S’mores Cereal Bars

There’s something magical about s’mores; the melty chocolate, gooey marshmallows, and sweet graham crackers instantly transport you to cozy nights around the campfire. But you don’t need a fire pit (or a camping trip) to enjoy that classic flavor. These S’mores Cereal Bars capture all the nostalgia in an easy, no-bake treat that’s perfect for sharing. With toasty marshmallow topping, crunchy graham cereal, and pockets of chocolate, every bite is like summer in snack form.

Tips for Making S’mores Cereal Bars  

Toast your marshmallows for that classic campfire taste. The best part of making s’mores is roasting marshmallows over the open flame to get that perfect charred-to-gooey-center ratio. Sprinkle some marshmallows on top and toast them with a kitchen torch for that beloved campfire taste s’mores are known for.

Stir the ingredients with a wooden spoon. After a few stirs, the mixture will get more difficult to mix from the melted marshmallow cooling. Using a wooden spoon adds additional strength and stability while mixing together the cereal and melted marshmallow and ensures the additional toasted marshmallows and chocolate chips are distributed evenly and not clumped together. 

Cut the bars with a hot, sharp knife. To get the perfect squares, cut the sticky bars with a warm, sharp knife. Run the knife under hot water for a few seconds, dry with a towel, and cut, repeating as needed. The hot knife will yield perfectly cut squares without getting stuck or dragging the sticky marshmallow mixture. 

Any chocolate chips will work. You can use any type of chocolate chips: milk, semisweet, dark, or a mix of all.

Ingredients

• Cooking spray, for the pan

• 2 (10-ounce) bags mini marshmallows, divided

• 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 9 cups graham cracker cereal, like Golden Grahams 

• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided

Method

1. Prepare the pan:   

   Lightly spray a 9x9-inch cake pan with cooking spray. Set it aside.

2. Melt the butter and marshmallows:   

   Set 1/2 cup marshmallows aside. You will use them to top the treats later. 

   In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Then, add the remaining marshmallows and use a wooden spoon to stir continuously until melted, with no visible clumps. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the salt.

3. Add the remaining ingredients:   

   In a large bowl, add the graham cracker cereal. Scrape in the melted marshmallows and stir until evenly combined. The mixture should have cooled just a bit. Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips. They will melt a little, but that’s okay!

4. Assemble bars:  

   Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan. Use your hands to press it into an even layer. Sprinkle the 1/2 cup marshmallows on top, and if you’d like, use a kitchen torch to lightly toast them: Ignite your torch. Hold the flame about 4 inches from the marshmallows. Move the flame across the surface of the marshmallows until they get toasty and brown. 

   Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips on top. Cool for at least 30 minutes then cut it into square bars.

[Source: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/smores-cereal-bars-recipe-5324186]