S’Mores Brownies: A Fudgy Campfire Dessert for Summer Gatherings

S’mores Brownies

These S’mores Brownies are the dessert I bring when I want the whole table to go quiet for a minute. Picture a buttery cookie crust, a deeply fudgy brownie layer, and a fluffy meringue topping that gets toasted until it looks like a little campfire.

Every bite tastes like a classic s’more, only neater, because it arrives in a sliceable square.

The recipe is built on three parts: a cookie base, a fudgy brownie, and a toasted meringue on top. Each layer is simple on its own. Stacked together, they make something rich, cozy, and completely delicious.

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I love these for spring and summer gatherings. They travel well to backyard cookouts, graduation parties, baby showers, and easy Sunday dinners. They also look impressive on a dessert platter without asking much of you.

If you enjoy brownies as much as I do, you will also want to try my Espresso Brownies, my Small Batch Brownies, and my Dairy Free Brownies. Same fudgy spirit, different moods.

Let’s bake.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

The magic is in the layers, and every single one earns its place.

• The cookie base. A buttery cookie crust gives the brownie a crisp, sturdy bottom and a flavor that instantly reads as s’mores.
• The fudgy brownie. The middle stays soft, dense, and packed with chocolate, so it tastes like a real brownie instead of cake.
• The meringue topping. Whipped egg whites and sugar make a fluffy cloud that toasts into golden peaks and takes these brownies to the next level.

Crisp, fudgy, and fluffy in one bite. That combination is exactly why this recipe works.

INGREDIENT NOTES

The full list is in the recipe card below, but a few ingredients deserve a closer look before you start baking.

Cookies for the crust. I use digestive biscuits because graham crackers are not available where I live in Denmark. Graham crackers work beautifully too, so use whichever you can find. Both give you that lightly sweet, slightly crisp base.

Butter and chocolate. The butter is melted and mixed with dark chocolate for the brownie batter. That combination keeps the texture fudgy instead of cakey.

Eggs. Take the eggs out of the fridge about one hour before baking. Room temperature eggs blend into the batter more smoothly and give you a better result.

Semi sweet chocolate. Choose a dark chocolate that leans sweet rather than bitter, around 54.5% cocoa. That keeps the brownie rich without turning sharp.

Cornstarch. Cornstarch breaks down some of the gluten in the flour, which makes the brownie softer and fudgier. It is a small amount with a big effect.

Cocoa powder. Use a high quality Dutch processed cocoa powder. My favorite is Valrhona. Better cocoa means deeper chocolate flavor and a darker, prettier crumb.

Egg whites. Save the egg whites for the meringue topping. They whip into the fluffy layer that makes these brownies feel like a campfire treat.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Pull out your equipment first: an electric mixer, two large bowls, a whisk, and a spatula. Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F) conventional and line a 20×20 cm (8×8 inch) square pan with parchment paper. The recipe makes 16 slices, with 30 minutes of prep and about 40 minutes in the oven.

Cookie Crust

1. Add the cookies to a food processor and blend them until they look like fine sand.
2. Melt the butter, then add it to the food processor and blend it together with the cookie crumbs.
3. Tip the crumbs into the prepared pan and press them down with the bottom of a glass. You want the layer well packed and flat, so it holds together when you slice.
4. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. While it bakes, make the brownie batter.

Brownie

1. In a bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Set it aside.
2. Melt the butter and chocolate together. Pour the melted mixture into a large mixing bowl, add the cocoa powder, and stir it together with a hand whisk or an electric mixer.
3. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and whisk them in.
4. Add the eggs and mix until incorporated. Once they are in, keep whisking for 1 to 2 minutes more. That extra whisking helps build a shiny, fudgy top.
5. Add the oil and vanilla extract and whisk until combined.
6. Add the dry ingredients and gently whisk until just combined.
7. Pour the batter over the baked crust and smooth the top with your spatula.
8. Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, then let the brownie cool completely before you make the meringue.

The batter is thick and glossy, and it should sit in a fairly even layer over the crust. If it looks a little lumpy going in, that is completely fine. It smooths out in the oven.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS, MERINGUE

The meringue goes on a fully cooled brownie, so plan for a little waiting time. It is worth it.

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer or hand mixer, add the egg whites and the sugar. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the water does not touch the bowl.
2. With the whisk attachment, stir constantly until the sugar granules have melted together with the egg whites. The mixture should feel smooth when you rub a little between your fingers.
3. Take the bowl off the heat and place it in your stand mixer. Immediately set it to the highest speed.
4. Mix for 5 to 6 minutes, until the bowl feels room temperature and the meringue forms stiff peaks. Then add the vanilla and whisk it in.
5. Remove the cooled brownie from the pan and place it on a serving tray. Spread the meringue on top and toast it with a kitchen blowtorch, or place it under the oven broiler until just golden.
6. To cut clean slices, run a sharp knife under hot water, wipe it clean, and cut. Repeat between each cut.

The meringue should look glossy and hold a soft swirl. Toast it gently and watch it closely, because meringue can go from golden to dark in seconds under a broiler.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS

These small habits make a big difference in the final result.

• Weigh your ingredients. Use a kitchen scale. The recipe’s default measurements are in grams, and grams are far more accurate than cups for baking.
• Do not over mix. Finish the batter with one gentle fold using a spatula, reaching down to the bottom of the bowl so everything is incorporated without knocking out air.
• Choose the right pan. A light colored aluminum pan bakes more gently and gives you a softer brownie. Butter it and line it with baking paper. Dark pans attract more heat, which can give you a darker crust and a drier cake.
• Cool before topping. Meringue on a warm brownie will slide and weep, so let the brownie come to room temperature first.
• Chill for clean slices. A short stay in the fridge firms the layers and makes neat squares much easier.

How to tell when the brownie is done. The center should look just set. Insert a butter knife or a toothpick and you want moist crumbs, not wet batter. If you see wet batter, give it 5 more minutes and check again.

Moist crumbs, not wet batter, is the sign that your brownie is ready to come out of the oven.

Make it a day ahead. Bake the brownie with the cookie base, let it cool, wrap it in cling film, and keep it in the fridge. Then make the meringue on the day you plan to serve it.

STORAGE

Store the brownies in the refrigerator in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap. They are best enjoyed within 2 to 3 days.

One batch makes 16 slices. Per slice, the source nutrition is about 250 calories, 33 g carbohydrates, 26 g sugar, 10 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 6 g protein, 1 g fiber, 221 mg sodium, and 34 mg cholesterol.

More Bars and Brownies

If these S’mores Brownies disappear too fast, keep the brownie mood going. My Espresso Brownies are for coffee lovers, my Small Batch Brownies are perfect when you only want a few, and my Dairy Free Brownies are here for anyone skipping dairy.

Each one follows the same friendly step by step approach, so you can bake with confidence and keep your kitchen smelling like chocolate.

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S’mores Brownies

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S’mores Brownies These S’mores Brownies are the dessert I bring when I want the whole table to go quiet for a minute. Picture a buttery cookie crust, a deeply fudgy brownie layer, and a fluffy meringue topping that gets toasted until it looks like a little campfire.

• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 16 slices 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Cookie Crust
120 g digestive or graham crackers
40 g butter

Brownie
60 g butter, melted
50 g semi-sweet dark chocolate chips
20 g unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
85 g granulated sugar
85 g dark brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
45 g vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
50 g all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt

Meringue
90 g egg whites
180 g granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

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Instructions

Cookie Crust
1-Before starting, preheat the oven to 160ºC/: Before starting, preheat the oven to 160ºC/ 325ºF conventional oven. Prepare a 20×20 cm (8×8 inch) square pan with parchment paper.
2-In a food processor, add the cookies: In a food processor, add the cookies and blend them until a fine sand-like texture. Melt the butter. Add the melted butter to the food processor and blend it together with the blended cookies.
3-Add the cookie crumbs to the baking: Add the cookie crumbs to the baking pan and press the cookie crumbs down with the bottom of a glass, so it’s well packed together and flattened out.
4-Bake it for 10 minutes: Bake it for 10 minutes. While it bakes, make the brownie batter.

Brownie
5-In a bowl, sift together the flour,: In a bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch and salt and set it aside.
6-Melt the butter and chocolate together: Melt the butter and chocolate together. Once melted, pour it into a large mixing bowl and add the cocoa powder and stir it together with a hand whisk or electric mixer.
7-Then add the brown sugar and granulated: Then add the brown sugar and granulated sugar, and whisk it together.
8-Then add the eggs, and mix until: Then add the eggs, and mix until incorporated. Once incorporated, continue giving them a good whisk for 1-2 minutes.
9-Then add the oil and vanilla extract: Then add the oil and vanilla extract and whisk it until combined.
10-Finally add the dry ingredients to the: Finally add the dry ingredients to the batter and gently whisk it together until combined.
11-Pour the batter into the prepared baking: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth it out. Bake for about 30-35 minutes. Let it cool down completely before making the meringue.

Meringue
12-In a mixing bowl of your stand: In a mixing bowl of your stand mixer or hand mixer, add the egg whites and sugar. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the water does not touch the bowl. With the whisk attachment to your mixer, use it to constantly stir around the mixture until the sugar granules have melted together with the egg whites.
13-Take it off the heat and place: Take it off the heat and place it in your stand mixer, and immediately set it at the highest speed. Let it mix for 5-6 minutes until the bowl feels room temperature and the meringue creates stiff peaks. Then add the vanilla and whisk it in.
14-Remove the brownie from the pan and: Remove the brownie from the pan and place it on a serving tray. Add the meringue on top of the cooled down brownie and give a torch with a kitchen blowtorch or put it under the oven broiler until just golden.
15-To cut the brownies, run a sharp: To cut the brownies, run a sharp knife under hot water, wipe it clean and cut a slice. Do this between each cut for clean slices.

Last Step:

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• Prep Time: 30 min
• Cook Time: 40 min
• Method: bake

Nutrition

• Calories: 250 kcal
• Sugar: 26 g
• Sodium: 221 mg
• Fat: 10 g
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Carbohydrates: 33 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 6 g
• Cholesterol: 34 mg