. I like to get the marshmallows a little toasted before adding the chocolate, otherwise the chocolate gets too runny.
And what's with all the complaints about too much chocolate or marshmallow? We like one JUMBO marshmallow or two regular and 2-3 squares of chocolate. The more the better!
 
AnneMarie June 6, 2018
This recipe made my oven burst into flames
 
jeff B. January 27, 2015
Please tell me you sell the stainless steel plate. If so - how much and where can I make the purchase.
 
Cate D. August 13, 2014
I also toast the graham cracker lightly. A great twist is to use dulce de leche sauce (open a can of sweetened condensed milk, set can in a pot of simmering water for 3-4 hours, adding water as necessary to maintain water level bout 3/4 way up the can, until it reaches your desired thickness/consistency- that's it!) instead of chocolate.
 
MomofChef June 17, 2014
Our favorite way to deal with the chocolate part is to melt our favorite chocolate (now that I am all grown-up, maybe I am, I prefer a better chocolate than Hershey's) in a small bowl and spread the graham crackers with it. Take to fire, add lovely roasted marshmallow. Voila. The perfect smore without the chocolate breaking, falling out, refusing to get all melty... On my list this summer-to try with home made marshmallows. Bring on summer.
 
zeldie December 18, 2013
and YES pictures have way to much marshmallows and chocolate but I assume it was for the looks not actual eating. one flat marshmallow (I use a scissor to cut them all in half so they are flatter, and one square of chocolate is enough.
 
zeldie December 18, 2013
put the marshmallow on a long fork (this package comes with 2) or any 12"skewer or similar. toast over medium low flame on your stovetop (you must have gas stove for this). my 7 year old grandson stands at my side and toasts his. of course, children must be watched. meanwhile put a piece of foil over your other burner with gas medium , briefly lay cracker with slice of chocolate on it. chocolate will melt, cracker does not get too hot..remove entire foil with cracker on it, place marshmallow on it, wait a minute and and viola , s'mores. I have toasted marshmallows over a candle, just lay foil under all to catch any mess. or.. lay foil on top of a toaster, turn your toaster on, place cracker with chocolate on top of foil and wait a minute or so till chocolate melts to your liking.
 
Jen V. December 4, 2013
wow OVERDOSE! 1 marshmallow! 1-2 squares chocolate NEVER have I seen this much used HOLY DIABETES !!!
 
Bouvir S. October 20, 2013
Can i do it in a microwave?
 
sadenis August 18, 2013
We use less filling. Way less messy and can even make a low-fat dessert out of it. We use the best dark chocolate we can find. Use about half of what it in the picture. We butterfly a single marshmallow on top of the graham wafer and when done add the dark chocolate. Mmmmmm.
 
Leah K. July 31, 2013
Looks delicious! One small quibble though. My favorite part of a s'more is the amazing contrast between warm, toasty marshmallow and cold, snappy chocolate. So if (when) I make these, I'll leave the chocolate side out of the oven!
 
muse2323 June 18, 2013
Am I the only person in the world who thinks that S'mores never equal more than the sum of their parts? I mean, they're fine. But I'd just as soon eat the components separately--especially the perfectly toasted marshmallow.
 
judye June 18, 2013
Try using the microwave. You have to watch while they're "toasting." The marshmallows grow dramatically!
 
Sandra V. June 18, 2013
This also works in the toaster oven! Wrap each bundle in foil and give them about five or six minutes. Easy!
 
Emma W. June 18, 2013
Sometimes I roast just the marshmallow like you would over a fire, only over the open stove flame instead!
 
Kenzi W. June 18, 2013
True story: when I was little, I once tried to do this over a candle flame.
 
ATG117 June 18, 2013
Wow, I thought my fork over burner was resourceful
 
SeaJambon June 18, 2013
Doubly true story: not only did I try toasting mini marshmallows over a candle flame, but the candle was in a jar, and on top of a paper tablecloth in the college dining facility. Flaming marshmallow drops on paper tablecloth ... well, you can guess the rest. Happily, the shaker of salt was full and sufficient to douse the resulting fire.
 
Kenzi W. June 18, 2013
You win! (Also, fires aside, using mini marshmallows was a brilliant move. I never did, and that's probably why mine never worked.)