National S’mores Day

Graham crackers, melted chocolate and sticky toasted marshmallows, all in one little sandwich—if that can’t get people licking their chops (and their fingers!), what can?

S’mores are the one of the most popular North American desserts and they are practically the quintessential campfire treat. In fact it is estimated that over 50 million pounds of marshmallows are toasted over a fire in North America each year!

Never tried them? Then S’mores Day is the perfect day to get started. And even for those people who have tried them, there is no reason to pass up the opportunity to enjoy them again! It’s time to get started on S’mores Day!

History of S’mores Day

S’more might sound like it was named after a person or the city where the snack began. Many people might think the names means something special, but it really doesn’t! It’s actually the combination of the two words in the phrase “some more”, which is not strange considering how tasty they are.

The first S’more recipe can be found in a book full of recipes that was published in the book “Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts” by the Campfire Marshmallows company in the early 1920s. This interesting little piece of information reveals the fact that this treat had already been popular with both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts for some time prior to this.

By 1968 the following recipe was provided: place a square of milk chocolate on a graham cracker, toast a marshmallow to golden perfection and place it gently on top of the chocolate, then place a second graham cracker on top of the toasted marshmallow and squeeze. Once this has been eaten, there’s no doubt that everyone will want “s’more”.

In answer to accusations that s’mores are extremely high in sugar and fat and are not particularly healthy for children or adults, the Outing Activities and Winter Sports Guide stated simply: “Camping trips are supposed to be fun. Why not relax, enjoy yourself, and have s’more?”

S’mores Day was created several years ago to celebrate this gooey delight, and is sponsored by the National Confectioners Association.

How to Celebrate S’mores Day

Celebrating S’mores Day can be super simple–it just requires a few ingredients and a few friends! Try these ideas for celebrating S’mores Day:

Make and Eat S’mores

What could be a better way to celebrate S’mores Day than enjoying this sweet treat? As always, it’s better to make your own, and S’mores are incredibly simple to make.

Of course it would be best to make them around a campfire in the woods while telling ghost stories like the treat’s creators did almost 100 years ago, so those who are planning a camping trip in the near future might want to leave the making of s’mores for then.

Try Different S’mores Variations

Although S’mores are absolutely delicious on their own, it’s also possible to get creative with them by using different ingredients. Usually the basic recipe stays the same and something extra special is added. Try these unique ideas:

• Peanut Butter S’mores. What can’t be made better with peanut butter? Just smear a layer of yummy peanut butter on the graham cracker prior to making up the treat.
• Banana S’mores. Add a bit of fruit to the mix by placing banana slices on the graham crackers when building the snack.
• Peanut Butter Cup S’mores. Take it to another level using Peanut Butter Cups (Reese’s Brand works great) as a substitute for the standard chocolate.
• Chocolate Chip Cookie S’mores. Instead of graham crackers, try using chocolate chip cookies as the base of this yummy snack.

Create S’mores Inspired Culinary Treats

Who needs a campfire to channel the vibes that S’mores bring? It’s possible to create all kinds of beautiful desserts in the kitchen that bring the flavor of this delicious snack.

• S’mores Creme Brulee. Rustic camping meets a fancy restaurant in this decadent dessert. Creme brulee is made with a combination of sugar, cream and eggs that take on a carmely flavor and texture, then add the chocolate, marshmallows and graham cracker crumbs to finish it off.
• S’mores Milkshake. Pile some vanilla ice cream and milk into the blender, then add some chocolate syrup, marshmallow creme, and graham cracker crumbs. A delicious, drinkable take on this treat.
• S’mores Cheesecake. Since cheesecake begins with a graham cracker crust anyway, it only makes sense to add in the marshmallow and chocolate flavors to go along with the theme!
• S’mores Bars. Bring the flavor of this favorite to a gathering by making these bars that can feed a group. It’s simple to make this recipe with a graham cracker and butter crust, then melt chocolate chips and marshmallows over the top for a few minutes in the oven. Easy Peasy S’mores!

Make S’mores At Home

For those who are not planning on going to be camping anytime soon, however, there’s no reason not to make some s’mores in the comfort of home. It might even be fun to roast the marshmallows over the flames of your gas stove or a candle, if all else fails and you want fire-roasted marshmallows!

Ingredients:

• 32 miniature graham crackers or 8 regular size graham crackers, broken in half
• 2 milk chocolate bars, the kind that can be broken into squares (Hershey’s brand is traditional and melts well)
• 8 marshmallows

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Lay 1/2 of the graham crackers on a cookie sheet. Top with chocolate pieces to cover.
• Use kitchen scissors to snip the marshmallows in 1/2 horizontally if using miniature crackers and place 1/2 a marshmallow on top of each graham cracker. If using regular size crackers, it’s probably better to use a whole marshmallow.
• Bake until the marshmallows are puffed and golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and top with the remaining graham crackers, pressing down slightly to make a sandwich.
• Serve immediately, while still warm.

For those who are making their s’mores by a real campfire, simply toast the marshmallows of the flames first and then put them on the crackers, add a piece of chocolate and top with another cracker. It’s important to use chocolate that melts well from the heat of the marshmallow, so a milk chocolate is likely to be the best choice thanks to its high cocoa butter content.

So enjoy and have s’more!