I’m the type of person who stays busy — juggling projects, cooking, and blogging keeps me energized. I inherited this from my dad, and my sister is the same way: working full-time, raising two kids, attending graduate school, and organizing community projects. My brother is more laid-back, which is great in its own way. I enjoy staying active and sharing recipes and food experiences here, and I hope you enjoy this one.
I had been looking forward to making these Ultimate S’mores Bars ever since I spotted the recipe. I adapted it only slightly, using a little less chocolate than the original suggested. Despite the layers and steps, this recipe isn’t as complicated as it looks. Once all ingredients are prepped and out on the counter, I had the bars in the oven in about 39 minutes, even with my five-year-old helping.
These bars combine homemade brownies, graham crackers, a creamy cheesecake layer, chocolate chip cookie dough, warm chocolate ganache, and toasted marshmallows. The result is rich, nostalgic, and totally worth the effort — a perfect celebration dessert for Father’s Day or any special occasion.
Whoa Big Daddy: Ultimate S’mores Bars!!
Ingredients
- 1/2 batch of brownies (use your favorite brownie recipe)
- 1–2 packets of graham crackers
- 1/2 batch of chocolate chip cookie dough (use your preferred cookie recipe)
Cheesecake Layer:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 egg
Chocolate Ganache:
- 1/2 to 1 cup heavy cream (I used 1 cup for a thinner ganache)
- 1 to 2 cups chocolate chips, depending on how chocolatey you want it
Topping:
- Mini marshmallows
- Extra graham cracker crumbs for sprinkling
Layer order (bottom to top):
- Brownie
- Graham crackers
- Cheesecake
- Chocolate chip cookie dough
- Chocolate ganache
- Mini marshmallows
- Graham cracker crumbs
Directions
- Prepare the brownie batter according to your recipe and set aside.
- Make the cheesecake mixture: beat the cream cheese until smooth, then add the sweetened condensed milk and egg; mix until combined. Set aside.
- Prepare the cookie dough for the top layer and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. The foil makes it easy to lift the bars from the pan and simplifies cutting.
- Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and smooth it evenly.
- Arrange graham crackers in a single layer over the brownie batter, breaking pieces as needed to cover the surface.
- Pour the cheesecake mixture over the graham crackers and spread gently to cover.
- Drop spoonfuls of cookie dough over the cheesecake layer. Use an ice cream scoop to space the dough evenly; the dough will spread during baking.
- Bake for about 45 minutes, until the cookie tops are golden and the cheesecake layer no longer jiggles when the pan is gently shaken.
- Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before lifting them out on the foil.
- To make the ganache, heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat just until steaming. Do not let it boil.
- Remove the cream from the heat and add the chocolate chips. Let them sit for 3–5 minutes, then whisk until smooth and glossy.
- Let the ganache cool slightly, then pour it evenly over the cooled bars.
- While the ganache is still tacky, sprinkle mini marshmallows and graham cracker crumbs on top, pressing lightly so they adhere to the ganache. You can chill the bars briefly to speed ganache setting.
- Wait until the ganache is completely set before cutting. Use a large, sharp knife to slice — warming the knife under hot water and wiping it dry between cuts helps get clean slices. These bars are dense and rich, so smaller portions work well.
- Check this baby out!!
- These are thick and decadent. You’ll need some muscle to cut through them — they’re wonderfully dense and gooey.
These Ultimate S’mores Bars combine familiar flavors in an over-the-top dessert that’s perfect for gatherings. With a fudgy brownie base, creamy cheesecake middle, cookie dough top and a rich ganache seal, each bite is a layered celebration of chocolate, marshmallow, and graham cracker. Enjoy them with coffee or milk, and store any leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator.