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S’mores Brownies are a fun twist on the classic brownie recipe. Graham crackers topped with fudgy homemade brownies and a toasted marshmallow meringue topping... what's not to love?!
I made these S'mores Brownies with Domino® Golden Sugar. It’s made from pure cane sugar, is less processed than white sugar, and yet works cup-for-cup just like white sugar. It also imparts just a hint of molasses flavor and has the perfect golden color. You can grab Domino® Golden Sugar on Amazon here! Or you can find it in your local grocery store! (Here’s a nifty little store locator tool!)
How to Make S'mores Brownies
These S'mores Brownies are extremely simple to make and the results are unreal. Trust me! There are two essential components for this recipe: the brownie layer and the marshmallow meringue topping!
The brownie layer contains your standard brownie ingredients; you know... butter, flour, eggs etc. This particular brownie recipe uses only cocoa powder which makes for a deliciously chewy brownie that comes together quickly.
To assemble and bake the S’mores Brownies, you’ll first line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper; this will help remove the brownies once they have cooled. After the pan is lined with parchment paper, arrange graham crackers in a single layer on the bottom of the pan. You’ll need a total of 4 1/2 graham crackers to cover the bottom of an 8×8 pan.
Next, you'll mix your brownie batter, then pour and carefully spread the batter onto the graham crackers and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. Then you'll let the brownies cool completely while you make the Marshmallow Meringue.
Marshmallow Meringue
Don’t be scared or disgusted by the word “meringue”. It's really easy to make and it makes for a gorgeous topping on these brownies. Marshmallow meringue is everything you love about marshmallows, but in semi-liquified form; think of it as homemade marshmallow fluff. It’s extra creamy, soft, and sweet and pairs wonderfully with a variety of flavors, especially these S'mores Brownies. When toasted, it tastes just like a marshmallow roasted over a campfire!
Ingredients for the Marshmallow Meringue:
- Egg Whites: For best success, I recommend using fresh eggs instead of carton egg whites.
- Domino® Golden Sugar: This helps with the structure of the meringue; don't skip out on it or reduce the amount! You can substitute an equal amount of granulated sugar.
- Cream of Tartar: Cream of tartar stabilizes the egg whites and helps the mixture hold its stiff peaks.
- Vanilla Bean Paste: Adds a wonderful flavor, not to mention those beautiful vanilla bean specks.
How To Make Marshmallow Meringue
If you've ever made a Swiss meringue before, this process will be very familiar to you. You'll start by heating the egg whites and the Domino® Golden Sugar in a double boiler. This step serves two purposes:
- It helps the sugar dissolve into the egg whites.
- It heats the egg whites to a safe-to-eat temperature without the egg whites getting cooked like they would over direct heat.
Once the egg whites and sugar are combined and reach 160°F (70°C) on an instant-read thermometer, it’s time to let your stand mixer do all of the work. You'll add the vanilla bean paste and whip the mixture on high for 4 to 5 minutes, and before you know it... you'll have a glorious, marshmallow meringue. Try not to eat it all before topping the brownies! ?
S'mores Brownies: Troubleshooting & FAQ
Can I double this S'mores Brownies recipe?
Yes! You can easily double the recipe, and bake in a 9×13″ pan. You can adjust the ‘servings’ slider from 16 to 32 in the recipe card to get the proper measurements.
Is the Marshmallow Meringue stable?
Because of the addition of cream of tartar, the topping is relatively stable. It can definitely be piped, and it holds its shape relatively well.
However, you may notice that it might lose a little of its volume over time; especially if you choose not to torch it.
Help! My brownies came out dry. What did I do wrong?
If you used cup measures as opposed to weight measures, your ingredients were probably a little off. As weird as this sounds, measuring cups aren’t as accurate as you think. For example, somebody who scoops the measuring cup into the flour will have way more than somebody who uses a spoon to scoop the flour into the same sized measuring cup. This is why you should really be measuring by weight with a kitchen scale instead—it’s much more reliable and completely eliminates any inconsistencies.
Alternatively, if you measured your ingredients by weight and the brownie still came out too dry, you might have overmixed your brownie batter or overbaked the brownies. Overmixing the batter will allow air to get trapped in the batter and will result in dry, cakey brownies. Overbaking is pretty self-explanatory; make sure you remove the brownies when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs sticking to it. If it comes out clean, you've overbaked them!
Help! My Marshmallow Meringue is runny? What did I do wrong?
Nine times out of ten, if you’re having trouble getting your meringue to whip up properly, it’s because a trace of fat somehow made its way into your bowl. Egg whites WILL NOT whip up right if there is any grease or fat present, no matter how microscopic it might be.
So make sure your bowl and whisk are REALLY clean, with no trace of greasiness whatsoever. It’s best to clean them in very hot, soapy water and rinse them well, then dry them with a clean towel. I also like to wipe my bowl down with lemon juice to ensure there's no traces of grease or fat whatsoever!
Looking for more brownie recipes?
Check these out!
Ultimate Fudge Brownies
Pumpkin Swirl Brownies
Salted Caramel Brownie Cups
This post is sponsored by Domino Sugar. All opinions are 100% my own. Thanks for continuing to support the brands that help make ‘Mike Bakes NYC’ possible!
S'mores Brownies
Ingredients
For the Brownies:
- 65 g graham cracker sheets
- 60 g all-purpose flour
- 200 g Domino® Golden Sugar
- 25 g cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon coarse sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 115 g unsalted butter melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Marshmallow Meringue Topping:
- 2 large egg whites
- 100 g Domino® Golden Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Instructions
To Make the Brownies:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease an 8x8–inch (20x20–cm) pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray and then line the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on all sides. Grease the parchment with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Line the graham cracker sheets in an even layer on the bottom of the pan, then set it aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, Domino® Golden Sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder.
- In a medium bowl, add the butter, eggs, and vanilla and whisk until well combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and evenly spread it on top of the graham crackers.
- Bake for 30 minutes, then test the brownies by inserting a toothpick into the center of the pan; if it comes out with wet batter, the brownies are not done. If there are only a few moist crumbs, the brownies are done. Keep checking the brownies every 2 minutes until you have moist crumbs.
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow the brownies to cool completely.
To Make the Marshmallow Meringue Topping:
- In a large heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg whites, Domino® Golden Sugar, and cream of tartar, then set the bowl over a saucepan filled with just two inches of simmering water over medium heat. Do not let the bottom of the egg bowl touch the water. Whisk the eggs and sugar constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture has reached a temperature of 160°F (71°C), about 4 minutes. The mixture will be thick and tacky at first, then thin out and become frothy.
- Transfer the hot egg mixture to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and add the vanilla bean paste. Beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Mound the meringue on top of the cooled brownies, swirling it decoratively. Serve immediately OR torch it with a kitchen torch for a delicious toasted marshmallow topping. (Do not place in the oven under the broiler– it will melt.)
Notes
Nutrition
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Sally
Reduced the sugar cause it sounded like a lot and brownies were still way too sweet...and I have a big sweet tooth. Maybe other brands of sugar are sweeter? First recipe from you that wasn’t perfect out the gate ?
Jen
Would you use brown sugar or regular white sugar if you did not have golden sugar?
Michael Johnson
Granulated sugar!
Katie
Are there any other options to toast the topping if I don’t own a blowtorch?
Michael Johnson
Unfortunately, there's not! You could use regular marshmallows instead of the meringue topping and place the brownies under the broiler for a minute or so for a similar effect! Otherwise, I would just invest in a small kitchen torch; they're relatively inexpensive. This is the one I use!
Linda
These.were.amazing! Best new recipe I have tried in a long time.Thanks for sharing!! So happy I followed you on Instagram!
Marika
Can't wait to try this? Is the topping sticky like marshmallow fluff or smooth like a Swiss meringue?
Michael Johnson
It's a little sticky, but much closer to Swiss meringue
Megan
These were amazing! I bought domino golden sugar just for this recipe and I’m already planning on making them again this week.
Lauren
OMG! Made these today. Love them. Thanks Mike.
Super easy and oh so delicious. They will not las long....
Michael Johnson
So glad to hear! 🙂