Everyone loves chocolate, right? How about chocolate with marshmallow and graham crackers? These amazing marshmallow treats are my favorite no bake dessert for summer. When the kitchen is hot and steamy, either because of the heat outside or because of what I’m cooking in the kitchen, this no bake dessert is the perfect go-to recipe. I love that I can make this food without starting up the oven or heating up the kitchen.
Not sure when to make this dessert? Bring it to potlucks, family events, and movie nights. Whether you’re going to a barbecue or just staying inside with your family, I recommend this delicious chocolate dessert.
Oh, one more thing! This is a great treat for birthdays and parties with kids (as long as there are no peanut allergies). The sweet and salty flavors really appeal to everyone, and the whole concoction has a rich, pleasant quality many kids love. Are you going camping? Bring your sores bars! This dessert is a perfect camping food. We enjoy making this dessert before we go out camping for the weekend, then we can eat this by the fire.
So, the next time you’re wondering what to do with chocolate bars and golden grahams, these marshmallow treats are the recipe of choice.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
There are many reasons to love this recipe:
- Everyone loves s’mores: This no bake dessert perfectly imitates the flavors of s’mores. It has many of the same ingredients, but in a no-bake bar form.
- Marshmallow treats are easy to make: Did I mention this was a no bake dessert? It is! These marshmallow treats are so easy make that you can teach your kids how to cook with this recipe.
- Rich and delicious: If you’re looking for a rich and delicious meal, s’mores bars are it.
- Good for family get togethers and nights at home: Whether you’re staying in or going out, this treat is there.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Butter: You can substitute margarine for butter if you don’t have enough butter.
- Make it vegetarian: Marshmallows aren’t vegetarian, but if you have a vegetarian or vegan in your household, you can easily make this meal vegetarian.
- Cream: If you don’t have cream, half n half will work as well.
- Peanut allergies: You can leave the nuts off if you need to!
Tips for Success
- Leave peanuts out if you’re serving anyone with a peanut allergy or expecting anyone with a peanut allergy to eat with your guests.
- While much of this is no bake, there is still heat (from an oven and the stove) involved. Supervise any kids who are making this meal.
- Store this in the fridge.
Storage & Reheating
For best results, store this dessert covered and in the fridge. You can leave this out once the mixture has set, but if you’re somewhere warm, the chocolate could melt.
Serving Suggestions
I love to have this dessert with some of my favorite summer dishes like macaroni salad or BLT bites. If you’re a big fan of s’mores, this dessert is a great way to consume s’mores even when you’re not sitting around the fire.
FAQs
Can this dessert be made peanut-free?
This dessert can be made peanut-free. Simply leave peanuts out of the dish. If you choose to make this dessert for people with dietary restrictions that you’re not sure about, I would place a little card or sign in front of the dish to warn people that this has peanuts in it.
How long will this dessert stay fresh?
This dessert can stay fresh for a long time if you keep it in the refrigerator. If you leave it on the counter, I suggest eating it within a few days.
Can this dessert be frozen?
You can put this dish in the freezer for safe keeping, but I don’t recommend eating it frozen – it will be very hard.
How far in advance does this dessert need to be prepared?
Make this dessert at least three hours before you plan to eat it, so you can give it time to sit in the fridge.
Is this dessert vegetarian?
Marshmallows are not technically vegetarian. If you want to make this dessert vegetarian, you can buy special vegetarian or vegan marshmallows to add to it.
Is this dessert messy?
This dessert can be messy! If you’re feeding little ones, I recommend giving them a bib.
Notes
This is the perfect meal to make for family before they come over. I love the way this meal appeals to everyone! Enjoy!
Chocolate Marshmallow Bars
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
- ½ cup Unsalted Butter melted
- 1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk 14 oz
- 1 ½ cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- 1 cup Chopped Walnuts replaces pecans for a deeper flavor
- 2 cups Miniature Marshmallows
- ½ tsp Flaky Sea Salt to sprinkle on top
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and the melted butter until the mixture looks like wet sand. Press this firmly into the bottom of a parchment-lined 9×13 baking pan, using the back of a spoon to create a flat, even base.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk the vanilla extract into the sweetened condensed milk. This adds an extra layer of aromatic sweetness to the binding layer.
- Distribute the chocolate chips and the chopped walnuts evenly over the graham cracker crust. Pour the vanilla-infused milk over the top, ensuring it seeps into the crevices between the nuts and chocolate.
- Slide the pan into a preheated 350°F oven. Bake for about 20 minutes. You want the edges to be bubbling and the center to be mostly set.
- Pull the pan out and quickly scatter the miniature marshmallows over the surface. Return to the oven for an additional 3–5 minutes—just long enough for the marshmallows to puff up and turn a light, toasty brown.
- Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle the flaky sea salt over the warm marshmallows. This tiny addition transforms the bars from “sweet” to “sophisticated.”
- Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before lifting out by the parchment paper and slicing into squares.
