S’mores may have summery connotations, but one cannot be expected to limit one’s enjoyment of the magical marriage of graham cracker, chocolate, and marshmallow to May through August exclusively. You might not feel much like firing up your oven for S’more Brownies in 100-degree weather, so these warm and gooey (heavenly) bars are ideal for these cooler months. Layers of crumbly graham cracker crust, fudgy and dark-chocolatey brownie, and toasted marshmallows make for a different kind of brownie for a change. Dug into the pan fresh out of the oven or at room temperature, these brownies feel like summer in November.
Not many things better than graham cracker crust:
Tip: these will make a cleaner cut if you cool them completely and then put them in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Not positive on the time, ours never seem to make it that far…
Let your kids help you whisk brownie batter and top brownies with marshmallows.
From: S’more Brownies
- Crust:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1½ cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- Pinch fine salt
- Brownie:
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 4 large cold eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- Topping:
- 4 cups large marshmallows
- Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8 by-8-inch square baking pan with foil so it hangs over the edges by about 1 inch.
- For the crust: Lightly butter the foil with some of the melted butter. Stir the rest of the butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Press the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the brownie. Put the butter and chocolate in a medium microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave on 75 percent power for 2 minutes. Stir, and microwave again until completely melted, about 2 minutes more. Alternatively, put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl on the pan without touching the water. Stir occasionally until melted. Stir the light brown and white sugars, vanilla and salt into the melted chocolate. Add the eggs and beat vigorously to make a thick and glossy batter. Add the flour and stir until just incorporated.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is crispy and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean, with a few crumbs, about 40 to 45 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and carefully position a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and preheat on low. Layer marshmallows across the top and toast under the broiler until golden, (keep an eye on it, it can go quick), about 2 minutes. Cool on a rack, gently removing the brownies from the pan using the aluminum flaps. Carefully separate any marshmallow from the foil and fold away. Cut into 12 (2-inch) squares.
