Cracker Barrel Campfire S’mores Brownie Recipe

Campfire S’mores Brownie Recipe is an American-style dessert featuring a buttery graham cracker base, fudgy chocolate, and toasted marshmallows. This decadent treat uses Hershey’s bars and vanilla ice cream to create a warm, gooey campfire experience indoors.

The first time I made this, I rushed the cooling stage and the brownie fell apart under the weight of the ice cream. Now I always let the base cool completely before adding the topping to ensure it holds that heavy scoop. You need that structural integrity because once the warm chocolate sauce hits the marshmallow, everything starts to move.

Cracker Barrel uses a very specific ratio for their crust that feels almost like a biscuit. If you do nothing else, press the crumbs into the tin much harder than you think is necessary. This compacts the butter and sugar, preventing a sandy mess when you lift the squares out. This is one of those recipes that looks harder than it is, but it’s really just about timing the broiler at the very end.

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Campfire S’mores Brownie Recipe Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

• 200g (7oz) graham cracker crumbs
• 50g (1¾oz) caster sugar
• 115g (4oz) melted butter
• ½ tsp cinnamon

Brownie Layer

• 65g (2¼oz) plain flour
• 30g (1oz) cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 115g (4oz) butter, melted
• 200g (7oz) caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs

Topping and Serving

• 9 large marshmallows
• 5 Hershey’s bars (approx. 200g/7oz)
• 4.5 litres (approx. 8 pints) vanilla ice cream
• 120ml (4fl oz) chocolate sauce

How To Make Campfire S’mores Brownie Recipe

1. Prep the crust: Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4) and line a 20cm (8-inch) square tin with greaseproof paper. Mix the crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter in a bowl until the texture looks like wet sand. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the tin and bake for 5 minutes until set.
2. Mix dry ingredients: Sift the plain flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and a pinch of salt into a small bowl. Whisk these together until the colour is even and no lumps of cocoa remain.
3. Mix wet ingredients: Stir the melted butter, caster sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until the batter looks shiny and smooth.
4. Make the batter: Gently mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a large metal spoon or spatula. Stop as soon as you see no more streaks of flour to avoid making the brownies tough.
5. Bake the brownie: Pour the batter over the crust and spread it right to the corners with a knife. Bake at 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4) for 23–25 minutes until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let the brownies cool in the tin for at least an hour.
6. Broil the marshmallows: Cut the cooled slab into 9 squares and place a marshmallow in the centre of each. Turn the grill to high and slide the tin underneath for 1–2 minutes. Watch the marshmallows constantly because they turn from gold to black in a few seconds.
7. Assemble and serve: Press half a chocolate bar into the side of each toasted marshmallow while they are still tacky. Put each square into a bowl and top with a large scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce.

Recipe Tips

• Compact the base. Use the bottom of a flat measuring cup to press the crumbs into the corners of the tin. If the base is loose, the brownie layer will seep through and make the bottom soggy.
• Use room temperature eggs. Cold eggs can seize the melted butter in the brownie batter, leading to an uneven bake. Take them out of the fridge 30 minutes before you start mixing.
• Watch the grill. Stand by the oven door when browning the marshmallows. The sugar content means they ignite easily, so pull them out as soon as they look puffed and toasted.
• Check the bake early. Start testing the brownies at 20 minutes to ensure they stay fudgy. A dry brownie won’t mesh well with the creamy ice cream topping.
• Store the base only. If you want to prep ahead, bake the crust and brownie layer the day before. Save the marshmallow grilling and chocolate assembly for the moment you are ready to eat.
• Clean your knife. Wipe the blade with a damp cloth between every cut when slicing the brownies. This gives you sharp, professional edges rather than jagged crumbs.

What To Serve With Campfire S’mores Brownie

This is a heavy dessert that needs little else, but a glass of cold full-fat milk or a strong black coffee cuts through the sugar beautifully. If you want more texture, a handful of crushed salted peanuts or toasted pecans adds a nice savoury crunch to the topping.

You could also swap the vanilla ice cream for honeycomb or salted caramel flavours for an even richer finish. Fresh raspberries on the side offer a sharp contrast that balances the deep cocoa and charred marshmallow notes.

How To Store Campfire S’mores Brownie

• Fridge: Keep unadorned brownie squares in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Do not store them with the ice cream or sauce already applied as the base will become mushy.
• Reheat: Warm the brownie squares in a 150°C (300°F/Gas Mark 2) oven for 10 minutes before adding the marshmallows. Avoid the microwave as it can make the graham cracker crust lose its characteristic crunch.
• Freeze: Wrap individual brownie squares tightly in clingfilm and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for two hours before adding the toppings and grilling the marshmallows.

Campfire S’mores Brownie Recipe Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 580kcal
• Protein: 7g
• Fat: 28g
• Carbohydrates: 76g
• Sugar: 52g
• Sodium: 310mg

Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.

FAQs

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• Cracker Barrel Fried Apples Recipe
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