I know that August, while still scorching hot in certain parts of the world (including here)– also marks the wind-down of the Summer season. For some who don’t like stifling weather or the humidity, this is a relief- but for those of us in New England, most of who feel like we only just recently dug ourselves out of a never ending snow pile- the last days of Summer can feel like a punch to the stomach. I adore Autumn (my favorite season!) but I really wouldn’t mind if Summer decided to stick around for just a little while longer- maybe even lingering around in late September? Please? Pretty please?

Oh well- fret not! There’s still a little bit of time between now and Labor Day to enjoy and savor some final Summer fun- including baking one of my favorite seasonal treats- and you don’t need a campfire to do it!

If you don’t have access to a fire pit, or if it’s raining, or if you just can’t seem to make a proper s’more on a stick (I’m notoriously bad at it,) you can bake your own less-messy version right in your oven in just over a half hour!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

* 18 graham crackers

* 1/4 cup of granulated sugar

* A pinch of salt

* 8 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter

* 3-4 extra-large Hershey’s bars (or 7/8 regular-sized ones)

* 1 bag of marshmallows (you don’t have to use all of them, but if you want them extra gooey- go nuts.)

OKAY, HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13″ baking pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper, allowing an extra 2-3 inches of parchment to hang over the edges of the pan.

2. Using a bowl or a food processor, pulse/beat the graham crackers until they are finely ground. Pour the crumbs into a medium bowl.

3. Add the sugar and salt to the graham cracker crumbs and stir to combine. Add the melted butter and stir until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Pour your crumb mixture into the prepared baking pan and press it into an even layer.

4. Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. From there, let the crust cool for 5-10 minutes.

5. Arrange the chocolate bars evenly on top of the slightly cooled crust, leaving about ¼ inch of crust uncovered around the edges. Arrange the marshmallows on top of the chocolate, leaving some space between each one (they will expand a little).

6. Bake until the chocolate is soft and beginning to melt, and the marshmallows are evenly toasted on top, 10-12 minutes (a little less if you don’t want the graham cracker crust too crispy.)

7. You can slice and serve the bars immediately, or let them cool for 15-20 minutes if you’d like to slice them cleanly.

8. Enjoy! (Side note: you can reheat sliced bars in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds!)

These came out so, so good (although s’mores are one of those rare desserts that are near-impossible to screw up,) and I will definitely be making them again before September creeps up on me. My niece would love these for sure- so I’m going to enlist her help in making them with me next time!

xx