S’mores Cupcakes
S’mores Cupcakes give you all the campfire flavor with none of the smoke, mess, or bug spray. A rich chocolate cupcake, with a buttery graham cracker crust, and topped with fluffy marshmallow frosting and your favorite s’mores garnishes. A cake mix shortcut keeps them easy, and you can toast the frosting for that charred marshmallow effect. Made with pantry staples, they come together in about 40 minutes and make 24 cupcakes.
I love a good campfire. Sitting around the flames with friends, telling ghost stories, and working on the perfect s’more. And by perfect I mean the marshmallow is basically on fire.
The more charred the better. Mine is always the last one off the skewer, usually because it’s so melty it’s just about to fall into the coals.
But sometimes it’s too hot for a fire, or you don’t feel like the whole production, or you just don’t want the mess. In Georgia, that’s all year round. And this is where these come in.
S’mores cupcakes give you every flavor you love, the chocolate, the gooey marshmallow, the cinnamon graham cracker, all wrapped up in a slightly neater package.
And they start with a cake mix, so they’re even easier than building a fire. If you love an easy summer dessert, here are a few more!
More Easy Desserts
- Chocolate Lasagna – layered no bake creamy chocolate dessert
- Cherry Pie Bars – buttery crust with sweet cherry filling
- Sugar Cookie Bars – soft frosted sugar cookie in bar form
- Lunch Lady Brownies – fudgy chocolate brownies with thick frosting
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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
Graham Crackers – Crushed into crumbs for the crust. You’ll need about 20 crackers for 1 1/2 cups of crumbs. Buy them pre crushed or smash them in a bag. We usually have graham crackers on hand but I do love buying the crumbs because they are so easy.
Devil’s Food Cake Mix – I love a cake mix short cut! Devil’s Food is extra rich and you don’t have to measure out all the individual ingredients. Any chocolate cake mix works, but devil’s food is my pick for the best flavor.
Buttermilk – You can use water like the box says but butter milk is better. It makes the cupcakes moister and richer. No buttermilk? See the notes in the recipe card for a substitute.
Marshmallow Cream – The base of the frosting and what makes it taste like toasted marshmallow. Use one 7 ounce container of fluff or creme. They are the same thing.
Clear Vanilla – For the frosting, so it stays bright white instead of tinting the marshmallow beige. Regular vanilla works, the frosting will just be a shade darker.
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How To Make S’mores Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a cupcake pan with liners. Combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar, then blend in the melted butter until it’s evenly mixed.
- Add about 1 tablespoon of the mixture to each liner and press it down firmly with a spoon or tart shaper. Bake 6 to 8 minutes, then cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Increase the oven to 350°F.
- Make the cupcakes. In a large bowl, whisk together the cake mix, oil, eggs, and buttermilk until smooth. Divide the batter over the cooled crusts.
- Sprinkle the tops with chocolate chips and graham cracker crumbs. Bake at 350°F for 12 to 14 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Make the frosting. Cream the softened butter until smooth, then mix in the marshmallow creme and vanilla until combined.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Frost the cooled cupcakes and garnish. Char or torch the frosting for that toasted marshmallow effect if you like.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Storage
Refrigerator: Because of the marshmallow frosting, store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Bring them to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Room Temperature: They’re fine at room temperature for a few hours for serving, which is perfect for a party.
Make Ahead: Bake the cupcakes a day ahead and frost them closer to serving. If you’re charring the frosting, do that just before serving so it looks freshly toasted.
Freezer: Freeze the unfrosted cupcakes up to 2 months. Thaw, then frost when ready.
Variations
Toasted Top: Char or torch the marshmallow frosting with a kitchen torch for a true toasted s’more look and flavor.
Loaded Garnish: Top with mini Hershey’s bars, graham sticks, chocolate shavings, or even chocolate goldfish crackers for fun.
Different Cake: Any chocolate cake mix works, or use a homemade chocolate cupcake recipe if you prefer.
Extra Chocolate: Press a square of chocolate into the center of each cupcake before baking for a melty middle.
Sprinkles: Add sprinkles for a more festive, kid friendly look.
How Do You Toast the Marshmallow Frosting?
The toasted marshmallow top is what really sells the s’mores effect, and it’s easy to do.
The best tool is a small kitchen torch. Hold it a few inches from the frosting and move it in slow circles until the surface turns golden and lightly blackened in spots, just like a marshmallow over a fire.
No torch? Pop the frosted cupcakes under your oven’s broiler for a few seconds, watching them the entire time, since marshmallow frosting goes from golden to burnt fast. Keep the door cracked and your eyes on them.
Either way, do the toasting right before serving so it looks and tastes freshly done.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Bake the cupcakes a day ahead and frost them closer to serving. If you’re toasting the frosting, do that right before serving so it looks freshly charred.
Buttermilk makes the cake mix cupcakes moister and richer than using just water like the box says. It’s a simple swap that makes a boxed mix taste more homemade.
No. A torch gives the best toasted marshmallow look, but you can broil the frosted cupcakes for a few seconds instead. Just watch them closely, since they brown fast.
In the fridge for up to 4 days because of the marshmallow frosting. Bring them to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Absolutely! Any chocolate cake mix works. Devil’s food gives the deepest, darkest chocolate flavor, which is my preference for balancing the sweet marshmallow.
Yes, you can bake the graham crusts in the liners ahead, then add the batter and bake when you’re ready. It’s a good way to split up the steps.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Press the graham crust down firmly with a spoon or your fingers so it holds together.
- Use clear vanilla in the frosting to keep it bright white.
- Swap buttermilk for the water in the cake mix for moister, richer cupcakes.
- Toast the frosting right before serving so it looks freshly toasted.
- Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting, or the marshmallow frosting will slide right off.
This Smores Cupcakes recipe is rich, gooey, and all the campfire flavor with none of the smoke. Whip up a batch for your next summer party and skip building the fire entirely!
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please leave us a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ five-star review in the comment section below. Thanks!
Easy Smores Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs roughly 20 crushed crackers
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 5 tablespoons butter melted
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 15.25 ounces devil’s food chocolate cake mix 1 box
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk see notes
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Marshmallow Frosting
- 7 ounces marshmallow cream
- 1 cup butter 2 sticks, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract clear
Garnishes
- Mini chocolate bars or squares
- Graham cracker crumbs
- Mini chocolate chips
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Add cupcake liners to pan and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar together. Melt butter in microwave safe bowl and blend into crumb mixture until well combined.
- Add 1 tablespoon mixture to each liner and press down with spoon or tart shaper. Bake for 6-8 minutes, remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 5 minutes.
- Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Chocolate Cupcakes
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake mix, oil, eggs, and buttermilk until smooth.
- Divide batter on top of cooled graham cracker crust. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and graham cracker crumbs.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven to wire rack and allow to cool completely.
Frosting
- Cream butter in large mixing bowl. Add marshmallow cream and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
- Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
- Frost cupcakes and garnish with graham cracker crumbs, mini chocolate chips, chocolate shavings, or toast the marshmallow topping.
- Enjoy with friends! No campfire needed!
Notes
- Press the graham crust down firmly with a spoon or tart shaper so it holds together.
- Use clear vanilla in the frosting to keep it bright white.
- Swap buttermilk for the water in the cake mix for moister, richer cupcakes.
- Char the frosting right before serving so it looks freshly toasted.
- Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting, or the marshmallow frosting will slide right off.
Nutrition
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