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During the summer months, s’mores could almost be considered a food group in our family. We have a massive stash of chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows that we break out at any occasion that’s even remotely special. It’s just about the easiest dessert that you can put together AND it also involves an activity so it keeps the kids entertained as well.
While we used to just reserve s’mores for camping, now that we have a backyard firepit, we are constantly looking for excuses to eat s’more with kids all the time!
We used to be good and just eat s’mores while we were camping. I know, I know, I’m a hypocrite. I tell families all the time that if they want their kids to sleep better while camping, that they should probably skip the s’mores, yet here I am, making campfire s’mores with the kids as soon as we get a fire going on our family camping trip. In my defense, I do work EXTRA HARD making my kids tired on our family campouts in hopes that sheer fatigue will outweigh the large amounts of sugar we feed them right before bedtime.
Things didn’t used to be this way. In fact, there was a period of time, where I’d conveniently “forget” to pack all the ingredients for camping s’mores. The reason? I was in a rut. The simple combination of Graham cracker, marshmallow and chocolate no longer excited me. S’mores were a boring dessert (I seriously can’t even believe I ever thought this).
Thankfully, a camping trip with some friends remedied this situation for me. They brought and entire s’mores bar for us to choose our toppings from, and my life was literally CHANGED! There were Reese’s cups, Nutella, multiple kinds of graham crackers, and even fruit. This was all it took to cure me of my camping s’mores avoidance.
Soon, we learned that a s’more was something to be celebrated with, and not just thrown out at the end of the day.
How Can I Simplify S’more Making With Kids
The easiest s’mores to make with young kids are Fudge Ripple S’mores. SImply roast a marshmallow and sandwich it between two fudge stripe cookies. No waiting for the chocolate to melt, no breaking apart chunks of graham cracker and chocolate – just grab the cookies for s’mores and GO. This is so easy that my 3-year-old can make his own, so it’s a serious win in my book.
This is the easy s’more combination that I grab when we’re in a rush, or we’re just heading camping for a night or two and want to make really simple s’mores.
Truth be told, I’m also very guilty of giving these to my younger kids, putting them to bed, and then saving the more gourmet s’more ingredients for the older kids and adults. Actually, there’s no guilt involved. When I take kids camping, I work REALLY HARD, so I look at this as my little reward at the end of the day!
Looking for more campfire dessert ideas? READ: 15 Camping Desserts Kids Can Make On Their Own
What Are The Best Roasting Sticks For Making S’mores
Growing up, making s’mores meant taking our pocket knife into the woods, and cutting a green stick off a tree for roasting marshmallows. And while I’m all about teaching kids to use a knife well, it isn’t always practical or sustainable, and we try to only use sticks in an emergency (like when mom forgets the marshmallow roasting sticks – that’s an emergency).
When we had kids, we bought a few of these giant marshmallow roasters for super cheap at Walmart. They’re ridiculously sturdy, and have an extra long reach so that the kids were a safe distance away from the fire while roasting marshmallows. The only problem with them is that they’re really long and can be kind of awkward to pack.
Then my mind got completely blown when we found these telescoping marshmallow roasters. They fold down crazy small, but also extend just as far as my beloved Walmart roasters. GAME CHANGER! They also come in a big variety of colors, so each kid has their own color and now I know exactly who left a sticky roaster in the dirt. Now, these are the best marshmallow roasting sticks that we always want to use while camping.
What Chocolate Works Best For S’mores
The best chocolate for s’mores is milk chocolate. Dark chocolate doesn’t melt well, so unless you’re going for a specific flavor combination (like our Death By Chocolate S’more), then opt for milk chocolate for s’mores.
Which Marshmallows Work Best For S’mores
While it may be tempting to get giant oversized marshmallows for kids camping s’mores, resist the urge. While those marshmallows are great for roasting alone, they’re just too big to balance the rest of the ingredients in a s’more. To make a s’more, just get regular large sized marshmallows, though my kids are convinced that Jet Puff marshmallows are the best marshmallows for making s’mores.
Can I Make A Healthy S’more?
Absolutely. Just because s’mores taste amazing doesn’t mean they have to be horrible for you. Try these gluten free graham crackers for s’mores as well as these zero sugar and low carb marshmallows for s’mores. Pair these with some strawberries, and you’ve got yourself a winning combination.
Best S’mores Combinations for Camping With Kids
Be the hero of your next camping trip by bringing the kids s’mores ingredients. We’ve got suggestions below to make your kids camping s’mores as simple or complex as you want, turning this classic into a treat the whole family will be begging for.
Classic S’mores
Graham Cracker – Milk Chocolate – Marshmallow
Fudge Ripple S’mores
Fudge Stripe Cookie – Marshmallow
Thin Mint S’mores
Graham Crackers – Andes Mint Chocolate – Marshmallow
Tropical S’mores
Graham Cracker – White Chocolate – Grilled Pineapple – Toasted Coconut – Marshmallow
Moose Tracks S’mores
Chocolate Graham Crackers – Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup – Caramel Square – Marshmallow
Peanut Butter Lover S’mores
Graham Crackers – Peanut Butter Cup – Marshmallow
Chocolate Chip S’mores
Chocolate Chip Cookies – Milk Chocolate – Marshmallow
S’moreo
Oreo Cookie – Chocolate – Marshmallow (we also love these with Mint Oreos)
Nutella S’more
Graham Cracker – Nutella – Marshmallow
Strawberry Cheesecake S’mores
Graham Crackers – Whipped Cream Cheese – Strawberry Jam – Marshmallow
German Chocolate Cake S’mores
Graham Cracker – Mounds Candy Bar – Marshmallow
Lemon Meringue Pie S’more
Graham Cracker – Lemon CUrd – Marshmallow
Chunky Monkey S’more
Graham Cracker – Banana – Nutella – Marshmallow
Cookie Butter S’more
Graham Cracker – Cookie Butter – Marshmallow
PB + J S’mores
Graham Cracker – Peanut Butter – Strawberry Jam – Marshmallow
Nutty Buddy S’mores
Graham Cracker – Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup – Peanut Butter – Nutella – Marshmallow
Caramel and Sea Salt S’mores
Graham Crackers – Milk Chocolate – Caramel Square – Sea Salt – Marshmallow
Death By Chocolate S’more
Chocolate Graham Cracker – Dark Chocolate – Chocolate Marshmallow
Black Forest S’more
Chocolate Graham Cracker – Chocolate – Cherry Pie Filling – Marshmallow
Fluffernutter S’more
Chocolate Graham Cracker – Peanut Butter – Marshmallow
Churro S’more
Cinnamon Graham Cracker – Dulce De Leche – Marshmallow
Samoa S’mores
Graham Cracker – Milk Chocolate – Caramel Square – Toasted Coconut – Marshmallow
Strawberry Nutella S’more
Chocolate Graham Cracker – Nutella – Sliced Strawberries – Marshmallow
Chocolate Strawberry S’more
Graham Cracker – Sliced Strawberries – Chocolate (white or milk) – Marshmallow
Caramel Apple S’mores
Graham Crackers – Granny Smith Apple Slices – Caramel Squares – Marshmallow
Banana Split S’mores
Graham Cracker – Chocolate – Banana – Sliced Strawberries – Marshmallow