Your weekend called! They asked for s’mores bars.
It’s Friday eve and if you know me, you know that I love a Thursday. The anticipation of the weekend is so real. And we get to experience it weekly!
Make a treat because it’s time to celebrate.
S’mores are not just a summer thing for me. Heck, I will make one over the grill in January! I love how they carry into fall (hello bonfires) and the chillier months too. However! They tend to get so much more love in summer… and we should put an end to that.
So here we are with one month of summer left and I need all things s’mores. These bars are a cross between rice krispie treats and fudge. They sort of remind me of the rice krispie topping on the most popular brownies EVER or these nutella crunch brownies. They are chewy and gooey like rice krispie treats because the chocolate holds everything together. But they are crunchy and dense and super rich and delicious.
And filled with SALTED PRETZELS!!
I couldn’t care less about pretzels. At least, most of the time. My kids are both obsessed with pretzels. Like, beg for pretzels every single day obsessed. It’s crazy to me!
Sure, I like pretzels on or in certain things, but just plain pretzels? They don’t do it for me.
That means that I have tons of pretzels around all the time and that I’m not tempted by my kids’ snacks. However, it also means I can steal said pretzels intended for their snacks and throw them in s’mores bars to make a crazy delicious dessert.
These are dangerous. Oooooh!
These bars are crunchy, chocolatey and marshmallowy. I LIVE for them.
Oh oh and they are basically no-bake bars!
Here’s how I did the marshmallow layer to toast the top: refrigerate the bars for a hot minute and then once they are cold, top with alllll the mini marshmallows. Set the pan under the broiler for 1 to 2 more (hot?) minutes and allow the marshmallows to get all bubbly and brown. This toasts and slightly melts the marshmallows without melting the chocolate from the bars. It’s awesome.
Seriously just LOOK at that crunchy center!
S’mores Bars
Yield: 12 squares
These indulgent s’mores bars are crispy and crunchy and studded with salted pretzels! Toasted marshmallow and dark chocolate make these the best treat ever!
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 10 ounces mini marshmallows
- 6 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 4 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups crisped rice cereal
- 1 ½ cups salted mini pretzel twists, some crushed, some not
- 6 ounces mini marshmallows
Line an 8×8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
Place the butter and marshmallows in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring after each, until the butter and marshmallows are melted and smooth. Stir in the chocolate until smooth. If necessary, you can microwave one more time, but you don’t want the chocolate to seize, so try to stir for a few minutes until it melts. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Fold the cereal and pretzels in with a large spatula. This will take a few minutes because it’s super sticky and you don’t want to totally crush all the cereal. Make sure it’s all coated evenly. Press the mixture in the lined baking dish and even out the top with a spatula. Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
Remove the bars from the fridge and immediately cover the top with mini marshmallows. Heat the broiler in your over to high. Set the bars under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, watching the entire time, until they are golden and bubbly. Remove the dish from the oven. Use a sharp knife to cut the bars into squares. Some of the marshmallow might be gooey but slowly and gently slice through it. Serve the bars immediately!
slightly adapted from good housekeeping autumn magazine
These bars are my life coach.
