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These S'mores Cupcakes with Graham Cracker Frosting, Toasted Marshmallows, and Hershey's Chocolate are the best ever! Topped with a uniquely wonderful graham cracker cream cheese frosting, toasted marshmallows, extra Hershey's chocolate bar and pieces of graham cracker, these S'mores Cupcakes with Graham Cracker Frosting bring back memories of summertime, camping, and campfires in all of us!
We love cupcakes at our house! Be sure to try our Key Lime Cupcakes, Best Ever Moist Chocolate Cupcakes, Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes, Dulce de Leche Cupcakes, or S'mores Cupcakes next!
Can you believe this is the first cupcake recipe I have posted on House of Nash Eats?! I mean, you could probably turn my Vintage Cherry Chip Layer Cake into cupcakes, or even use the recipe for my favorite Devil's Food Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting to make a batch of cupcakes. But no actual cupcake recipes to date.
My bad, friends, my bad.
But I will make amends with these S'mores Cupcakes with Graham Cracker Frosting, m'kay? Because they are basically one of the best desserts to ever come out of my kitchen, IMO (although I think you will agree).
I'm a huge s'mores fan (gooey marshmallows, melty chocolate, sweet & crunchy graham crackers? what's not to love?!) and one of the first recipes I posted on House of Nash Eats was for S'mores Bars. If you haven't tried them yet, what are you waiting for?!
But I really wanted a recipe for the perfect S'mores cupcakes. Pinterest has a billion variations for s'mores cupcakes and while they are all delicious (okay, maybe I haven't tried ALL of them, but I've given it my best shot), I felt like I hadn't yet found one that satisfied my ever-lovin' s'mores-obsessing heart.
I went through at least 10-12 versions and batches of s'mores cupcakes before I settled on this approach as my favorite. (My friends, neighbors, and the young women that I work with at church all got to eat lots of s'mores cupcakes this summer!)
I tried graham cracker cupcakes with chocolate frosting and mini marshmallows on top, chocolate cupcakes with marshmallow frosting and graham cracker crumbs sprinkled over top, and various versions using cake mix hacks.
There were marshmallow fluff filled versions and chocolate filled versions. Some that didn't call for any frosting at all - only toasted marshmallows on top.
That kind of research is hard, but if somebody's got to do it, I'll take one for the team.
My approach that I finally decided is my absolute favorite uses a simple graham cracker crust as a base for the cupcake where you stir together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar, then press it down into cupcake liners.
Then there is a layer of perfect homemade chocolate cupcake with a piece of Hershey's bar pressed down inside it for extra chocolate effect.
That's followed by what I think is the pièce de résistance - a graham cracker cream cheese frosting. I'm obsessed with this stuff, and I'm not even much of a frosting person!
Seriously, it might have to make another appearance in other future recipes, it's THAT good. I knew I wanted an actual toasted marshmallow on top of each cupcake to complete the s'mores flavor profile and to make them look pretty, but I actually went one step further and stuck a piece of Hershey bar and graham cracker into each frosted cupcake along with the toasted marshmallow for good measure.
It's not overkill. Trust me.
We're talking s'mores here and I mean business when it comes to s'mores.
Try these and let me know what you think! National S'mores Day is coming up and so is Labor Day!
And Friday! And the whole weekend! And back to school and probably a birthday somewhere in the mix.
So you've got plenty of highly legitimate excuses reasons why you need to make these s'mores cupcakes ASAP.
More Cake and Cupcake Recipes You'll Love!
- Key Lime Cupcakes
- Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes
- Dulce de Leche Cupcakes
- Best Ever Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
- Gingerbread Cupcakes with Eggnog Buttercream
- Best Red Velvet Cake
- Homemade Funfetti Cake From Scratch
- Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
- The BEST Homemade German Chocolate Cake
- Vintage Cherry Chip Layer Cake
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S'mores Cupcakes with Graham Cracker Frosting
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Base
- 1 ¼ cups Graham cracker crumbs
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- 4 Tablespoons butter melted
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup boiling water
- 2 Hershey's bars broken up
Graham Cracker Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup butter 1 stick, softened to room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ¾ cup Graham cracker crumbs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2-3 Tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
Cupcake Assembly
- 2 Hershey's bars broken up
- 1 bag large marshmallows
- 8 graham crackers broken up
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with 24 cupcake liners.
- Process the graham crackers in a food processor or crush them in a heavy duty Ziploc bag with a mallet or rolling pin until they are fine crumbs. In a small bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs with the sugar and melted butter, until completely combined. Add 1 tablespoon of the graham cracker base mixture into each cupcake liner and press into the bottom of the liner with the back of a spoon or the bottom of a small juice cup.
- Prepare the chocolate cupcake batter by first sifting together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a large bowl and hand mixer, mix the sugar and oil together on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until light. Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add the dry ingredients alternately with the boiling water, mixing just until combined and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each a little over half full. If you have additional batter leftover, you can make some plain chocolate cupcakes, but don't fill the liners too full or the cupcakes will rise over the edges of the cupcake liners. Press 1 piece of broken up Hershey's bar down into the chocolate batter of each cupcake.
- Bake for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Or press on the top of a cupcake to see if it bounces back (my preferred method of testing cupcakes for doneness). Remove from oven and cool completely.
- When ready to frost and decorate cupcakes, combine the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl and beat well until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and graham cracker crumbs and mix to combine. Add the cream or milk a tablespoon at a time until the frosting reaches a buttercream consistency, then transfer to a piping bag with a large tip and pipe onto the cooled cupcakes.
- Turn your oven to broil. Arrange 24 large marshmallows in a single layer on a baking sheet, then place in the oven under the broiler until toasted to your desired level of toastiness. You can even rotate them to brown all sides of the marshmallow if you want.
- Top each cupcake with a toasted marshmallow, a square of Hershey's chocolate, and a piece of graham cracker to decorate.
Chiara Casebolt says
These look absolutely delicious!! Definitely gonna have to try making these....or maybe I just need to make a tub of that Graham cracker frosting and use a Hershey bar as my dipping spoon. Mmmmmmm... 😋
Amy says
That idea is seriously just genius!
Cristina says
My son loves cakes so much. This recipe looks so yummy! I am gonna try this recipe for him and let you know!
Ashley @ Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen says
I'm totally swooning over that graham cracker frosting! YUM!
Kate says
THese are so cute! I could totally see these at a wedding.
cookie says
OMG...absolutely delicious!! Your recipe looks YUMMY!
Megan @ MegUnprocessed says
These are adorable!!
Allison Miller says
I cannot resist anything s'more! These look delicious!!
Tawnya says
Just made these, with a little twist... I dipped the Hershey pieces in marshmallow creme before putting them inside the batter. Yummmmm! They are amazing. Thank you!
Amy says
I love it! Totally trying this next time!
Caroline @ Pinch Me, I'm Eating! says
That sounds like some delicious recipe testing you did! Your final approach sounds like perfection!!! I am also a s'mores lover so I'll have to try these for sure. I've made s'mores cookies before too and they're awesome!
Kiki says
Oh my, these cupcakes are real beauties! And graham cracker frosting is such a cool idea... I think it is actually my favorite part. I would probably have eaten half of it by the time the muffins come out of the oven! YUM
Joanna @ Everyday Made Fresh says
Hmmm, I love everything about these! I love smores, and these look like a great way to enjoy the flavors in cupcake form. I really like how you did the graham cracker bottoms.
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says
How fun! My kids would absolutely love these! Perfect for when it's a little too chilly to make s'mores outside!
Kylee from Kylee Cooks says
I need you to move in with me. And make these. Bring your kids, okay? I love smores, despite never having tried them til I was in my mid 30s (yes, really). These cupcakes are adorbs. So are you!
Amy says
Lol - you got it. As long as you make me breakfast. 🙂
helene dsouza says
woah your s'mores cupcakes with the crackers are perfect! I bet everybody would love one in my house, they would keep everybody happy for sure. I can understand why you like s'mores. =D
Veena Azmanov says
These look perfect for my kids upcoming party. They love smores. Love the crackers frosting. YUM
Christine - Jar Of Lemons says
I'm always obsessed with s'mores, but LOVE them in cupcake form! These look delicious and beautiful. Definitely hope to make these!
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
How cute!! I can't imagine anyone passing up these adorable cupcakes. They are certain to be very popular with young and old alike. Adding the broiled marshmallow on top makes them look genuine!.
Karyl | Karyl's Kulinary Krusade says
Oh my goodness, this is so much divine in one bite! I would have to stop myself at one, or else I would eat way too many. Seriously, these look amazing
Ashley - Forking Up says
Smores are so versatile! I make smores cupcakes with a graham cake and chocolate filling--everyone does it a little differently!
Amy says
So true! I'll take s'mores any way I get 'em!
Priya srinivasan says
Aww my that looks totally delish!!! Those cute marshmallows do make the cupcake look more tempting!
Alexis Birkmeyer says
Brilliant! I've been searching everywhere for a s'mores cupcake for a beach birthday party that didn't rely on a seven minute type frosting, which won't hold up to the ocean air. Thank you!
Amy says
Sounds like such a fun party! Glad I could help!
LaTrice says
I found your blog using the Google search engine. My sister is a HUGE fan of s'mores, and I would LOVE to make these mouthwatering cupcakes. I'm thrilled that I found a recipe that has a graham cracker frosting, which will take the s'mores cupcakes to a different level. Did you use cream cheese frosting or butter cream? I apologize for asking a stupid question. Thank you so much, Amy. 🙂
Amy says
Not a stupid question at all! This recipe isn't true to either a cream cheese or buttercream recipe really since it doesn't use as much cream cheese as most cream cheese frosting recipes would use. But it DOES use some cream cheese, which gives great texture and a little tangy-ness that balances out the flavors so well. And it's not a true buttercream because there just isn't as much butter as a regular buttercream. It's somewhere in the middle of the two types of frosting, but I think it's amazing and I hope you and your sister will love it!
Shacana says
Oh my gosh, these sound like heaven!
I'm doing a camping themed baby shower in a few weeks and I think these will be perfect! I did have two questions (and I'm sorry if I missed the answers, I promise I looked lol!) How would you recommend storing these? And approximately how long do you think they would last? I'm a big night before an event baker lol
Amy says
What a fun shower theme! I would recommend storing them in the fridge if you are making them a day or two in advance (although you could make the cupcake base whenever you like and freeze them until you are ready to frost them). I also wouldn't do any of the decorating with the graham cracker piece, hershey's chocolate, and marshmallow until right before the event. The graham cracker piece won't last more than a few hours without going soft.
Lauren Daniels says
I know I'm a couple of years late, but a chocolate covered graham cracker(only covering 1/2 with chocolate) would protect it against turning soft when pressed into the frosting, but you'd still see plain graham cracker sticking out... This recipe looks amazing!!
Amy says
That's a genius idea! Thank you!
Jessica says
Hi, did you use salter or unsalted butter?
Amy says
I used salted butter.
Kate says
These are the best cupcakes. Everyone went crazy for them at the drive in movie theater I hosted. The icing really makes the cupcakes and the chocolate Hersey bar in the middle is a good surprise in the middle.
Teisha says
I can’t wait to make these for my daughter’s camping themed birthday party! Do yo recommend using cake flour or all purpose for this recipe?
Amy says
I used all-purpose flour with these and they turn out great every time!
Amanda Lynch says
I usually never leave comments but I wanted to let everyone know that I made these this weekend and they were DELICIOUS! Everyone loved them! Thank you so much!
Andrea says
I just made these for a farewell dessert for my job and these are hands down the best cupcakes I've ever had. Thank you this repicipe will now be a staple in my recipe book!!
Sarah says
These sound absolutely amazing! Would I be able to freeze them? Making cupcakes has become a hobby of mine. I've been able to freeze all of them and they come out tasting brand new. I wasn't sure about this one with the graham cracker bottom or the type of frosting. Thank you!
Amy says
I would freeze the cupcake bottom and the frosting separately, then thaw the frosting and beat it again once it is at room temperature before frosting and serving these.
Just started baking says
Very delicious cupcakes. Just made them today and the wow factor for me is the frosting! But all the combinations of flavors gives it my praise. I would still substitute the inserted Hershey for a chocolate ganache, but this cupcake gets the vote for the most delicious s’mores cupcake by my husband, sister, sister-in-law and nephew!!!
Kayla says
Any suggestions how to make the frosting less sweet? Could I decrease the amount of powdered sugar? Making them for a baby shower and the mom doesn’t like super sweet frosting .
Amy says
Try adding 2-4 ounces of cream cheese to the frosting without decreasing the powdered sugar. Sometimes the tang of the powdered sugar can help. Or you could try using the frosting on my black forest cake, which is an ermine frosting and just add graham crackers to it. It is much less sweet than a traditional buttercream and may be just the thing you are looking for!