With a super moist chocolate cupcake, graham cracker crust and marshmallow frosting, these s'mores cupcakes are hard to top.
I mean who didn't grow up liking s'mores! From s'mores ice cream to s'mores crème brûlée. I can't get enough.
It truly is the definition of a summer dessert. And if you can't decide what you're favorite part of a freshly made s'more is, no need to worry as you get chocolate from the cupcake, graham cracker from the bottom crust and melty marshmallows from the frosting.
Why This Recipe Works
- Flavorful - as is in the title, these s'mores cupcakes tastes just like a s'more, but you don't need a fire to make them.
- Nostalgic - who doesn't love bringing up memories of childhood and these cupcakes will do that for you.
- Party food - when I think of s'mores I think of summer parties or hangouts, so these s'more cupcakes are perfect to make ahead and show off your skills.
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Ingredient Notes
- Graham crackers - by mixing with some sugar and butter, you make a delicious, crumbly base.
- Cocoa powder - it is important to use natural, not Dutch cocoa powder as the cake is already rich enough. Dutch doesn't have acidity so needs to have baking powder to react.
- Buttermilk - important as the acidity reacts with the baking soda to create rise but also adds moistness to the cake.
- Coffee - if baking anything with chocolate, I always use coffee as it just enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Eggs - while it is used for the cupcakes for added structure, the importance of eggs comes with the marshmallow frosting where it makes the frosting softer but adds stabilization.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can mix up the ingredients for these s'mores cupcakes. Some variations include:
- I mentioned above that I use natural cocoa powder, but Dutch cocoa powder works if you use more baking powder instead of baking soda.
- Vegetable oil is important for the added fat, but canola oil or melted butter work as well.
- If you don't want or have coffee, just replace with the same amount of hot water.
Step-by-Step Photos
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
Start by crushing the graham crackers. Mix with melted butter and sugar in a bowl.
Place a heaping tablespoon of the mixture into the bottom of cupcake liners, baking at 350°F for 5 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.
While cooling beat together the wet ingredients in a bowl.
Sift together the dry ingredients before mixing in with the wet ingredients.
Add the coffee, mixing until combined. Add the batter so it's ⅔ full in the muffin tins and bake for 12-15 minutes or until done.
Heat the egg whites sugar and cream of tartar in a heat proof bowl over bowling water. Whisk until the sugar is melted and warm to touch, about 130°F.
Remove from heat and whisk on low speed before increasing to high speed, until stiff, glossy peaks form. It should take about 7-9 minutes.
Decorate the s'mores cupcakes and use torch to brown frosting if you want.
FAQs
If you don’t have buttermilk you can easily make it at home. Simply add 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes and it’s ready.
You know s'mores cupcakes are done when you insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean.
The key with baking is DO NOT OVERMIX. It’s the death of any baking recipe and with cupcakes, it can lead to something that is dense and just not very appetizing.
So what does not overmixing mean? Well you mix all of your ingredients right until you see the flour disappear.
The other issue can be baking too long. Trust the toothpick test!
No this can be skipped if you don't have a way to add the roasted marshmallow look with a kitchen torch. I just like how it looks and tastes.
To maximize the shelf life of s'mores cupcakes, place them in a covered airtight container or cover with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.
• Cupcakes at room temperature will last 1-2 days
• Cupcakes in the fridge will last 1 week
• Cupcakes in the freezer will last 4 months
Equipment
The equipment you use is important to how the cupcakes turn out. What is needed is the following:
- Stand mixer - you can also use a hand mixer with mixing bowls.
- Large bowl - need a bowl to be able to mix together the dry ingredients.
- Whisk - used to mix together the dry ingredients.
- Cupcake liners - keeps the cupcakes from sticking to the pan.
- Cookie scoop - helps get an even amount of batter in each cupcake pan.
- Cupcake pan - bakes the cupcakes.
- Piping bag and tips - makes piping the frosting on the s'mores cupcakes much easier.
- Cooking torch - used to create that roasted marshmallow look everyone loves.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Do not skip the buttermilk as it helps create the moistness you expect from chocolate cupcakes.
- All refrigerated items should be at room temperature, which helps the batter mix easily and evenly. Also super important for the frosting.
- When adding the batter to the muffin tin, don't fill more than ⅔ of the way as they do rise.
- Separate your eggs into a smaller separate bowl so that if one of the yolks breaks for your frosting, you haven’t ruined the batch.
- Pipe the frosting immediately as it sets quickly and becomes difficult to work with.
- Allow the s'mores cupcakes to completely cool before adding the frosting, otherwise it will melt.
Other Cupcake Recipes
If you’ve tried these s'mores cupcakes or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
S'mores Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcake
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 1 package)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- ½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup hot brewed coffee
Marshmallow Frosting
- 4 egg whites
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- graham cracker crumbs
- Hershey's chocolate (optional)
Instructions
Cupcake
- Preheat oven to 350°F and place 12 cupcake liners in a cupcake tin. Put graham crackers in a ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin. In a medium bowl, add graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar and mix well.
- Place a heaping tablespoon of the crust mixture in the bottom of each cupcake liner and press down. Bake crusts for 5 min. Remove and set aside to cool while you make the cupcakes.
- Start making the cupcakes. In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat together the egg, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract until smooth.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until there are no longer any clumps. Add the coffee and mix until combined.
- Pour the batter ⅔ full among the muffin tins and bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. When cupcakes are done remove immediately from tins and leave on a cooling rack to cool completely before adding the frosting.
Marshmallow Frosting
- Combine egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in a metal heat proof bowl. Place bowl over a saucepan with boiling water. Whisk constantly until sugar is melted and mixture is warm to touch or between 120°F and 140°F on a candy thermometer.
- Remove from heat and pour into the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat on a low speed gradually increasing to high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 7-9 minutes. Add vanilla extract with 30 seconds left.
- Spoon frosting into piping bag and pipe onto the cupcakes. Torch the frosting to add a roasted marshmallow look if desired and top with graham cracker crumbs.
Notes
- Do not skip the buttermilk as it helps create the moistness you expect from chocolate cupcakes.
- All refrigerated items should be at room temperature, which helps the batter mix easily and evenly. Also super important for the frosting.
- When adding the batter to the muffin tin, don't fill more than ⅔ of the way as they do rise.
- Separate your eggs into a smaller separate bowl so that if one of the yolks breaks for your frosting, you haven’t ruined the batch.
- Pipe the frosting immediately as it sets quickly and becomes difficult to work with.
- Allow the cupcakes to completely cool before adding the frosting, otherwise it will melt.
Chris says
Got to have these and they are outstanding!