S’more delights: Elevate your campfire treats with these delicious twists

Confession time: I’m not a happy camper. I really don’t enjoy camping. Roughing it, sleeping in a sleeping bag in a tent in the wild.

No thanks.

It’s a little too quiet for me. If my hotel room faces the trees, I would consider that to be camping.

But it seems like everyone’s going camping, and that got me thinking about the one camp tradition I can get behind: S’mores!

This warm, ooey, gooey treat always leaves us wanting some more — which is where the name is believed to originate, as in “I want s’more!”

It’s uncertain who invented the s’more, but Loretta Scott Crew, who made them for Girl Scouts by the campfire, is given credit for the recipe when it was first published in a 1927 publication called “Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts.” But it wasn’t until 1974 when Merriam-Webster added it to the dictionary, making it official.

Of course, much of the fun of s’mores is cooking them with friends and family over a campfire, but if you don’t have access to a fire, don’t despair. These can be made on a grill, the stovetop or, my personal favorite, with a kitchen torch.

Just in time for National S’mores Day on Aug. 10, here’s how to make classic s’mores and a few creative variations to enjoy.

There is nothing lacking in the traditional s’more. The ingredients are inexpensive and easy to find.

But let’s take the humble s’more and give it a makeover, because it’s what I do. We can switch out crackers and candy bars and add some unexpected ingredients.

This way, you have a ridiculously delicious finale for every barbecue, cookout or campout for the rest of the summer.

S’more To Love

1. Reese’s S’more: Graham cracker and peanut butter cup and marshmallow.

2. Chocolate Mint S’mores: Chocolate graham cracker and peppermint patty and marshmallow.

3. Cookie S’mores: Chocolate chip or Oreo cookies and chocolate and marshmallow.

4. Salted Caramel and Chocolate S’mores: Graham cracker and chocolate and caramel topping and sprinkle of coarse sea salt and marshmallow.

5. Lemon Meringue Pie S’more: Graham cracker and lemon curd and marshmallow.

6. Nutella Banana S’more: Graham cracker and Nutella and banana slices and marshmallow.

7. Cheesecake S’mores: Graham cracker and whipped cream cheese and strawberry or raspberry jam and marshmallow.

8. Berries and Cream S’mores: Graham cracker and white chocolate and strawberries and marshmallow.

9. Banana Split S’mores: Graham cracker and chocolate and banana slices and strawberry slices and marshmallow.

10. Black Forest S’mores: Chocolate graham cracker or cookie and grilled cherries and chocolate and marshmallow.

Now that we have all these s’mores ideas to try, we’d better get started. With or without the camping part, let’s roast some marshmallows.

Classic S’mores

Ingredients

2 graham crackers

1 large marshmallow

1 piece of milk chocolate (about 1 ounce)

Procedure

If you’re using a campfire, roast the marshmallow on a skewer over the flames until it’s golden brown and gooey, about 1 to 2 minutes. If you’re indoors, you can toast it over a gas stove or in the oven under broiler for a few seconds.

Place one graham cracker on a plate. Top it with a piece of chocolate. Once your marshmallow is toasted, carefully place it on top of the chocolate. Add the second graham cracker on top and press down gently. Let it sit for a few seconds to allow the chocolate to melt a bit, then dig in.