S'mores Meet Rice Krispies Treats in This Chocolatey, Gooey Mash-Up

Name: S'mores Meet Rice Krispies Treats in This Chocolatey, Gooey Mash-Up
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 150 min
Yield: 16
Ingredients: 15 3/4 ounces miniature marshmallows (447 g; about 10 1/2 cups), divided; 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (4 ounces; 113 g); 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume; 7 ounces honey graham cereal squares (such as Golden Grahams) (198 g; about 6 cups); 1 3/4 ounces crisp rice cereal (such as Rice Krispies) (50 g; about 2 cups); 5 1/4 ounces coarsely chopped dark chocolate, 70% cacao, (149 g; about 1 cup); Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)

Stacked smores rice krispie treats on a plate — Serious Eats / Brittney Cottrell, Food stylist: Craig Ruff, Prop stylist: Josh Hoggle

Why It Works

Toasting and charring a portion of the marshmallows builds a smoky, fireside flavor that mimics classic s'mores.
Stirring in whole, untoasted marshmallows and chunks of chocolate adds gooey contrast and varied texture.
Mixing in Rice Krispies with the graham cereal lightens the bars' texture.

You don't need a campfire to enjoy the best part of s'mores. These bars deliver all the satisfying contrast and chaos of the classic summer treat—charred, gooey marshmallows; bittersweet melted chocolate; and crunchy graham crackers—in a crispy, chewy, square-shaped upgrade. They're part Rice Krispies treat, part nostalgic summer s'more, and wholly irresistible—no flames required.

This recipe for s'mores bars comes from our colleague Craig Ruff from our Birmingham, Alabama, test kitchen. He starts by torching a portion of the marshmallows until lightly charred with a kitchen torch, adding smoky depth right from the start. Then he folds in two cereals: Graham cereal forms the bulk and provides the requisite graham cracker flavor, while Rice Krispies lighten the texture—the puffed rice breaks it up, softens the chew, and adds airy pockets that make each bite feel more dynamic.

A large metal bowl containing a mixture of marshmallows broken chocolate and cereal with a red spatula — Serious Eats / Brittney Cottrell, Food stylist: Craig Ruff, Prop stylist: Josh Hoggle

Whole mini marshmallows are then stirred in for gooey bursts throughout, while generous chunks of dark chocolate melt just enough to stay fudgy and distinct. For a final flourish, more marshmallows are scattered over the top and torched until deeply caramelized, while a sprinkle of flaky sea salt balances the sweetness with a salty edge. The result is a smoky, chewy, crackly-edged bar layered with texture and nostalgia.

During testing, Craig found that a blowtorch was necessary to get the smoky flavor and look he wanted to evoke the campfire classic. When he tried to toast the marshmallows under a broiler, they went from toasty to burnt in mere seconds, melting into the parchment and requiring a precarious scrape of the molten-sweet lava. A blowtorch solved the problem, and let's admit it, setting marshmallows ablaze with a torch is pretty fun. If you don't have a blowtorch, it's worth investing in one—a good kitchen torch can be had for as little as $40, and they're great for making crème brûlée, charring vegetables for salsa, and other s'mores-inspired desserts like Genevieve's s'mores icebox cake.

Squares of smores crispy treats arranged on a wooden surface — Serious Eats / Brittney Cottrell, Food stylist: Craig Ruff, Prop stylist: Josh Hoggle

In short, these bars do everything a classic s'more should—just without the ash in your hair or melted chocolate on your jeans. This playful, snackable iteration is sure to be a party hit.

This recipe was developed by Craig Ruff; the headnote was written by Laila Ibrahim.