There's nothing quite like the nostalgic flavor of s'mores and these vegan s'mores bars make it easy to enjoy a classic campfire treat, no fire pit required! With a buttery graham cracker cookie base and lots of gooey chocolate and marshmallows, every bite is absolute perfection.
This little treat is made with simple ingredients and comes together in one pan, making it the perfect summer dessert for all of your gatherings.
Whether you're sharing them with friends or keeping a batch all to yourself, these vegan s'mores bars are guaranteed to disappear fast!
If you love s'mores as much as we do, you'll also want to try my vegan s'mores ice cream and my vegan s'mores cookies.
Jump to:
- ingredients you'll need
- why this is the best s'mores recipe ever
- how to make vegan s'mores bars (with pictures!)
- recipe tips and tricks
- s'mores bar variations
- frequently asked questions
- how to get perfectly clean slices
- best vegan marshmallow fluff options
- storage
- vegan s'mores bars
- more vegan brownies and bars
ingredients you'll need
- Vegan Butter: Adds rich, buttery flavor and moisture while creating a soft, chewy cookie base for the bars.
- Light Brown Sugar: Sweetens the dough and adds moisture, giving the bars a soft, chewy texture.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor.
- Leaveners: Help the cookie base rise slightly, creating a soft, tender texture.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor.
- Graham Cracker Crumbs: Provide the classic graham cracker flavor that's essential to traditional s'mores.
- All-Purpose Flour: Gives the bars structure and creates a sturdy yet soft base that holds all the gooey fillings together.
- Nondairy Chocolate Chips: Add rich, melty chocolate throughout the bars.
- Mini Vegan Marshmallows: Create gooey pockets of marshmallow that lightly toast as they bake, adding nostalgic campfire flavor.
- Vegan Marshmallow Fluff: Delivers an extra layer of creamy, gooey marshmallow goodness that stays soft after baking.
why this is the best s'mores recipe ever
- Everything you love about classic s'mores: Gooey marshmallows, rich chocolate, and graham cracker flavor in every single bite.
- No campfire required: Enjoy all the nostalgic flavor of s'mores any time of year right from your oven.
- Extra gooey texture: A combination of vegan marshmallow fluff and mini marshmallows creates the ultimate soft, stretchy filling.
- Chewy graham cookie base: Instead of plain graham crackers, these bars feature a buttery graham cracker cookie dough that's soft, chewy, and packed with flavor.
- Loaded with chocolate: Every bar is filled with plenty of dairy-free chocolate chips that become perfectly melty as they bake.
- Easy to make: Simple pantry ingredients and one baking pan make this recipe perfect for beginners and experienced bakers alike.
how to make vegan s'mores bars (with pictures!)
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page for full instructions and ingredient measurements.
Begin by creaming together the vegan butter and light brown sugar with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy.
Add the vanilla, leaveners and salt to the bowl and mix to evenly disperse the ingredients. Stir in the graham cracker crumbs and all purpose flour until just combined. Do not over-mix!
Fold in the chocolate chips and mini marshmallows.
Press about ⅔ of the dough into the bottom of an 8-inch square pan lined with parchment paper. Spread the jar of marshmallow fluff evenly over the top. Press the remaining cookie dough on top of the marshmallow layer, allowing a bit of marshmallow to peak through.
Bake on center rack of oven that has been preheated to 350 degrees F (175 C) for 28-32 minutes. Allow bars to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
recipe tips and tricks
Here are a few of the things I did to make my bars extra perfect:
- Don't over-mix the dough: Mix just until the ingredients are combined to keep the graham cookie base soft and chewy.
- Spread the marshmallow fluff gently: Lightly grease a spoon or offset spatula before spreading the fluff to prevent it from sticking.
- Leave a small border around the edges: Keep the marshmallow fluff slightly away from the sides of the pan to help prevent it from bubbling over while baking.
- Reserve some chocolate chips and marshmallows: Sprinkle a handful on top before baking for a prettier, bakery-style finish.
- Watch the marshmallows closely: The marshmallows can go from perfectly golden to over-browned quickly, so keep an eye on the bars during the last few minutes of baking.
- Cool completely before slicing: Although it's tempting to dig in right away, letting the bars cool allows the chocolate and marshmallow layers to set for cleaner slices.
- Use a sharp knife for neat squares: Wipe the knife clean between cuts to prevent the gooey marshmallow from sticking and dragging through the bars.
- Enjoy them slightly warm: Warm in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to recreate that fresh-from-the-oven gooey s'mores texture.
s'mores bar variations
While graham cracker, chocolate and marshmallow might be the greatest flavor combination known to man, there are a few ways you can dress it up!
- Cookies and Cream S'mores: Fold crushed vegan chocolate sandwich cookies into the dough or sprinkle them over the marshmallow layer before baking.
- Peanut Butter S'mores: Swirl creamy peanut butter into the marshmallow fluff or add dairy-free peanut butter chips for a sweet and salty twist.
- Salted Caramel S'mores: Drizzle vegan caramel sauce over the chocolate layer and finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
- Double Chocolate: Replace 2 tablespoons of the flour with cocoa powder for a rich chocolate graham cookie base.
- Espresso Chocolate: Add 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder to the dough to enhance the chocolate flavor.
- Nutty S'mores: Sprinkle chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds over the chocolate chips before adding the marshmallow fluff for extra crunch.
frequently asked questions
Yes! You can roughly chop regular vegan marshmallows into smaller pieces so they distribute more evenly throughout the bars.
Any store-bought vegan marshmallow fluff will work. Just be sure it's soft and spreadable for the gooey marshmallow layer.
Marshmallows can naturally melt as they bake. Using both mini marshmallows and marshmallow fluff helps create a thick, gooey layer that stays soft after baking.
Yes! These bars can be baked a day in advance. Once cooled, store them in an airtight container until you're ready to serve.
Yes! Double the ingredients and bake the bars in a 9×13-inch pan. You may need to add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
how to get perfectly clean slices
If you're hung up on the aesthetics, here are some tips for cutting bakery-style slices:
- Let the bars cool completely: This is the most important step. Cooling allows the chocolate and marshmallow layers to set, making the bars much easier to cut.
- Use a sharp chef's knife: A large, sharp knife makes smooth, even cuts without tearing the bars.
- Warm the knife first: Run the knife under hot water, then dry it thoroughly. The warm blade glides through the gooey marshmallow and chocolate more easily.
- Wipe the blade between cuts: Clean the knife with a damp towel after each slice to prevent melted marshmallow and chocolate from building up.
- Cut with one firm motion: Press straight down rather than sawing back and forth to keep the layers neat and intact.
- Lift the bars out of the pan: Using the parchment paper overhang allows you to cut on a cutting board, making it much easier to get even, clean squares.
best vegan marshmallow fluff options
For vegan s'mores bars, you want a marshmallow fluff that's smooth, spreadable, and stays gooey after baking. Here are some of the best options:
- Dandies Vegan Marshmallow Creme - Best Overall
Specifically made for vegan baking, this marshmallow creme has a smooth, fluffy texture that's easy to spread and bakes up beautifully. It's the closest vegan substitute for traditional marshmallow fluff. - Homemade Vegan Marshmallow Fluff
If you can't find a store-bought version, homemade vegan marshmallow fluff is an excellent alternative. Just be sure to use it the same day or within a day or two of making it for the best texture.
If you can't find marshmallow fluff...
You can still make delicious vegan s'mores bars by:
- Increasing the mini vegan marshmallows to 1½-2 cups.
- Chopping larger vegan marshmallows into small pieces for more even coverage.
- Layering the marshmallows closely together so every bite has plenty of gooey marshmallow.
storage
Room Temperature: Once completely cooled, store the s'mores bars in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers. They'll stay fresh at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Refrigerator: If your kitchen is warm or you prefer a firmer texture, refrigerate the bars in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Let them sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving for the best texture.
Freezer: Wrap individual bars in plastic wrap or parchment paper and place them in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Freeze for up to 1 month.
To Thaw: Let frozen bars thaw at room temperature for about 30-60 minutes, or overnight in the refrigerator.
To Reheat: For that fresh-from-the-oven gooey s'mores experience, microwave a bar for 10-15 seconds before serving.
If you make these cookies be sure to tag @censoredbaker on Instagram!
vegan s'mores bars
Graham cracker cookie bars filled with melty chocolate and gooey marshmallows!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 9 3-inch Bars 1x
- Category: Brownies and Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Vegan
Ingredients
⅔ cup vegan butter
¾ cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup nondairy chocolate chips
1 cup mini vegan marshmallows
6 ounce jar vegan marshmallow fluff
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C) and line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Mix: Add vegan butter and light brown sugar to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy. This should take about 1 minute. Add the vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda and salt to the bowl and beat again to disperse ingredients evenly. Stir in the graham cracker crumbs and flour until just combined. Do not over-mix! Fold in the chocolate chips and mini marshmallows.
- Assemble: Press about ⅔ of the dough into the bottom of your prepared pan. Spread the entire jar of marshmallow fluff over the top of the dough. Try not to take the fluff all the way to the edges as it will ooze out after baking. Scoop the remaining dough over the marshmallow fluff, pressing in as you go. It doesn't have to completely cover the fluff! Leave some marshmallow peaking out here and there for a rustic look.
- Bake: Place pan on center rack of preheated oven and bake for 28-32 minutes. Allow s'mores bars to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
Notes
*Baked s'mores bars will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or can be frozen for up to 1 month.
*If you can't find vegan marshmallow fluff, don't worry! Simply double the amount of vegan mini marshmallows in the recipe.
