S'mores bars

It is officially the summer season.  The time for no schoolwork, running through sprinklers, grilling outdoors, and sitting out in beautiful weather.  Unfortunately for me, I don't have access to a grill.  So you know what that means...NO toasted marshmallows.  As bummed as I am about not being able to stand close to a fire and risk burning myself in order to get that perfect, toasty, golden brown, oozy marshmallow, I have decided to find an alternative. Thus S'mores Bars in the oven.  A friend of mine made these for us and she gave me the recipe (which I promptly misplaced).  She said it was from the Hershey's cookbook. (She must have a different cookbook than me, because it's not in mine).  But that's why we have the internet.  So I mostly used the recipe from the Hershey's website here.  I shared it with friends on Memorial Day and they're wanting the recipe (despite their less sugar diet).  My boys think I'm a genius.  And who am I to argue with that!

Click for printable recipe. 

Posted by: Jen

Ingredients:

1/2 c butter, softened
1/2 c sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp honey (optional)
1 1/2 c flour
1 c graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt 
1 jar (7 oz)  marshmallow fluff
12 (dozen) graham crackers, broken up into little pieces, NOT CRUMBS
6 Hershey's milk chocolate bars, broken into pieces (or perhaps a cup of milk choc chips)
2-3 c miniature marshmallows

Directions:
Cream the butter and sugar until well blended and light yellow.  (like you would cookie dough).  Beat in the egg, vanilla, and optional honey.  (I added honey because it's a honey graham cracker and I wanted it to resemble the graham cracker as much as possible).  Mix well together.  Add the flour, baking powder, salt and graham cracker crumbs.

Mix until all the flour and crumbs are incorporated.

Grease pan 15 x 10 x 1 inch jelly roll pan (or use parchment paper). You can use a 9 x 13 pan as well and the bars will be a little thicker.  Press the dough into the pan evenly.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Remove and increase oven temperature to 450 or turn it to broil.  

 While your crust is baking, prepare the S'mores topping.  Now here is where I disagree with the Hershey's website.  The website says to mix together all the marshmallow fluff and other S'mores ingredients together in a bowl and then spread on the crust.  Well, I'm here to tell you that I did that and it was a pain!  

 So, instead, grease your spoon or spatula before spreading on the fluff.  That way it won't stick too much while you're spreading it.  Spread the fluff on the warm crust.  
Then sprinkle on your chocolate pieces, marshmallows, and graham crackers evenly over the fluff.  

 Bake in 450 degree oven for 5-10 minutes or until your marshmallows get melted and toasted.  OR place under broiler for about 1-2 minutes until the marshmallows are golden.  DO NOT WALK AWAY at this moment.  Cause the graham crackers will burn the minute you turn your back!

 Grease a knife and slice into bars.  I think it's easier to slice them when warm than when it's all cooled.  Or if you use parchment paper, then make it be a little larger than the pan so you have "handles" to lift out the bars.  Then grease a pizza slicer and slice through your bars.