Were you ever a Girl Scout? I was not. But, if you were, you’re part of the organization thought to have invented the ultimate summer, backyard delicacy: s’mores. Pre-ttty cool if you ask me. A woman named Loretta Scott Crew is credited for being the infamous lady behind the recipe, according to Wonderopolis. The first-ever recipe of a marshmallow, chocolate candy bar, and graham crackers, was seen in a 1927 Girl Scouts publication.
I think that is pretty neat AND shows the ingenuity of awesome girl power! Although I was never a girl scout, s’mores are not taken lightly in my family. It all started at the Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campgrounds. My family stayed there when I was a youngin, and every night they put on ‘Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Campfire Sing-A-Long’. You could buy a s’more kit from the resort, or bring your own supplies. Their kit only included the basics, but the story of the s’more only progresses from here.
One summer when I was about 7, my family and I were invited to a backyard camp-out. One of our family friends has an 11 acre large backyard. HUGE. They invited friends to pitch a tent, spend outdoor time together, share laughs, and come with a signature s’more. A challenge. It was our first year attending the ‘annual campout’ so we wanted to impress. My mom came up with the family s’more: thin, chocolate wafter cookies in place of the graham cracker, a regular marshmallow, and a York Peppermint Pattie instead of a chocolate bar.
The rest is history. My mom ran with the idea and by the end of the weekend she had a gourmet s’more kit that she should have patented. Stocked full of all different kinds of candy that pushed the limits, fought the stereotypes, and were not afraid to be different. The future of s’mores was forever changed: diverse and never boring.
What candies and ‘ingredients’ you can use in your s’more kit are endless. But, I will break it down into three different categories: the marshmallow, the candy, and the cracker.
1. The Marshmallow
The classic, go-to marshmallow in my opinion is the Kraft Jet-Puffed marshmallows. I have to say, these are my favorite to roast because they go with any kind of candy bar you could imagine. But, there are more flavors out there. First off, Toasted Coconut marshmallows. My second favorite. They are ultimately an ordinary marshmallow coated with toasted coconut shavings which become even more golden and crisp when you roast it over the campfire. For all of those Almond-Joy or Mounds people out there, these will be your new besties. Close your eyes and pretend you are in Hawaii.
Second, they have Vanilla and Chocolate Swirl flavored marshmallows which compromise between the classic and a third option: totally Chocolate Brownie flavored. To be honest, I cannot taste much of a difference between these once they are toasted, but they do the job when completing a chocolate-themed s’more combination- if you are going for a certain theme.
Third, this Spoon article teaches you how to make homemade marshmallows.
2. The Candy
This is the second best place to get creative- my favorite place is the cracker, but with the candy you can bring all new flavors, textures, and ingredients to the mix. The staples in my fam’s ‘gourmet’ s’more kit are: York Peppermint Patties, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Kit Kats, Mounds, and Almond Joys.
Almond Joys and Mounds are for coconut lovers, and the Yorks are for those looking for a blast of cool flavor while they are heating up around the fire. Although Kit Kats are my favorite candy bars to eat plain, I do not really like them within a s’more. Too much crunchiness with the graham cracker if you ask me. But, the Reese’s Peanut Butter cup is the perfect consistency because the warmth of the marshmallow heats the candy and melts the chocolate shell, making the bite extra flavorful.
I do agree that you can never go wrong with a classic Hershey’s chocolate bar, so a lot of the times I still use that, but then I like to use a unique cracker…
3. The Cracker
Just like I said before, this is where you can get the most creative. It’s where you can go the craziest. Instead of using just the usual graham crackers, try out anything/everything from the cookie aisle in the grocery store. Your s’more has the potential of being different every time you assemble it.
Just like with the idea of ice cream sandwiches, if you use Chips Ahoy cookies as the graham cracker replacement, then you will have a s’more sandwich. A candy is not even needed below the marshmallow because the chocolate chips provide a mouthful of sweetness. Plus, there is always an array of different Chips Ahoy flavors, like Double Chocolate Chip, ones with M&Ms inside, filled cookies with a gooey inside that will heat up especially if you can manage to heat the cookie over the fire before you construct the s’more.
Homemade cookies are even better if you have a niche for baking. Another suggestion, which I have never actually tried, is Pop Tarts. Imagine that gooey middle. Or, Nilla wafers– they go well in any trifle, why not in s’mores?
Finally, to organize a gourmet s’more kit, buy a handy-dandy tupperware container with dividers in it. You’ll organize your candy like a professional. Anywhere like Target, The Christmas Tree Shop, The Container Store, or Walmart will have one to suit your fancy. Now you will always be prepared to indulge in a gourmet s’more. Enjoy one with your loved ones, and continue to share the love of chocolate and marshmallows- one way to bring people together.