The words “s’mores” and “granola bars” conjure up fond memories of wilderness campfires, the smoky aroma of toasting marshmallows and melting chocolate wafting through the cool nighttime air. These simple, crunchy-chewy bars channel that experience beautifully.
Lightly grease (or line with parchment) a 9” square pan.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and place a rack in the top third.
In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, melt and stir together the butter, brown sugar, and syrup, cooking until the sugar has dissolved.
Stir in the oats, flour, salt, graham cracker crumbs, and cinnamon.
Press about 3/4 of the mixture (about 500g) evenly into the prepared pan. Reserve a generous cup (about 170g) for the topping.
Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove the crust from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the hot crust. Wait 5 minutes, then spread the melted chocolate evenly over the crust. (A small offset spatula is a helpful tool here.)
Sprinkle the marshmallows over the chocolate, then top the marshmallows with the remaining crust mixture; this is the topping.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the marshmallows are puffed.
Turn the oven to broil and broil the bars for 1 to 2 minutes until the marshmallows are toasted to your liking. This happens quickly, so be sure to keep a close eye on the bars to prevent them from burning.
Remove the bars from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack (in the pan) before cutting.
Serve bars at room temperature or reheat for a nostalgic, warm-from-the-campfire s’more experience. Bars can be reheated for 10 seconds in the microwave or wrapped in foil and warmed in a 350°F oven.
Store leftover bars, well wrapped, at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.
This recipe originally comes from The Baker's Companion. Since its publication, we've made a few tweaks to the recipe (including increasing the chocolate and cinnamon) for a more accurate representation of traditional s'more ratios and flavors.
